Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) emerged from the young Carlos Gracie attending exhibition wrestling matches in the Brazilian rubber jungles.  Japanese martial artists like Mitsuyo Maeda, demonstrated their traditional Japanese Judo skills, combined with showmanship wrestling and BJJ was born.  This project will explore how this martial art evolved and also changed the identity of a family and their home country of Brazil during a time of uncertainty and evolution in social castes. 

​

This blending of both Verbal and Custom folklore includes the physical acts of the martial art along with the legends that are shared with new followers today.