Neco Canário Pardo

Neco Canário Pardo was a capoeirista of Santo Amaro da Purificação who specialized in machete fighting. He was part of the legendary circle of capoeiristas at Trapiche de Baixo—Santo Amaro's poorest neighborhood—who trained and played alongside the famous Besouro Mangangá in the early 20th century.

According to Professor Leiteiro, Neco Canário Pardo was among the companions of Besouro alongside Paulo Barroquinha, Boca de Siri, Noca de Jacó, and Doze Homens. All were residents of Trapiche de Baixo and "were his companions in the memorable capoeira rodas that hypnotized anybody who would go by".

His significance extends through his students. Mestre Cobrinha Verde, Besouro's cousin and the bridge between the legendary era and documented lineage, explicitly named Neco Canário Pardo as his machete teacher: "Neco Canário Pardo was my machete teacher". This specialized knowledge in blade combat complemented Cobrinha's capoeira training under Besouro.

Neco Canário Pardo also taught Mestre Waldemar da Paixão (1916-1990), who would become one of the most influential capoeira Angola mestres of his generation. Waldemar stated: "I learned Capoeira from Siri de Mangue, Canário Pardo, Calabi de Periperi..." This places Neco Canário Pardo as a critical lineage figure connecting the era of Besouro to the modern academy structure that emerged in Salvador.

Some sources mention that his brother was Mestre Atenilo (nicknamed "Relâmpago da Regional"), who was also known as "Cordão de Ouro"—though other sources attribute the name Cordão de Ouro to Besouro Mangangá himself. This discrepancy remains unresolved in the historical record.

Unlike his student Cobrinha Verde who went on to teach publicly and leave detailed oral testimonies, little else is known about Neco Canário Pardo's life beyond his role as a machete expert and companion of Besouro. His legacy lives on through the lineages of both Cobrinha Verde and Mestre Waldemar.