The atabaque was probably the first instrument to be formally introduced to capoeira by way of condomblé. At the time former slaves began to own land, many operated terroiros which were spaces of land dedicated to the practice of condomblé. In Bahia almost all the capoeiristas were also practitioners of the African religion and hence had access to the instruments such as the atabaque and agôgô. It is worth noting that on the african continent there is rarely an event that does not involve a drum of some sort. So it’s no surprise that the atabaque is used in capoeira.