January
30th 2009
Posted under Sports
Helio Gracie, the founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has passed. May he rest in peace. Condolences to his many living children, grand children, and family. He really was a pioneer.
Just for curiosity’s sake, notice how fast people are buried in places without access to embalming. He was buried later the same day.
Kirt Higdon on 30 Jan 2009 at 11:32 am #
The Gracies have certainly had their influence in popularizing their brand of jiu-jitsu and introducing mixed martial arts into the US. There is now hardly a city of any significance where Brazilian jiu-jitsu is not taught and mixed martial arts is on the verge of dethroning boxing as the top fighting sport in the US.
I seriously doubt that there is no access to embalming in Petropolis, an important Brazilian resort city with many wealthy citizens. The Gracies may just not have wanted their patriarch’s funeral to turn into a spectacle, which is known to happen with the funerals of famous Brazilians in the sports and entertainment fields.
Rollo on 30 Jan 2009 at 2:26 pm #
Kirt,
Helio is not all that famous in Brazil.
What I found interesting was that several of his sons couldn’t get back to Brazil for the funeral.
RedPhillips on 30 Jan 2009 at 7:56 pm #
They may have access to embalming, but it is just rare or not done in many parts of the world. The American experience of having the funeral several days later is really more the anomaly. Watch, for example, the funerals in the Middle East. Even “important” people. Benazir Bhutto was in the ground the next day.
Kirt Higdon on 30 Jan 2009 at 8:32 pm #
I think the Moslems have a religious requirement for next day burial. This would not apply to the Gracies who, as far as I know, are Catholic – albeit most Brazilian Catholics are non-practicing.
The Gracies are known by most Brazilians whom I know and I know a pretty fair number. There is a certain amount of jealousy – especially among fighters not associated with the Gracie academies. The Brazilians also have tendency to disparage those who gain fame in other countries (jealousy again) while they are still alive, but then to make a big fuss over them as soon as they die. Tom Jobim and Carmen Miranda are examples of this.
RedPhillips on 30 Jan 2009 at 9:20 pm #
Well if Muslims have a religious requirement for next day burial, then I guess that is a bad example.
Rollo on 31 Jan 2009 at 3:53 pm #
“The Gracies are known by most Brazilians whom I know and I know a pretty fair number. There is a certain amount of jealousy – especially among fighters not associated with the Gracie academies. The Brazilians also have tendency to disparage those who gain fame in other countries (jealousy again) while they are still alive, but then to make a big fuss over them as soon as they die. Tom Jobim and Carmen Miranda are examples of this.”
Few Brazilians in the US who I have met over the years have ever heard of Helio or the Gracies. When they have heard of Jiu Jitsu it is usually because of the violent gangs that the JJ schools have formed that terrorize Rio. The idea that they are heros in Brazil was a myth started by Rorion Gracie when he came to the US. Unsuspecting Americans ate it up.
When I was in Brazil I found that the Gracies are known within the martial arts community in Rio, but not much outside of it. Among those who know them, half don’t think very highly of them. Their character is in question, let’s just say.
Judo and Karate are more known and respected, even to this day I believe. Judo master.