Paulo Afonso Costa de Souza, better known as Master Khorvo, was a student of Mestre Mintirinha in the 1960s, training alongside other capoeiristas who would later become famous. That’s how, starting in 1968, Khorvo, Paulão e Silas were already teaching classes. As Master Mintirinha’s group was called “Kapoarte de Obaluaê” (later simply “Kapoarte”), they nicknamed themselves the “Grandchildren of Kapoarte”. They taught classes at the Boqueirão do Passeio club, near Santos Dumont Airport.
Levi Tavares de Souza (June 2026)
Khorvo* was born in Rio de Janeiro on 21 July 1949. Son of Celestino Antônio de Souza and Júlia Costa de Souza, he was the eldest of the siblings Júlio César, Cláudio Antônio and Rosângela Amara. With his father working as a bricklayer’s assistant, later becoming a foreman, he was part of a modest family in the Brás de Pina neighbourhood in the Northern Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro.
* In capoeira writings, we also find the spelling variations Korvo and Corvo.
In the image: Master Khorvo in the 1970s. Photo from M Luiz Renato Vieira collection.
In 1972, Khorvo, Silas, Paulão, Periquito and Grande were “introduced” by Mestre Mintirinha. Back then, there was no graduation ceremony as there is today, the Master would publicly declare, during a circle or a meeting, that those students were now ready, and could sit alongside the elder, more experienced capoeiristas. This meant they were being authorised to take part in the elders’ conversations. It is important to remember that in those days the younger members did not sit at the table to make decisions, nor did they listen in on conversations unless authorised to do so.
In the photo from M. Paulão da Muzenza’s collection, Khorvo, Mintirinha, and Paulão present the plaque of the Kapoarte de Obaluaê group, at an event in the Cacique de Ramos samba school’s courtyard.
When the Brazilian Capoeira Federation was established, Khorvo and the others were awarded the green and white master’s cord. At this time, Khorvo began teaching capoeira, alongside with fellow masters Paulão and Silas at the Bolinha club, on the Tuiuti hill, in São Cristóvão. From that initial group of Mintirinha’s disciples, Periquito and Grande did not teach and had no students.
Soon after, each of them set up their own group: Master Paulão founded the Muzenza group in 1972, Mintirinha let Silas continue the Kapoarte group, and Khorvo initially conceived the “Esporte Nacional” group to teach classes. Shortly after, in 1975, he founded the “Cruzeiro do Sul Association of Physical Culture and Capoeirology”, better known as “Cruzeiro do Sul”. At that time, the master taught in the neighborhoods of Lapa (at the Young Men’s Christian Association ─ YMCA), Penha and Olaria, among others. At thet time, one of his advanced students was Levi, the author of this biographical piece, who was already training a large group in Caxias.
Mestre Khorvo was a composer and an excellent percussionist, a capoeirista of unrivalled elegance in his physical expression. One characteristic of his personality was always to mediate and encourage dialogue to resolve conflicts between his comrades.
He “recognised” [as mestre] seven students throughout his work at his school. The first to graduate was one of his brothers, Cláudio (in memoriam), who even inherited the diminutive form of his nickname, Khorvinho. Then came José Paulo Pereira da Silva, initially called ldi Amin, who later inherited the nickname of Mestre Khorvo’s brother and also came to be called Khorvinho. Next came Luís Francisco da Silva, known as Lua, and Edmilson Cambraia, who was Amarelinho (in memoriam). On 15 November 1981, , in the presence of many masters such as Djalma Bandeira, Rui Henrique, and Zé Maria, Khorvo awarded two further master’s belts (white and green cord) to Sérgio Rodrigues da Silva (M Montana) and Levi Tavares de Souza (M Levi). The last person to be trained by the master was Marlon Pimentel (in memoriam).
Khorvo took part in capoeira demonstrations, such as at the Pan-American Karate Championships, held in November 1973, at the Maracanãzinho stadium, where they performed to a large audience. At the invitation of the Brazilian Boxing Confederation (where initially the Capoeira Department was located), Mestre Mintirinha took Khorvo, Paulão, Dentinho, Zé Maria, Bogado and others to the performance.
In the images to the side: A leaflet from the 1970s, for the promotion of M. Khorvo’s classes in Santa Cruz, a neighborhood in the western zone of Rio de Janeiro. Photo from M. Levi collection.
Poster advertising the 1st Pan-American Karate Championship, an event in which capoeira practitioners summoned by the CBP (Brazilian Capoeira Confederation) performed in 1973. Image from M Paulão da Muzenza collection.
Mestre Khorvão (as he liked to be called) was a corporal in the Brazilian Army and served in the Third Tank Regiment (3rd RCC), where he was a tank driver and also worked on tank maintenance. Having already left his military duties, he decided to settle in Canoas (Rio Grande do Sul), where his intention was to establish a branch of his school in that city. In Rio de Janeiro, he had left his masters to continue his work.
Later, he returned with urgency to his hometown for treatment of cancer in the abdominal region. He was already hospitalized at the Army Central Hospital (HCE, in the Portuguese acronym), where he left the ward to train his last disciple, Marlon Pimentel (in memoriam). Master Khorvo passed away on 16 December 1986.
My fond memories of the trips, performances, circles and daily life with my Master are endless. To him I owe my livelihood, my health and my duty.
In the image, tribute paid to M. Khorvo in memory of the 40th anniversary of his death in 2026.
Image from the M. Levi collection.
Levi Tavares de Souza has been involved in the world of capoeira since 1968, with a prominent presence in Duque de Caxias, the municipality where his group, Escola de Capoeira Casa do Engenho, is based. M. Levi teaches capoeira classes and gives lectures on its history, in addition to being a consultant for the CapoeiraHistory.com.