Nicolau do Poço

Nicolau do Poço was one of the famous capoeiras whose names are preserved in the history of Recife's carnival. He was among the "moleques de banda de música" (band boys) and malta leaders who performed in front of carnival bands in late 19th and early 20th century Pernambuco.

According to Valdemar de Oliveira's 1942 work "Frevo, Capoeira e Passo", young men from good families liked to go with Nicolau do Poço or Nascimento Grande to break up pastoral plays just for the enjoyment of doing so—a testament to his status as a prominent figure in Recife's nightlife and street culture.

Nicolau was part of the capoeira groups that organized around the rival military bands: the "Partido do 4º" (also called "Banha Cheirosa") supporting the 4th Artillery Battalion band, and the "Partido Espanha" (also called "Cabeças Secas") supporting the National Guard band. These capoeiristas performed ginga and kicks in front of the bands during carnival parades—movements that were eventually transformed into the "passo", the foundational dance of frevo.

The police gradually cracked down on the "moleques de banda de música" and their leaders, including Nicolau do Poço, João de Totó, and Jovino dos Coelhos, until neutralizing the greatest of them all, Nascimento Grande. The suppression of Recife's capoeira maltas culminated around 1912, coinciding with the formalization of frevo as a distinct musical and dance form.

Of all the valentões of Recife carnival, only Nascimento Grande was considered more fearsome than figures like Nicolau do Poço.