Bentevi

Bentevi - also written as "Bem-te-vi" - 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 Bentevi among the most feared street fighters of the 1850s, alongside Mamede, Aleixo Açougueiro, Pedro Cobra, and Quebra Coco. 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 comes from the bem-te-vi bird (Pitangus sulphuratus), one of the most common and recognizable birds in Brazil. The name literally translates to "I saw you well" - mimicking the bird's distinctive call. The bem-te-vi is known for its bold yellow breast and aggressive territorial behavior, fearlessly attacking much larger birds that enter its territory. Whether Bentevi earned this name for his bold appearance, his loud presence, or his fearless fighting style is unknown.

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 Bentevi 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 - but the bem-te-vi bird continues to sing throughout Brazil, carrying his memory in its name.