Quilombos
Antônio Parreiras picturing a quilombola
Soon several groups of African slaves would gather and establish Quilombos, primitive settlements in far and hard to reach places. After its humble start, some quilombos would develop, attracting more runaway slaves, Brazilian natives and even Europeans escaping the law or catholic extremism. Sometimes a quilombo would become a real independent multi-ethnic state.
Everyday life in a quilombo would offer freedom and the opportunity to rescue traditional cultures lost due to colonial oppression. In this kind of multi-ethnic community, constantly threatened by Portuguese colonial troops, Capoeira evolved from a survival tool to a martial art focused on war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira
