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The culture of Portugal is rooted in the Latin culture of Ancient Rome , with a Celtiberian background (a mixture of pre-Roman Moorish and Iberian ). ARCHITECTURE Since the 2nd millennium BC, there has been important construction in the area where Portugal is situated today. Built before the arrival of the Romans, Citânia de Briteiros in Guimarães is a good example of native architecture. The houses were round, built from granite without mortar. They were built in settlements (''castros'') in the mountains, and were surrounded by protective walls. Portuguese architecture developed significantly with the arrival of the Romans (in the 2nd century BC), and evolved more closely towards other architecture around the Mediterranean. The Romans built aqueducts, bridges and roads, along with theatres, temples, circuses and other public buildings. There are particular ruins of buildings made by the Romans, called ''Centum Cellas'' wich have not been yet discoreved their purpose. The Moors built castles, temples and white-washed houses. The 1755 Lisbon Earthquake and the subsequent tsunami and fires destroyed many buildings in Lisbon . Joseph I Of Portugal and his Prime Minister Sebastião De Melo, Marquis Of Pombal hired architects and engineers to rebuild the damaged portions of Lisbon, including the Pombaline Downtown . Modern Architecture One of the top architecture schools in the world, known as "Escola do Porto" or School of Porto , is located in Portugal. Its alumni include Soutinho and Eduardo Souto De Moura . DANCES Portugal has the traditional Folklore (''Ranchos Folclóricos''), with many varieties from each region. FILM See Also: Cinema of Portugal Films started to be shown in Portugal in 1896, firstly in the city of Porto, one year after the first film was shown in Paris, with films such as "Saída do Pessoal Operário da Fábrica Confiança". ;''Directors:''
;''Actors:'' Fantasporto is a very well-known film festival that takes place in Porto every year. It started out as a sci-fi horror film festival but has matured into a more generic festival, with a strong attachment to independent productions. In Lisbon the main festival is the IndieLisboa (Independent Film Festival). LITERATURE See Also: Portuguese literature Portugal is sometimes known as "a country of poets". In fact, Portuguese poetry has a bigger influence in the country's literature than prose. In the dawn of nationality, poetry in Portuguese-Galician was widely popular in the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. There are many works in both lyrical and epic poetry. The Portuguese poets best-known throughout the world are Luís De Camões and Fernando Pessoa , but modern Portuguese poetry (since the 19th Century ) has its roots in a handful of relevant poets, from neo-classicists to contemporaries. Prose developed later than verse and first appeared in the 14th Century in the shape of short chronicles, lives of saints, and genealogical treatises. The tradition of the chroniclers began with Fernão Lopes , who compiled the chronicles of the reigns of three kings of that time. He combined a passion for accurate statement with a special talent for descriptive writing and portraiture. Eanes De Zurara , Gil Vicente and Priest António Vieira are some pre-modern Portuguese writers. But it is modern Portuguese literature that is better known internationally, especially the works of Almeida Garrett , Alexandre Herculano , Eça De Queirós , Sophia De Mello Breyner Andresen , António Lobo Antunes and the recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize For Literature , José Saramago . MUSIC See Also: Music of Portugal '' Fado '' (Portuguese for "fate") is a form of melancholic music. The music is linked to the Portuguese word ''saudade'' which means "yearning", or strong and mixed feelings of nostalgia and love. Fado's origins come from a mixture of African rhythms with the traditional music of Portuguese sailors, and it also was influenced greatly by Arabic music. There are two varieties of Fado: Lisbon and Coimbra . The Lisbon style is more traditional (for the people), while Coimbra's style is more refined (linked with university students); both are seen as ethnic music for a sophisticated audience and as candidates for UNESCO recognition. The notable Amália Rodrigues introduced the best-known variety of Fado. After her disappearance, a new wave of performers added stylistic changes and brought more international popularity to the traditional Portuguese music. Performers Mariza and Mísia brought a new sound to traditional Fado songs, while Dulce Pontes mixed Fado with Portuguese pop music. The band Madredeus completely revolutionized the sound of Fado by using new instruments -- in fact, all that they kept from the original Fado were its appearance and the concept of ''saudade'' and there is a considerable influence of Medieval Music in their style. In Fado, the audience must always keep silent until the song is completely over, because the music is transmitting pain or some feeling of the interpreter (called the ''fadista''). The fadista normally has his/her eyes closed, and sings as if he/she is crying. While most varieties of Fado are sorrowful; some can be joyful. Morna (or Cape Verdian Fado), the style in which Cesária Évora sings, is a variety of Fado derived from the Portuguese Fado. It also keeps the concept of ''saudade'', but it is sung in Portuguese Creole . Portuguese pop has grown markedly since the 1974 Revolution . The most notable bands and musicians are Sérgio Godinho , Xutos E Pontapés , GNR , Rui Veloso , António Variações , Heróis Do Mar , Mler Ife Dada , Pop Dell´Arte , Rádio Macau , Mão Morta , Clã , Delfins , Santos E Pecadores , Pedro Abrunhosa , Silence Four , The Gift and more recently Toranja , Ornatos Violeta , Pluto , Supernada , O Projecto é Grave! , Fingertips , Gomo and The Legendary Tiger Man . Other genres include Hip Hop , influenced by the American style by descendants of immigrants from former Portuguese colonies in Africa. Hip Hop Tuga (Portuguese hip hop) is very popular among the younger population in Portugal. Cool Hipnoise , Da Weasel and Mind Da Gap are some of the most popular artists who are becoming well-known internationally. Other Portuguese musicians include the globally recognized pianist Maria João Pires , considered by many as one of the best Chopin interpreters, and guitarist Carlos Paredes . PAINTING Portuguese art was very restricted in the early years of nationality, during the Reconquista , to a few paintings in churches, convents and palaces. It was after the 15th Century , with the national borders established and with the discoveries, that Portuguese art expanded. Some kings, like John I already had royal painters. It is during this century that Gothic art was replaced by a more humanistic and Italian-like art. During the reign of King Alfonso V , an important Portuguese artist Nuno Gonçalves shaped Portuguese art, leading it to gain local characteristics (''Escola Nacional'', National School). His influence on Portuguese art continued after his death. He was the royal painter for the famous ''Retábulo do Altar das Relíquias de São Vicente'' in the Cathedral of Lisbon (''Sé de Lisboa''). The painting caught fire and was replaced by a Baroque structure. Parts of his work still exist and can be found in the ''Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga National'' (Museum of Ancient Art). During the Golden Age of Portugal, in the late 15th Century and early 16th Century , Portuguese artists were influenced by Flemish art, and were in turn influential on Flemish artists of the same period. During this period, Portuguese art became internationally well-known, mostly because of its very original and diverse characteristics, but little is known about the artists of this time due to the medieval culture that considered painters to be artisans. The anonymous artists in the Portuguese "escolas" produced art not only for metropolitan Portugal but also for its colonies, namelly Malacca or Goa and even Africa , gratifying the desires of local aristrocatic clients and religious clients. In the 19th century naturalist and realist painters like Columbano , Henrique Pousão and Silva Porto revitalized painting against a decadent academic art. In the early 20th Century Portuguese art increased both in quality and quantity, mainly due to members of the Modernist movement like Amadeo De Souza Cardoso and Almada Negreiros . In the post-war years the abstractionist painter Vieira Da Silva settled in Paris and gained widespread recognition, as did his contemporary Paula Rego . THEATRE Portugal never developed a great Dramatic theatre tradition due primarily to the fact that the Portuguese were more passionate about lyric or humorous works than dramatic art. Gil Vicente is often seen has the father of Portuguese theatre - he was the leading Portuguese Playwright in the 16th Century . During the 20th Century , theatre found a way to reach out to the people, specially the middle class, through what in Portugal is known as " Revista " - a form of humorous and cartoonish theatre designed to expose and criticize social (and political) issues, but in a way that entertains and amuses the audience. FOOD See Also: Portuguese cuisine Each region of Portugal has its traditional dishes, including various kinds of meat, seafood, fresh fish (including 1001 ways of making Cod dishes, the national dish; and grilled sardines) and the famous "Cozido à Portuguesa". WINES See Also: Wines of Portugal Portugal is the country for (Vinho do Porto, literally Porto's wine), Madeira Wine , Moscatel of Setúbal and Moscatel of Favaios. POPULAR FESTIVITIES During the summer, in the month of June, festivities dedicated to three saints known as ''Santos Populares'' take place all over Portugal. Why the populace associated the saints to these pagan festivities is not known. But they are possibly related to Roman or local deities from the time before Christianity spread in the region. The three saints are Saint Anthony , Saint John and Saint Peter . Common fare in these festivities are wine, ''água-pé'' (mostly grape juice), and traditional bread along with sardines. During the festivities are many weddings, traditional street dances and fireworks. Saint Anthony is celebrated on the night of 12th-13th of June, especially in Lisbon (where that saint was born and lived most of his life), with ''Marchas Populares'' (a street carnival) and other festivities. In the meantime, several marriages known as ''Casamentos de Santo António'' (Marriages of Saint Anthony) are made. But the most popular saint is Saint John, he is celebrated in many cities and towns throughout the country on the night of the 23rd-24th, especially in Porto and Braga , where the sardines, ''Caldo Verde'' (traditional soup) and plastic hammers to hammer in another person's head for luck are indispensable. The final saint is Saint Peter, celebrated in the night of 28th-29th, especially in Póvoa De Varzim and Barcelos , the festivities are similar to the others, but more dedicated to the sea and with an extensive use of fire (''fogueiras''). In Póvoa de Varzim, there is the ''Rusgas'' in the night, another sort of street carnival. Each festivity is a municipal holiday in the cities and towns where it occurs. Portuguese popular song: :"Santo António já se acabou. :O São Pedro está-se a acabar. :São João, São João, São João, :Dá cá o balão para eu brincar." English Translation: :"Saint Anthony has finished now. :Saint Peter is finishing. :Saint John, Saint John, Saint John, :Give me the balloon, for me to play." SPORTS Football (soccer) is the most known, loved and practiced sport in Portugal. Luís Figo is one of the world's top players, but the legendary Eusébio , Rui Costa and Cristiano Ronaldo are also noteworthy. Among several other great names in the European scene, the Portuguese players Futre , Vitor Baia , and Paulo Sousa can be found. The Portuguese National Team , or ''Selecção Nacional'', has won two FIFA World Youth Championship s and several other UEFA youth championships. Recently, they finished second in Euro 2004 , becoming European Vice-Champions. At club level, FC Porto , SL Benfica and Sporting Clube De Portugal are the main clubs. While Benfica has played in the UEFA Champions League (then UEFA Champions Cup) final seven times and has two titles, FC Porto has two titles from two finals (1987 and 2004) in that competition alongside two Intercontinental Cup s, a UEFA Super Cup (1987), and is the only Portuguese team to have won a UEFA Cup (2003). Although Benfica was the most popular Portuguese club in Europe in the past, FC Porto's recent success in the European competitions has put them in the Top 10 World Clubs. By dominating the last 20 years of national competition, FC Porto is the only Portuguese team to ever achieve five National League titles in a row (1995-1999). Sporting Clube de Portugal has won a Cup Winners' Cup . Soccer is not native to Portugal, but the country has an ancient Martial Art known as " Jogo Do Pau " (Stick Game), used for self-protection and for duels between young men in disputes over young women. Having its origin in the middle ages, Jogo do Pau uses wooden sticks as combat weapons. The modern variety uses smaller sticks approximately 0.60 to 0.80m (2.0 to 2.6 feet). Portugal is probably best known for its ring hockey team, with 15 world titles. The most important clubs in Europe (and, arguably, the world) are SL Benfica , Sporting , FC Porto and Óquei De Barcelos . PORTUGUESE STEREOTYPES SEE ALSO |
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