Capoeira Wiki-Word of the Week: Paraninfo (Update)

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Our Capoeira Wiki-Word series invites you to research the word of the week and post your definition(s) and translations. At the end of each week, the entries will be reviewed and then summarized into a translation and a definition of the Capoeira Wiki-Word of the week.

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This week's Capoeira Wiki-Word is:

Paraninfo

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Update

Paraninfo literally tranlsates to the following:

Patron of the class.  It's this person who makes the speech at a graduation ceremony.  Patron and protector.  (From the Greek paránymphos , the Latin paranymphu )

Part of Mestre Bimba's Formatura ceremony. 

From Mestre Itapoã's The Saga of Mestre Bimba...

The Orador and the Paraninfo* were two figures that were always present at the formatura...

When the Orador finished his presentation, Mestre (Bimba) would call on the Paraninfo, who would distribute the medals and the blue scarves to the madrinhas...  The Paraninfo pinned a medal on the left side of each formado's chest and each madrinha placed a scarf around the neck of the student she accompanied.

* Orador means "orator" or "speaker."  Paraninfo means "sponsor."  The figures of the orador and paraninfo are borrowings from the Brazilian university system.  They can be seen as an example of the influence the presence of university students had on the development of Mestre Bimba's academy.