Zuma

Anníbal Zumalacaraguhy de Menck Burlamaqui was born on November 25, 1898. His unusual middle name "Zumalacaraguhy"—from which his apelido "Zuma" derived—is of Basque origin, a surname meaning "willow valley". Since the age of ten, Anníbal had practiced Swedish gymnastics, weightlifting, and horizontal bar training. At eighteen he learned Greco-Roman wrestling, and later trained boxing "with fair constancy". Newspaper references from April 1920 describe him as "capoeira and boxeur".

Burlamaqui worked as a customs enforcement officer (guarda da polícia aduaneira), eventually rising to tax auditor at the Receita Federal (Brazilian revenue service). He lived in the Copacabana neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.

In 1928, Zuma published "Gymnástica Nacional (capoeiragem) methodisada e regrada" (National Gymnastics [Capoeiragem] Methodized and Regulated)—the first written methodology for capoeira. The booklet was inspired by the capoeira of Lapa neighborhood and by the earlier booklet "Gymnastica Brazileira" (1904). His goal was clear: to remove the stigma from capoeiragem and legitimize it as Brazil's national sport, capable of producing strong, brave citizens.

Dr. Mário Santos, a lawyer who wrote the manual's preface, posed as Zuma's opponent in twenty photographs illustrating the techniques. In the preface, Santos argued: "Why would capoeiragem, in Brazil, escape the evolutionary march of its sister forms? Why should we not create rules and regenerate capoeiragem?" He proclaimed capoeiragem superior to boxing, Roman wrestling, and Japanese fighting because it united the requirements of all these disciplines "plus intelligence and vivacity".

The manual catalogued 31 movements including: guarda, rasteira, rabo de arraia, corta capim, cabeçada, facão, banda de frente, banda amarrada, banda jogada, banda forçada, rapa, bahu, tesoura, baiana, dourado, queixada, passo de cegonha, encruzilhada, escorrão, pentear ou peneirar, tombo de ladeira ou calco, arrastão, tranco, chincha, xulipa, me esquece, vôo do morcego, espada, and suicídio. Zuma asserted that three kicks were his own inventions: queixada, passo de cegonha, and espada.

Drawing from boxing and football, Zuma prescribed the diameter of the circular playing field, starting positions, round duration (three minutes, with two-minute rest), and victory criteria: incapacitating the opponent, or a referee-counted point system based on falls caused.

Beyond capoeira, Burlamaqui pursued literary interests. On March 8, 1930, he joined the Cenáculo Fluminense de História e Letras (Rio de Janeiro's State Society of History and Letters), a Niterói-based literary society, occupying chair number 33. In the 1950s he served on the directorial board's committee on writing and peer review, and was elected president of the society twice. The Cenáculo hosted poetry readings and music recitals, and sponsored publications by its members.

In 1939, the Cenáculo published Burlamaqui's book of erotic poetry, "O meu delírio: poêma do instinto" (My delirium: a poem of instinct). The book received a mixed review in the Jornal do Brasil (April 14, 1939) and a scathing review from critic Álvaro Lins in Correio da Manhã (November 16, 1940). He also published a second poetry collection titled "Babel de Emoções".

In 1933, through Zuma's intervention, the Departamento de Luta Brasileira (Capoeiragem) of the Federação Carioca de Boxe was founded on November 5—an early step in the institutionalization of capoeira as a regulated sport. Three years later, on November 4, 1936, the Departamento de Luta Brasileira of the Federação Paulista de Pugilismo followed in São Paulo.

That same year, 1936, Mestre Bimba issued his famous challenge to fighters of any martial art style. The matches were fought under Zuma's boxing-like rules. Bimba faced four opponents—Henrique Bahia, Vítor Benedito Lopes, Américo Ciência, and fellow capoeirista José Custódio "Zé I" dos Santos—and won all matches, earning the nickname "Três Pancadas" (Three Hits).

Mestre Bimba is documented to have studied the methods of several Rio de Janeiro capoeira teachers including Sinhozinho, Mário Aleixo, and Zuma, who mixed capoeira with martial arts like judo, boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, and Portuguese stick-fighting. Zuma's codification influenced others who sought to transform capoeira into a socially acceptable sport.

The 1930s saw Bahian capoeiristas reaching out to Zuma. According to Dr. Lamartine Pereira da Costa (Admiral and physical education professor who met Zuma in his final years), Baianos sought Zuma out in the 1930s, recognizing his contribution to their cause.

Zuma's work had direct influence on Federal Decree 3,199/41, enacted by President Getúlio Vargas on April 14, 1941, which established the bases of sport organization throughout Brazil and created the National Sports Council. Under this framework, the National Department of Brazilian Wrestling (Capoeiragem) was placed under the Brazilian Boxing Federation.

Anníbal Burlamaqui died on August 18, 1965, at age 67. The Jornal do Brasil published a notice where Mrs. Burlamaqui and family expressed gratitude for condolences received. His legacy as the "Patron of Sporting Capoeira" (Patrono da Capoeira Desportiva) endures—he was among the educated Brazilians who fought to destigmatize capoeira and promote it as a national sport.