Mestre Diogo

Mestre Diogo was one of the senior students of Mestre Espinho Remoso (Elízio Maximiano Ferreira) in Salvador, Bahia. He trained at the Sunday rodas held at Jaqueira do Carneiro in the Fazenda Grande do Retiro neighborhood, where Espinho Remoso operated a kiosk that served as an informal gathering place for capoeiristas throughout the 1950s.

As one of the older, more experienced capoeiristas in Espinho Remoso's circle, Diogo was entrusted with helping to train younger students. In 1954, when Espinho Remoso's ten-year-old son Virgílio began learning capoeira, the father introduced him to train directly with the older capoeiristas, including Diogo, Fulô, and Florzinho.

Diogo held a position of significant trust within the community. When Mestre Espinho Remoso died in 1960 at the home of his wife Dona Epifania, it was Mestre Diogo who carried out the funeral arrangements. This responsibility indicated his standing as one of the most senior and respected of Espinho Remoso's students.

He continued practicing capoeira Angola into his later years and was recognized as one of the "renomados Mestres" (renowned masters) of Bahian capoeira, being mentioned alongside legendary figures such as João Pequeno, João Grande, Waldemar da Liberdade, Canjiquinha, Curió, Bobó, and Boca Rica.

A photograph from an event promoted by the Associação de Capoeira Angola Corpo e Movimento in Salvador, taken by James Sera, shows the late Mestre Diogo playing capoeira with Mestre Adó under the direction of Mestre Angola. This image documents his continued participation in the traditional capoeira Angola community until his passing.

It is important to note that this Mestre Diogo is a distinct person from Livino Diogo (also known as Livinho or Levino Diogo), who was one of the founding members of Mestre Pastinha's Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola (CECA) in 1941. He is also distinct from Diogo da Lapa (Diogo Francisco de Oliveira), a 19th century capoeirista from Rio de Janeiro who was arrested for participation in the Guarda Negra in 1889.