Mestre Xaréu

Hélio José Bastos Carneiro de Campos received the apelido "Xaréu" from Mestre Bimba himself, named after the xaréu fish—a species deeply connected to Bahian coastal culture and the traditional "puxada de rede" (net-pulling) practiced by fishermen and celebrated in capoeira folklore.

Xaréu trained at Mestre Bimba's Centro de Cultura Física Regional (CCFR) during what historian Esdras Santos (Mestre Damião) termed the "Propagation Phase" (1967-1973), the final era of Bimba's academy before his departure to Goiânia. This period saw the training of numerous students who would later spread Regional worldwide, including Itapoan, Jair Moura, Camisa Roxa, Acordeon, and many others.

When Mestre Bimba left Salvador for Goiânia in 1973—a move that would end in tragedy with his death on February 5, 1974—Xaréu and his colleague Itapoan (Raimundo César Alves de Almeida) found themselves orphaned of their teacher. Rather than let Bimba's legacy fade, they resolved to continue the work. On November 13, 1972, they founded the Ginga Associação de Capoeira in Salvador. Xaréu served as founder and vice-president of the organization, which remains one of the most authentic schools of Capoeira Regional in the world.

Beyond the academy, Xaréu pursued an extraordinary academic career. He graduated in Physical Education from the Universidade Católica de Salvador (UCSAL), earned a livre docente doctorate in Physical Education from American World University of Iowa, and completed a PhD in Education at the Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA) with his dissertation "Capoeira Regional: A Escola de Mestre Bimba—Um Enfoque Pedagógico" (2006).

Xaréu's most enduring institutional achievement was bringing capoeira into the formal university curriculum at UFBA. He implemented the discipline "Capoeira na Prática Desportiva" (Capoeira in Sports Practice) at UFBA—a historic step in legitimizing capoeira as an academic subject. He taught "Educação, Cultura e Capoeira" (Education, Culture and Capoeira) in the graduate program at UFBA's Faculty of Physical Education and coordinated the I Seminário de Capoeira da Universidade Federal da Bahia (First Capoeira Seminar of UFBA).

Perhaps his most symbolically important achievement was spearheading the project that posthumously awarded Mestre Bimba the title of Doutor Honoris Causa (Honorary Doctorate) from UFBA. Xaréu's position as both a student of Bimba and a PhD holder within the institution uniquely positioned him to bridge the capoeira and academic worlds. The proposal was approved by the Faculty board and the university's highest governing body. On June 12, 1996, Bimba's family received the honorary doctorate in a solemn ceremony at the UFBA Rectory—a historic recognition of capoeira's cultural and educational value.

Xaréu also co-founded the Federação Baiana de Capoeira (Bahian Capoeira Federation), helping to institutionalize and organize capoeira at the state level.

As an author, Xaréu has produced significant scholarly works on capoeira: - "Capoeira na Escola" (1990, Gráfica Presscolor; 2001 edition by EDUFBA) - pioneering work on capoeira pedagogy in schools - "Capoeira na Universidade: uma trajetória de resistência" (2001, EDUFBA) - documenting capoeira's integration into university curricula - "Capoeira Regional: a escola de Mestre Bimba" (2009, EDUFBA) - comprehensive study of Bimba's school and methodology - "Metodologia científica: a arte de pesquisar a capoeira" (2022, EDUFBA) - research methodology applied to capoeira studies - "Manual de Orientação para Elaboração de Monografia" - academic writing guide

Beyond his capoeira work, Xaréu served as a professor-titular at the Escola Superior de Educação Física at UCSAL, teaching Ginástica Analítica (Analytical Gymnastics), and as an adjunct professor at UFBA responsible for courses in Ginástica Estética and Treinamento Desportivo. He was a founding member of Academia Movimento, athletics coordinator of the State Secretariat of Education, and athletics coach for the Bahian School Team, the Bahian Athletics Federation, and the Brazilian Youth Athletics Team.

In July 2016, Xaréu participated in a seminar at UFBA discussing capoeira's academic production and institutional presence, described as a "retired professor of the Physical Education department." The seminar addressed academic prejudice against capoeira and advocated for greater institutional inclusion of the practice within university frameworks.

Together with Mestre Decânio and Mestre Itapoan, Xaréu represents one of the primary sources for understanding Mestre Bimba's final years. He and Decânio notably defended the student Osvaldo, who had invited Bimba to Goiânia, against blame for the tragic outcome. As Xaréu and Decânio stated: "não ser justo responsabilizar Osvaldo, nem qualquer outro aluno pela mudança para Goiânia" (it would not be fair to blame Osvaldo, or any other student, for the move to Goiânia).

Xaréu's legacy lies in bridging the world of traditional capoeira practice with academic scholarship—proving that capoeira deserves a place not only in the roda but in the university.