User:Dendelele

In a conversation I had recently, I heard a little about the challenge of expanding the definition of "verifiable information" from that which is commonly accepted in the Western canon to that which is considered valid in other cultural traditions. How can Wikipedia be more inclusive of other forms of knowledge and knowledge transfer while still upholding the content standards that users expect? As an admirer of history conveyed through oral tradition, song, dance, martial arts, and other non-written mediums, I am keen to wrangle a solution.

Capoeira is a martial art that is rich with oral, musical and physical forms of Afro-Brazilian history. A capoeirista will not only know the movements, strategies, songs, and musical instruments, but also the history or message transmitted through the song lyrics. Few formal resources exist as most of this knowledge is uttered from teacher to student. Historically, the masters of capoeira were, and many Afro-Brazilian masters still are, members of a marginalized class, ethnicity, and race. Thus, their ability to legitimize their art and document their history has been limited.

I dedicate my user page to documenting these unwritten forms of knowledge and brainstorming ways in which it can be validated by its creators and practitioners, as well as conform to Wikipedia's content standards.

I will start with a song I learned recently. The artist of this song is unknown. I interpreted the song and its meaning based on the collective knowledge of the capoeira group. Users could provide references, correct errors in interpretation, add alternative interpretations, and verify with video or audio "citations" from capoeira masters.

To hear a version of the song, watch this video. The song starts at 1:14.