Mestre Boca Rica

Manoel Silva was born on November 26, 1936, in Maragogipe, in the Recôncavo Baiano region of Bahia. His parents were Palmira and Cândido Silva. At twelve years old, he discovered capoeira. At fifteen, in the early 1950s, he moved to Salvador, where his life would be transformed by the art.

In 1952, the young Manoel began training at the Centro Esportivo de Capoeira Angola (CECA), Mestre Pastinha's legendary academy in Praça do Pelourinho. It was Pastinha himself who gave him the apelido "Boca Rica"—because of the gold teeth that lined the entire upper row of his mouth, a mark of status in that era. The name stuck, and it would become known across five continents.

Beyond CECA, Boca Rica frequented the famous barracão of Mestre Waldemar at the Passeio de Aguinelo in the Liberdade neighborhood, and other rodas throughout Salvador. He absorbed knowledge wherever he found it, seeking out accomplished mestres and different traditions. In interviews, he described Pastinha as "a philosopher" and "my second father", explaining that Pastinha taught systematically—instructing students on rhythms, their names, and applications. His musical references became threefold: Mestre Pastinha for tradition, Mestre Waldemar da Paixão for singing, and Mestre Bimba for the sounds of Regional.

Boca Rica accompanied Pastinha until the master's final days. After Pastinha went blind, Boca Rica would bring his students to perform at the academy in Pelourinho. Pastinha reportedly still played "by touch" despite his blindness. Boca Rica committed himself to spreading Pastinha's legacy, telling his mestre: "wherever I go, your name is being spread".

The 1960s saw Boca Rica appearing in photographs on the streets of Liberdade alongside the great mestres of the era—João Pequeno, Waldemar, Curió, Bigodinho, and Olavo. He participated in the recording of the film "O Pagador de Promessas" (1962), the Palme d'Or winner that brought capoeira to international screens. In 1988, he participated in the Velha Guarda da Bahia event in Fortaleza at the Colégio Militar, joining mestres Waldemar and Curió.

In 1970, Boca Rica founded the Escola de Capoeira Angola da Bahia (ECAB) at the Forte de Santo Antônio Além do Carmo in Salvador—the historic fort that today serves as the Forte da Capoeira cultural center. The school continues to operate daily, a temple of learning, music, and tradition. His organization reports 10 mestres, 5 contra-mestres, 5 professors, and approximately 50 students trained. The school maintains operations in Bahia, Goiás, and internationally in England.

Capoeira carried Boca Rica across the world. He has traveled to more than 50 countries and visited all Brazilian states except Piauí and southern Maranhão. Among his most remarkable experiences: performing for Queen Elizabeth II and the Princess of Denmark, receiving the "Notório Saber" title (Notable Knowledge, an academic recognition) from D. Pedro II College of Salvador, and being awarded the Thomé de Souza Medal by Salvador's City Council in 2018.

As a recording artist, Boca Rica has released over 14 albums dedicated to capoeira. In 2000, he recorded a collaborative CD "Capoeira Angola" with Mestre Bigodinho—37 songs capturing the samba-de-roda tradition both mestres loved. Other releases include "A Poesia de Boca Rica" (2000) and "Vencedor de Demanda" (2019). His voice has become unmistakable in songs like "Mandei caiar meu sobrado", "Maranhão", and "Sambalelê bateu na porta".

Boca Rica served on the board of ABCA (Associação Brasileira de Capoeira Angola), the principal Angola organization in Brazil, helping to preserve and promote the traditional art. Capoeiristas and researchers from around the world continue to travel to Salvador to learn from and meet him at the Forte da Capoeira.

In 2020, a biography was published: "Manoel Silva Mestre Boca Rica - Histórias e Lições de Vida, Preciosidade da Capoeira", authored by Thercio Sabino (CM Coelho) and Luiz Normanha. The book gathers his reports, speeches, and documents, preserving for future generations the enormous legacy of this faithful student of Mestre Pastinha.

At 88 years old, Boca Rica remains active in capoeira rodas, still singing and enchanting audiences with the deep philosophy and musicality he inherited from Pastinha. His message to younger generations: "não deixem essa capoeira morrer"—don't let this capoeira die.