Ereira Portuguese Folklore Group
Ereira, Portugal

Situated in full plain of the fields of the Mondego, the Ereira, a little for its isolation also for the way of life of its inhabitants conserved, until the present o century, the characteristics of agricultural community of pureness of customs kept for the force of the tradition, other people's to the pernicious effect of the civilization. Being transparent a spirit strong arreigado to the principles of the concept of God and family, the population of the Ereira is, still today, a typically agricultural community, molded for the traces taxes for the condicionante situation the resultant of the geographic implantation, ground wealth its easy exploration.

The main activities of its inhabitants are, since always, directed for agriculture, mainly, and, in secondary plan it fishes it. From there that consequentes activities have appeared, such as the production of agricultural alfaias, hampers of lintel, the boats, the nets; the culture and transformation of the hemp, since have very disappeared. Dressing in the molds and traditional standards of a modest agricultural classroom, because the wealth distribution does not give another condition to it, they appear along with the camponeses suits, colorful figures as the laundrywoman of the Mondego, the fisherman, the shepherd, the suits of the scythe of works of eira, parallel the suit of domingar, seeing the God, of fiancés, pilgrimage or parties, of feirar, among others.

E is in amanho of lands, in them you cut with a scythe the huskings of maize that the people if make use to sing, to brighten up the sacrifice of the works, for times arduous, or in eira and next to the chapel, to the sundays, for a reason or purpose diversion and of conviviality, who if serve of games as anelzinho, raminho trouxado, the thief of the way, cantarinha and others, using the wheel dances, giving the hands, all irmanados, singing bailando, as form of if finding, of the sort its form of life as simple people the humble one. But it is over all in the end of the harvests that these manifestations reach its bigger expression, in renewing of the reserves of the granaries.

E singing, of provisions the head, the now more available gentes of the Ereira of the chores of the fields, in skill of gratefulness, manifestation of joy and for devotion, walks for the pilgrimages Mrs. of the Health of Belide or Reveles, for the one of S. Mateus in Soure, Gentleman of the Mountain range in same Semide or of S. Tomé in the Blacksmith, with the cars of cows to the decorated animals, where old cantigas if renews if they always entoam with the same joy the virtue, verses with that they also follow the dances where if hear:

Divino Senhor da Serra
Mandai Agosto mais cedo
Que eu quero ir passear
Aos areais do Mondego

Dressing its better clothes, using the baskets of painted lintel, (condessas), leaving to by the way escape the wide incomes of its white hemp cloths, worked in the long nights of Winter to it will be, return in the following day after always passing in folia, the main night of the Pilgrimage. In the return still they hear to sing verses that reflectem its contentment for plus that participation in the popular pilgrimage:

Venho Senhor da Serra
Mais valente que cansada
Se tivesse companhia
Ainda para lá voltava

To represent to divulge of an alive form this type of community, Rancho Folclórico appears of the Ass. C.D.R. of the Ereira, established in 1932 and activity until today without any interruption, remaining itself in permanent inquiry for one truer replacement of the traditional customs of the Village the region that represents, presenting a seleccionado program to a variety of trajos in obedience to the become uses tradition of this colorful of the Coastal Side, situated Village in fertile and privileged fruitful land region, promoting festivals, editing cassettes the postcards and organizing Etnográficas Expositions.

Annually the group organizes its Festival Folclórico “FolcloEreira”, beyond some expositions of photograph and etnografia, not forgetting the serões cultural.

Contact information:
Grupo Folclórico da Ereira
Rua 31 de Dezembro, n.º 11
3140-672 EREIRA
Portugal


Presidente: Fernando Curto
Telefone: 966732443

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web site: www.folclore.ereira.net