Born in Salvador in 1979, Roosevelt Leonel Cunha, nicknamed Saúva (a type of ant), grew up in a suburban neighborhood near Cabula, Salvador. He discovered capoeira there in 1994, as a teenager. After a brief stint with the Capoeira Angola Palmares group, where he learned the basics of the game, the music, and the singing, he joined the GCAC (Grupo de Capoeira Angola Cabula) in September 1995 on the advice of a classmate, André Siqueira, now Mestre Olhos de Anjo. At that time, Mestre Barba Branca's students trained at the Ilê Axé Opô Afonjá terreiro in São Gonçalo.

Attentive and dedicated, Saúva received the title of treinel in 1999 and was subsequently responsible for the smooth running of the training sessions. He became a foreman in 2003. He then shared this responsibility with other students in the group, such as Olhos de Anjo, Barbeirinho, Mão Dez (and later Ratinho and Ligeirinho). A dedicated student, he became mestre Barba Branca's trusted pupil, accompanying him in the group's activities.

In 2016, he was recognized as mestre Saúva by mestre Barba Branca. He ensured the group's continuity during periods when mestre Barba Branca was unable to continue due to increasingly serious health problems. At mestre Barba Branca's request, he took over the leadership of the GCAC, of ​​which he is currently the mestre and principal coordinator.