Antonio Laurindo Neves was born on 17 September 1894. He is a contemporary of Mestre Bimba and Pastinha, and is one of the biggest names in Capoeira from Bahia. He was originally from the island of Maré (from where he gets his name) at the All Saints’ bay, and he is the one who came up with the expression “Galanteria da capoeira “, in reference to the nobility of Capoeiristas from old Bahia.
The write Edison Carneiro unreservedly declares that at the time:
“The best Capoeiristas from Bahia were the fisherman Samuel Querido de Deus and the stevedore Maré.”
In Mestre Noronha’s words, Mestre Maré, Amorzinho, Livinho and himself were the “donos e proprietarios” of the first Capoeira Centre (Gengibirra), located at Ladeira de Pedra, in the area of Liberdade in Salvador. A large number of Capoeiristas came to this centre at the time, such as Onça Preta, Bigode de Seda, Bom nome, Juvenal Engraxate among many others.
When Amorzinho passed away, Mestre Pastinha became the head of the centre.
In 1968, he was shown immersed in a ginga with mestre Noronha in Jair Moura’s movie: “Dança de guerra”, next to Joao Pequeno & Joao Grande
Mestre Totonho de Maré died on 18 October 1974.
