Mestre Índio

Manoel Olímpio de Souza was born on July 26, 1950, on the small island of Bom Jesus dos Passos, a traditional fishing community in the Baía de Todos-os-Santos near Salvador, Bahia. From childhood, he grew up immersed in the streets of Salvador, where capoeira was part of daily life.

As a young boy, Índio learned capoeira in the streets of Salvador under the guidance of Mestre Pelé da Bomba, the legendary "Gogó de Ouro" (Golden Throat) of Bahia. Pelé da Bomba himself had learned from Mestre Bugalho at the famous ramp of the Mercado Modelo. Under Pelé da Bomba's tutelage, Índio developed his foundation in Capoeira Angola and the practical "capoeira de rua" (street capoeira) that would define his teaching.

Pelé da Bomba recognized his student's mastery, reportedly telling him: "Pode ir para o mundo, você é Mestre de Capoeira" (You can go into the world, you are a Master of Capoeira). This blessing would prove prophetic, as Índio would carry capoeira far beyond Bahia's borders.

In 1968, Mestre Índio founded the Grupo de Capoeira Oxóssi, named after the orixá of hunting and the forest. The group would become one of the most far-reaching capoeira organizations, eventually spreading to Germany, Switzerland, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, the United States, Chile, and Uruguay.

From around 1963, Índio became one of the cultural attractions at Salvador's Mercado Modelo, performing in the traditional rodas at the market's famous ramp. For decades, this location had been a gathering place for legendary capoeiristas, and Índio joined a community that included his brother Mestre Cacau, as well as Mestre Gajé, Mestre Americano, and Mestre Macumba.

In 1969 and 1970, Mestre Índio received an invitation that would change the course of capoeira in southern Brazil. He traveled to Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, to perform shows at the Dragão Verde nightclub on Avenida Júlio de Castilhos in downtown Porto Alegre. The nightclub's owner, Marion Croaré Amarante—who had also founded the Gruta Azul and Caverna nightclubs—was so impressed by his performances that she hired him. During this period, Índio traveled through various cities in Rio Grande do Sul, introducing audiences to capoeira through his spectacular shows.

After spending time away, Mestre Índio returned to Porto Alegre in 1974 and began teaching regular classes at Clube Petrópolis. This was the beginning of formal capoeira education in Rio Grande do Sul. From his classes at Clube Petrópolis emerged the first generation of gaucho capoeiristas.

Over the following years, Índio expanded his teaching throughout Porto Alegre. He taught at IPA, Mudança, and took over the space at Academia Budokan after Mestre Monsueto departed for Santa Catarina. Eventually he opened his own academy in a gallery space near Galeria do Rosário.

Mestre Índio was instrumental in establishing public rodas in Porto Alegre. The first rodas began at Parcão park, and later he organized the historic first roda at the Brique da Redenção flea market, which became a beloved tradition. These public gatherings brought capoeira out of the academies and into the streets, just as it had always been in Bahia.

At the height of his teaching career, Mestre Índio had approximately 200 students training simultaneously at his academy. His teaching philosophy was uncompromising: "I taught capoeira as fight, not as game, street capoeira, fight." This practical approach, combined with his mastery of the devastating "chapa da morte" kick, produced a new generation of skilled fighters.

Among his most notable students was Mestre Bira de Oxóssi, who began training in 1975 when capoeira first arrived in Rio Grande do Sul. Bira studied under Mestre Índio for more than 20 years—the only mestre from Oxóssi with such extended training. In 1994, Bira received his mestre title in a grand roda at the Mercado Modelo in Salvador, with Dona Maria Romélia, wife of Mestre Pastinha, serving as his godmother. Bira went on to found the Associação de Capoeira Filhos de Oxóssi, described as the largest capoeira group in Rio Grande do Sul.

Another significant student was Mestre Karcará (Paulo Renato Narciso), whom Índio invited to teach for Grupo Oxóssi after recognizing his potential. Karcará would later spread capoeira throughout Europe and establish a strong presence in the Taquari Valley region of Rio Grande do Sul.

In November 2019, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of capoeira in Rio Grande do Sul, the Comissão de Cidadania e Direitos Humanos (CCDH) of the Rio Grande do Sul Legislative Assembly held a special ceremony honoring 30 capoeira professors and mestres. Manoel Olímpio de Souza received the highest distinction, being recognized as "Grão-mestre Índio da Bahia" alongside Mestre Paulinho of Grupo Muzenza as the two pioneers who had brought capoeira to the state in the 1970s.

Mestre Índio continues to be revered as one of the most influential figures in establishing capoeira outside of its traditional northeastern Brazilian heartland. His lineage—stretching from Bugalho through Pelé da Bomba to himself and his many students—represents an important transmission of the Bahian capoeira tradition to the southern regions of Brazil and beyond.