The name Bantus refers to a broad African ethnic group, the Bantu people, who shared a similar language root and occupied two thirds of Western & Southern Africa (Angola, Guinea, Congo, Mozambique etc). The term Bantu refers to over 400 different ethnic groups from these African regions. –NTU means “human” and BA- indicates a plural, put together it means “people”.Grupo Bantus Capoeira was founded by Mestre Pintor in 1991 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Mestre Pintor has over 40 years experience in Capoeira, and was taught by the world famous Mestre João Pequeno. Bantus Capoeira now has branches across Brazil, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Israel, Singapore, Indonesia & Thailand.
At Bantus Capoeira we play the Angola, Regional, and Contemporânea styles of Capoeira. We also practice Samba, Maculelê, Puxada de Rede, Dança Afro and Forró, all forms of Brazilian dance.
Mestre Pintor trained with the illustrious Grand Mestre Joao Pequeno de Pastinha. Mestre Joao Pequeno was one of the two most trusted students of Mestre Pastinha who when he passed his training and academy to Mestre Joao Grande and Mestre Joao Pequeno said: ‘I have taught these young men everything I know about Capoeira tradition, even the Cat’s Leap’. Mestre Joao Pequeno kept playing, practising and maintaining the Capoeira tradition in Forte da Bahia, Brazil until his death in 2010 at the age of 94.