The idea of founding the Associação I.U.N.A de capoeira was driven by an initiative of three mestres of Capoeira:
mestre Rui Henrique, mestre Pedro Rosembergue (Ziza) and mestre Bené.
At the time in 1975, there was a regime of segregation in Africa and we had the idea of founding a group with an opposite reason to it.
A group, as a symbol that could integrate people; a symbol that stands for the unification of all races, this is I.U.N.A “Irmaos Unidos das Nacoes Africanas” with white and black giving their hands to each other. The founding probably happened in one of the universities in the north of Rio de Janeiro.
Mestre Rui Henrique and mestre Canela have been the first mestres who participated in sport competitions for capoeira at universities at that time. Mestre Rui Henrique remains as the quadruple champion in University Capoeira Championships of the north of Rio de Janeiro, before the competitions in universities stopped.
actual mestres:
Rui Henrique, Torquato, Carlos Augusto, Dedinho, Júlio Deglier, Saulo, Soró
Professores/Graduados: Popeye, Arildo, Trovão, Deidei, Tesoura, Michele, Iuri Marcelo, Xexel, Lúcio, Gasparzinho, Cascão, Fungui
Mestres who left IUNA:
Ziza, Bene, Gilson, Cabucú, Betinho, Tigrão, Naval
Professores who left IUNA:
Guto, Cocorinha, Coringa, Pé de chumbo, Ari, Cavalo
The Associação I.U.N.A de Capoeira actively supports social projects like ESCOLA DE PAZ, PROJETO MEL AND LONA CULTURAL in Rio de Janeiro.
In Rio you can have class every day, sundays happens an open roda. An "entrega de cordeis" (graduation) happens every year at the last sunday of december.
