Bernardo José de Cosme

Bernardo José de Cosme was a mestre of batuque in the Recôncavo region of Bahia, based in and around Jaguaripe. He was described by his student Tiburcinho as "mestre da arte na sua região" (master of the art in his region), indicating his recognized status as the leading practitioner of batuque in that area during the late 19th century.

According to Velhos Mestres, Bernardo was "a respected figure in Jaguaripe for his spirited nature and as a fighter among the best of that era". He was associated with batuque presentations at religious festivals in the Jaguaripe region, where these Afro-Brazilian combat traditions were displayed during church celebrations.

Batuque was a leg-based combat form similar to capoeira, practiced in municipalities including Jaguaripe, Nazaré, Cachoeira, Santo Amaro, and Salvador. As Tiburcinho explained in his 1970 interview with Jair Moura, batuque was "um jogo cuja competição era formada por dois contendores, tendo o ponto fundamental de defesa os órgãos sexuais, devido à violência dos golpes" (a game whose competition was formed by two contenders, with the fundamental point of defense being the sexual organs, due to the violence of the blows). The practice included techniques such as "coxa lisa acompanhada" (accompanied smooth thigh), "cruzo de carreiro" (cross of the cart driver), "banda amarrada" (tied sweep), and "baú" (trunk - a destabilizing strike).

Bernardo's primary documented student was Tibúrcio José de Santana (Tiburcinho), who later moved to Salvador and became crucial in preserving traditional songs and the maculelê choreography for Mestre Bimba. Through Tiburcinho, Bernardo's legacy connects to the larger capoeira tradition.

Bernardo was contemporary with other notable batuqueiros of the Jaguaripe/Nazaré region whom Tiburcinho listed: Lúcio Grande de Nazaré das Farinhas, Manuel João, Pedro Gustavo de Britto, Liberato, Gregório Tapera, Pedro Correia, Francisco Chiquetada, Joaquim Grosso, Zeca de Sinhá Purcina, Leocádia Silva de Maria Arcanja, Euclides Lemos (Caco), Teotônio, Antônio Frederico, and Eusébio de Tapuiquara.