Mestre Bené

Mestre Bené, born Benedito Rodrigues dos Santos, is a Rio de Janeiro capoeira master who co-founded one of the significant capoeira groups of the 1970s. In 1975, together with Mestres Rui Henrique and Ziza (Pedro Rosemberg de Alcântara da Silva), he founded Grupo Irmãos Unidos das Nações Africanas, known by its acronym IUNA.

The group's name—"United Brothers of African Nations"—reflects the Afro-Brazilian consciousness that characterized much of the capoeira movement during this period, when practitioners were actively reclaiming and celebrating the African roots of their art. The founding of IUNA came at a transformative time for capoeira in Rio de Janeiro, when numerous new groups were emerging and the art was undergoing rapid institutionalization.

During the 1970s, Bené was part of the vibrant capoeira scene in Rio de Janeiro. He was among the capoeiristas who participated in the legendary roda at Mestre Zé Pedro's academy on Uranos Street in Bonsucesso, which operated every Sunday morning from 1973 to 1979. This roda became "a key reference in Rio de Janeiro's capoeira" and attracted only experienced players—the bambas (tough guys)—for games that were described as "hard," with full-contact kicks and headbutts.

His co-founder Rui Henrique was a student of Mestre Zé Maria and became a five-time university capoeira champion, competing alongside Mestre Canela. The other co-founder, Mestre Ziza (Pedro Rosemberg de Alcântara da Silva), would later go on to co-found Grupo Resistência in 1987, further expanding the lineage that emerged from IUNA.

The acronym IUNA also carries cultural significance in capoeira—the iúna is a sacred berimbau rhythm traditionally played only for mestres and advanced practitioners, symbolizing the highest level of skill and respect within the capoeira hierarchy.