Bastião

Bastião was a capoeirista active in Salvador, Bahia, during the 1920s and 1930s. He is remembered as part of a group of legendary valentões (tough guys) who were defended in court by Major Cosme de Farias, the famous "rábula" (self-taught lawyer) who represented over 30,000 poor and marginalized people in Bahia.

The name "Bastião" is likely a diminutive of "Sebastião", and some sources mention "Sebastião de Souza" as one of the capoeiristas who worked as capangas (political henchmen) for Bahian politicians during the First Republic. These capangas served as enforcers for political figures including former governors Joaquim José de Seabra (1855-1942) and Antônio Moniz (1881-1940).

Bastião is consistently listed alongside other famous capoeiristas of his era who were defended by Cosme de Farias, including Pedro Porreta, Chico Três Pedaços, Samuel da Calçada, Nozinho da Cocheira, Duquinha, and Escalvino. This group represents an important chapter in the history of capoeira in Bahia, when the practice was still criminalized and practitioners often found themselves in conflict with the law.

Unlike some of his contemporaries, Bastião does not have a dedicated chapter in "Mestres e capoeiras famosos da Bahia", suggesting that less detailed historical documentation exists about him individually compared to figures like Pedro Porreta or Nozinho da Cocheira.