Mestre Marrom

Henrique Anastácio de Jesus was born on September 6, 1963, in Itabuna, Bahia, where he received his first introduction to capoeira as a child. In 1976, at around age thirteen, he moved to Rio de Janeiro and settled in Engenho Novo, a neighborhood in the north zone of the city.

In Rio, young Henrique began serious capoeira training with Mestre Canela in Engenho Novo. He then trained with Mestre Peixinho, one of the founding masters of Grupo Senzala, and earned a red rope—a high grade in the Regional system. During this period, he was part of the Senzala school at Travessa Angrense in Rio.

In the 1990s, like several other former Regional practitioners, Marrom became increasingly interested in capoeira Angola. This transformation was inspired by encounters with distinct angoleiro players from Bahia and by Mestre Nô, who pointed him toward the traditional path. The study of roots and traditions became his chief goal.

Marrom began extensive research work, paying homage to the old capoeira masters across Brazil. He developed relationships with the "old guard" of capoeira Angola: Mestres Gato Preto, Bigodinho, Boca Rica, Felipe from Santo Amaro, Brandão, and João Grande. This collaboration resulted in three CDs recorded together, preserving their voices and music for future generations.

In 1990, Mestre Marrom and his students formalized their research work by naming the group "Marrom Capoeira & Alunos" (Marrom Capoeira and Students)—a name that recognizes the importance of everyone in the practice, as capoeira is fundamentally a group activity.

Marrom established his school at the foot of the Babilônia favela in the Leme neighborhood of Rio's South Zone, where he gives classes twice daily throughout the week. The space contains historical photographs of old mestres, African imagery, drums, berimbaus, and other cultural artifacts. Capoeiristas from around the world visit year-round to study with him.

On Friday evenings, the traditional roda at Copa Leme became a meeting place for dozens of mestres and capoeiristas. Alongside Mestres Formiga and Camaleão, Marrom became one of the precursors of the "Vadiando Entre Amigos" (Playing Among Friends) movement—described as one of the most beautiful movements in capoeira Angola.

In 1998, his student Mestre Guará founded the first European sister school in Paris, initially called "Marrom Capoeira e Alunos, Paris", which later developed into the École de Capoeira Angola de Paris (ECAP). This marked the beginning of Ngoma's international expansion.

In November 2000, Marrom organized the 5th Children's Capoeira Encounter at Copaleme in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together four hundred children between ages 2 and 12. Legendary Mestre Gato Preto from Bahia visited the event. A newspaper article from Jornal do Brasil (November 27, 2000) noted Marrom had been practicing capoeira for 20 years at that point. His philosophy: "Occupying the mind with capoeira, they stay far from drugs".

Since the 1990s, Marrom and his students formed an important part of Rio's growing capoeira Angola community, alongside other notable rodas led by Mestres Russo, Camaleão, Formiga, and Angolinha. Many of his students are now consecrated masters themselves, spreading capoeira Angola throughout Europe and beyond: Guará in France, Ferradura in Rio, Contra-Mestre Carcará in Finland, Contra-Mestre Stéph in Paris.

In 2018, after a long period of reflection and as a political statement, Mestre Anastácio renamed his school "Ngoma" to reaffirm the Black and African origins of capoeira Angola. Ngoma runs a social project called Casa Ngoma Angola at Morro da Babilônia, offering not just capoeira but tutoring classes, meals, and community support—particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic with the "Babilônia contra covid" project supported by Fiocruz.

Mestre Ferradura, one of his principal students, described him as "a disciple of Mestre João Pequeno de Pastinha". The connection to João Pequeno places Marrom within the direct lineage of Mestre Pastinha, the patriarch of capoeira Angola.

Today, Ngoma Capoeira Angola has representatives in Paris, Berlin, Scotland, and other locations worldwide, continuing to spread the traditions of capoeira Angola. Mestre Marrom, now in his early sixties, continues teaching at his school in Leme, receiving capoeiristas from around the world and preserving the traditions he spent decades researching.