my first instructor who was Brazilian thought I was Brazilian but didn't believe me when I told him I was not. He was convinced that my parents where but I didn't know how to explain it to him then because my Portuguese was really frail. I was training in class one day when we first started the Capoeira program and a guy named Vlamir was training with us. Since he spoke Portuguese (he was Brazilian of course) they started talking about me. At that time my hair was in box braids and long. Vlamir says to my mestre Contramestre Didi " This guy looks like a Baiano. He plays Capoeira... he must be Baiano then"

So the name stuck with me. Now everyone knows me as Baiano. I have to speak Portuguese because of my name. Everyone thinks I am from Bahia and they always speak Portuguese first and ask questions later. So I am Baiano for the rest of my life :)