#portuguese tradition

[bluberimufim]

The Caretos of Podence

Happy Carnaval!! Time for another cultural ramblie because I haven't done this in a while!!

(I just think they're cool)

This was originally gonna be about multiple Carnaval traditions in Portugal, like my Halloween post, because I wanted to talk about a really beautiful festivity in my city but then I realized it was related to an entirely different holiday and I wasn't gonna scrap this idea (I'll do that one in August, I guess??). So I decided to make a post about the Caretos of Podence because I just really vibed with them.

disclaimer! None of this is from lived experience, just online research (although I tried to use sources directly related to it, specifically the Casa do Careto website). I am not from Trás-os-Montes at all and have little contact with this. Just like in my first cultural ramblie, this is just me trying to better connect with my own culture and sharing what I find with anyone who's interested. If you see any errors or want to add anything, feel free!! I'm always happy to learn!

Okay, but before we begin: what exactly is Carnaval?

You might have heard of Brazil's Carnaval. Portugal's is way less hardcore but still culturally important (although some brazillian-style Carnavais are celebrated here).

The actual day of Carnaval is the day before Ash Wednesday, but it usually lasts about a week or 3 days in more urban areas (Carnaval break is a real thing that schools have). The general objective is to have an all-out celebration before Lent starts because, after that, you're not supposed to celebrate until Easter rolls around.

The Caretos

The village of Podence is in the middle of Trás-os-Montes, somewhat between Mirandela and Miranda do Douro. It is mostly known for this celebration, which lasts for about a week.

The name "caretos" means something like "big faces" and comes from their very recognizable masks. They're made of either leather or metal and are meant to completely obscure the identity of the wearer. The costumes are made of rows of coloured wool and are usually made by the community. The red, yellow, and green pattern is not mandatory and it can have many different colours, but it's the most common since it's the colours of the flag. On top of the costume, they wear a lot of bells: smaller ones attached to the straps on their chest and 4 to 8 bigger cowbells tied around their waist.

During the celebration, the caretos dance through the town, accompanied by the jingling of their bells. Traditionally, the caretos were young men who chased after single women, but today anyone can wear the costume and chase after anyone they please. They also go around stealing any easily grabbable chorizos left hanging from smokehouses, and use wooden staffs to propel their jumps higher.

On the last day of Carnaval, the Entrudo (a giant figure of a man) is burnt to draw away the bad things of the old year and let in the next. Like this:

This celebration has pagan roots, although none really know exactly where its origins lie. People seem to point to it being a pre-roman festivity, but we have few sources to go from. The most probable explanation is that it was a fertility ritual connected to the agricultural cycle, since this is generally the time in which farmers can start planting again after the winter.

I hope you enjoyed this little ramble. Because I very much did. Here's some more pictures:

[factflow]

From Sea to Plate 9 Amazing Sardine Facts You Should Know

With the help of this educational movie, you can explore the underwater world of sardines and learn 9 fascinating things about these diminutive but magnificent fish.

You'll learn about the sardine's hidden sides, from its history in the Atlantic and Mediterranean oceans to its importance in different cuisines throughout the world.

Examine their high protein content, high omega-3 content, and crucial position in the marine food chain.

Learn about their impact on customs like Portugal's St. Anthony's Day celebration and their novel use as bait for larger fish. Join us as we honor the legacy of sardines and their influence on food and culture.

#SardineRevelations #OceanTreasures #Omega3Goodness #HeartHealthyEating #ProteinRich #VitaminDBoost #CulinaryDelights #GlobalPalates #FeastOfStAnthony #MarineEcosystem #PredatorPreyCycle #FishingMethods #SeafoodWonders #SardineNutrition #SustainableFishing #MediterraneanFlavors #SeaToPlateJourney #EcoFriendlyConsumption #MarineBiodiversity #TastyBait #FishingTraditions #HealthyLiving #SardineMythsBusted #SeafoodMagic

#SardineSecrets #OilyFish #Omega3Rich #HeartHealthy #ProteinSource #VitaminDBoost #CannedDelicacy #GlobalCuisine #PortugueseTradition #FeastOfStAnthony #MarineFoodChain #PredatoryFish #PurseSeineNets #SmallFishSpecies #SardineNutrition #EcosystemImpact #SardineCooking #BaitingGame #MediterraneanFlavors #AtlanticEcosystem #FishFacts #factflow #Eating #MarineBiodiversity #SardineMyths #fact #flow #factflow #facts

[folkfashion]

Portuguese Caretos masker, Portugal, by Ashley Suszczynski

[mintytrifecta]

Call me a siphonophore the way I'm a giant colony of smaller animals moving as one collective animal that gets commonly mistaken for a jellyfish

[easternmind]

A compendium of references to Portugal in Japanese video games

The beginning of the historical relations between Portugal and Japan dates to the year 1541, when a Portuguese ship washed ashore at Jingujiura. Nearly sixty Japanese words are of Portuguese origin. A variety of Japanese traditions and culinary delights were introduced by Portuguese traders, sailors and missionaries. But in what way has this cultural exchange extended to the more recent phenomenon of Japanese digital games? As a portuguese devotee of Japanese culture, the topic seemed relevant enough to merit some additional exploration.

To my knowledge, the first significant reference to Portugal in Japanese video game is found in Koei's The Age of Discovery from 1990, a game published in the west under the title Uncharted Waters. The main character is a disgraced Portuguese nobleman named Leon Ferrero who resorts to maritime exploration, trade and naval warfare to restore his family's good name and prestige.

Its 1993 sequel, known in the west as New Horizons, diversifies the base game structure of the original by including multiple characters to select from, each with their own story and mission. Among them is the tale of João Franco, the son of the original episode's protagonist Leon, who sets out to discover the mysterious location of the fabled Atlantis, no less.

Another meaningful reference can be found a year later in ArtDink's 1991 strategy game The Atlas, in which the player takes on the role of a 15th century explorer with a five year contract with the King of Portugal to discover and chart lands around the Iberian Peninsula.

In 1998, ArtDink recreated the game for contemporary systems and published as Neo Atlas. The protagonist is a Portuguese trading company owner seeking business expansion opportunities in remote territories, as well as discover and chart hitherto unknown parts of the globe. A similar premise is found in a later sequel, Neo Atlas III.

Apart from nautical strategy games, a few other titles exist where mentions to the Portuguese territory, language and culture can be traced.

Atlus' futuristic vision of Earth in Maken X includes a most unexpected tour of Europe, with a mandatory stop in Lisbon. Inexplicably, the developers got its geographic location wrong and moved to all the way to the northern Spanish region of Léon. The level, itself, boasts a reasonably accurate depiction of one of the city's oldest quarters, Alfama, and the architectural styles found therein.

Although I could not discern any actual references in the game itself, the Grandia II soundtrack by the veteran composer Noriyuki Iwadare contains two themes whose lyrics are written in Portuguese: A Deus, a double-entendre that can be translated to both farewell and to God; and Canção do Povo, meaning People's Song. Also, the name of the official soundtrack is named Melodia, which translates to Melody as you'd expect. Both themes were performed by guest singer Kaori Kawasumi, who took on the composer's challenge to sing them despite her not knowing the language.

She was coached and assisted by José Álvarez and Motoi Sato from the Portuguese Arts and Culture Center in Japan, whom she thanks in the acknowledgement section. The Grandia II Special Package edition booklet contains a page with two photos of Portugal, one for the Jéronimos Monastery in Lisbon and the other, seemingly, for the Moorish Castle in the nearby town of Sintra.

The last Pomping World (a.ka. Buster Bros/Pang) that Mitchell Corporation ever produced before shutting down was the 2010 DS European exclusive Magical Michael. It includes two levels set in Portugal, one in Lisbon by the Belém tower, a nautical landmark, and the other in the Sintra National Palace. Their representation is at once pleasingly stylized and true to life.

This final reference is found in Spike Chunsoft's third installment of their successful visual novel series, Nyūdanganronpa V3 Minna No Koroshiai Shin Gakki. Among the dozens of MonoMono machine items that can be acquired, one is a weathercock styled after a traditional Portuguese folktale hero, the Galo de Barcelos, meaning the rooster of Barcelos, a town in Northern Portugal.

As per the description, this animal became famous through an age-old tale involving a man wrongly sentenced to death who seconds before his execution remarked he was as certain to be innocent as it was certain that a nearby rooster would sing. Because the bird did crow, much to everyone's amazement, he was exonerated. Thus, the black rooster became a symbol for truth.

I would like to thank @diogojira and @DanielOlimac for their assistance in making this article possible.

[tentacledtyrant]

siphonophores - 4/24/23

ink and gouache on bristol

[traditionaldream]

My beautiful country, of traditional values and patriotic love 🇵🇹

[acatinacupoftea]

I know I'm coming late, but here's Matoba Seiji w a traditional portuguese outfit (from Ovar) ✨✨

[anfeycare]

i was reminded of it, so have a little bit of a Red Guy handmade cosplay i made in february 2023 ˙꒳˙

[go-learn-esperanto]

I hate when I hyoerfixate on a traditional thing because it's like; who am I going to talk to about this? Does anyone wanna hear me scream about all the versions I found of this traditional Portuguese song??? Does anyone wanna hear me talk about the parallels of love and control? The usage of the song in a communist event? The weird obsession of Portuguese traditional songs of being love songs that have the men in love with the women putting themselves in the position of "you're such a beautiful woman and great and I love you but I'm so bad and not worthy of your eyes even landing on me", which very likely comes from the Galician-portuguese poetry of medieval times where Galician-portuguese was the prestige language over here and everyone was writing poetry with this exact concept which in turn was inspired by the Provençal poetry and oh my gods it's been almost a thousand years and we still have repercussions of that in today's (Portuguese) society.

[brazilspill]

Traditional Brazilian Children's Songs #2

If this street If this street was mine/belonged to me I'd order [it to] I'd order [it to] shine With shiny pebbles For my love For my love to walk by/upon it

If I stole If I stole your heart You stole You stole mine too If I stole If I stole your heart It's because It's because I wish/mean you well

=-=-=-=

Se essa rua Se essa rua Fosse minha, Eu mandava Eu mandava ela brilhar Com pedrinhas Com pedrinhas de brilhante, Para o meu Para o meu amor passar

Se eu roubei Se eu roubei teu coração Tu roubaste Tu roubaste o meu também Se eu roubei Se eu roubei teu coração É porque É porque te quero bem

[folkfashion]

Portuguese embroidery, Portugal, by Festas d'Agonia

[weirdinhumans]

[mountainbrixta]

Trasgo. Yes yes, I do have a gnome obsession, but let me tell about the stories of these little fellows in Portuguese lore. They go by many names and tales. "Trasgos, duendes, gnomos, fradinho da mão furada, etc" my grandparents just called them "little men". They're little tricksters moving around your things, making noises around the house at night, and the like. You can make them little offerings and if they like you, they'll watch over you and your home. Some say they're just the souls of unbaptized children, which appears to be common theme around many of these mythical folks.

[raysartsncrafts]

Rememeber when I said we’d start having more tradicional art here? So, I decided my OC, Flare, has a pet snake. A pet rattlesnake!

Flare, her bestie Kerill and the snake

“Snek!” “Poison snek!” “Talk to the snake, bitch”

Flare shows her older sister the snake as her younger brother watches

“WHAT THE FUCK” “CAN WE KEEP IT??” (gaaasp)

Flare shows Kerill the new trick she taught the snake

“Kerill, I need to show you something!” “Avel, Scythe.” “Ssshit” (wooah)

(Cascavel (rattlesnake in portuguese) “I taught Avel curse words.”

“Fffuck” “Assss” “Ssshhit”

[traditionaldream]

Don't forget who you are and what came before you. Be proud of your ancestors and of your history.

Deo, Patria, Familia

🇵🇹❤️