Quebra Coco

Quebra Coco - "The Coconut Breaker" - was one of the "perigosos capoeiras" (dangerous capoeiristas) of mid-19th century Rio de Janeiro. His name survives in two of the earliest written sources on capoeira: Plácido de Abreu's 1886 work "Os Capoeiras" and Melo Morais Filho's 1888 "Festas e Tradições Populares do Brasil".

Both sources list Quebra Coco among the most feared street fighters of the 1850s, alongside Mamede, Aleixo Açougueiro, Pedro Cobra, and Bentevi. According to these accounts, the legendary Manduca da Praia "attended the full-time school of roguery and bravery on the streets of Rio de Janeiro during the era of dangerous capoeiras such as Mamede, Aleixo Açougueiro, Pedro Cobra, Bem-te-vi, and Quebra Coco".

His apelido - "Quebra Coco" - translates literally to "Coconut Breaker". In Brazilian Portuguese, "coco" is common slang for head (like the English "noggin" or "coconut"). In 19th century capoeira carioca, headbutts (cabeçadas) were the primary fighting technique - so important that they had different names for different variations. Police records from the era document headbutts as the capoeiras' signature move. The name "Quebra Coco" strongly suggests someone renowned for the power of his headbutts - a man who could "break coconuts" (heads) with his cabeçadas.

This was an era before berimbau and music defined the practice. Capoeira carioca was a street fighting system where practitioners excelled "in the use of the razor and dagger; in the handling of the Petrópolis - a long hardwood club, inseparable companion of the tough guys of the time - in the cunning of the sweep and trip; and with the punch, headbutt and rabo-de-arraia".

No individual exploits of Quebra Coco survive. We do not know if he belonged to the Nagoas or Guaiamums, the two great rival maltas that divided Rio de Janeiro. He exists now only as a name on a list of dangerous men in the earliest capoeira literature.