The Festa

                       

The Portuguese Festa begins with a parade. Tradition has it that a a little girl and young woman are both crowned Queen for the day. In the 14th century Queen Isabella of Portugal made a promise to God that if Portugal didn't starve to death during a terrible famine she would crown a young poor maiden Queen for a day and put on a feast each year in thanksgiving to God for hearing her prayers. The Portuguese people in towns all over the world still continue with this tradition.

The crown is carried in the parade by the last year's Queen. The parade begins at the hall and ends at the Church were a mass is said to celebrate the day. During the Mass the priest places the crown on those who want a special blessing. The symbolic gestures of having the crown placed on my head makes me feel connected to the tradition of many festas before and to come. The crown is blessed and is carried out by the new Queen.

After the parade a lunch is served outside. Long tables are set up for a traditional Portuguese meal to be served. The food, the preparation of the food, the cooking, serving, and clean up is provided by volunteer help. After three days of helping I can honestly say my legs feel like they are going to fall off.

Sopas a typical festa food is made by simmering beef bones, with spices and cabbage for hours in a large copper pot. Then when the broth is done it is poured over thick sliced French bread with mint. It is served pipping hot.

After my legs fall off I think the second thing is that my hands will smell like mint for a long time to come.

The beef is cooked in large pots with onions, garlic, bacon, red wine, and a selection of secret spices, cinnamon being one of them. The large pots of meat are put into an outdoor, wood-buning oven to bake for several hours, Then they're set out to marinate and then re baked.

What cultural tradition do you celebrate?

 

Comments

[caty]

wao Corey!!! Love this!!!!! Do you mean that all this Portuguese Fiesta happens on your hometown?!!!! wonderful! all communities gather or only portuguese origin people?

May I go? :)

I haven't been in such a huge celebration, only some in Venezuela's country side but smaller with food and dancing :)

Here in France is family and friends that make big celebrations happen

A big hug! and enjoy your Fiesta!

[Gill]

I have so enjoyed reading about, and seeing your photos of, this interesting tradition - thanks for sharing!

[nel]

What an amazing celebration and gathering. Looks like hard work and lots of fun! Hope your legs are still going ok!

[Jeanne]

How fabulous and wonderful~
I love everything

[Katy]

Well, my family has been in America since the mid 1700's and in Texas since the early 1800's and they fought for the independence of each, so our "culture" is pretty much that of American pioneers. That said, since the 4x gr-grandfather of my name came from Scotland, I do love to attend the Gathering of the Clans. Nothing gets me going like the sound of bagpipes. The ringtone on my phone is bagpipes playing "Scotland the Brave", but background on my screen is the Texas Lone Star flag. (I think I'd rather eat your food than haggis, though!)

[Suzanne]

I'm part of that tradition of Festas Portuguesas. Afterall... I'm Portuguese! And I know what secret ingredients you are talking about!...

Your hands will smell like mint for days and days! Now, just imagine the people who got to peel onions... or garlics!!!!

Love*

[Candy]

This is fascinating. I've never even heard of the Festa. Apparently I have not lived near any Portugese people in my life. I love that it is so rich in tradition. It does sound exhausting though.

[My Mélange]

Great photos and quite an interesteding celelbration.

Thanks for sharing a new cultural experience!!

My cultural celebration...Saint Patty's Day!!

[Mary]

Hope you're 'back on your feet' by now after so much work Corey - but what a marvelous time must have been had by your community - loved reading about it!! The sopas is an intresting dish for sure!
Is that mom I spy? Great to know she was part of the festivities, altho' a somewhat bittersweet time for all your family I'm sure.

We have a huge St. Patrick's Day celebration here in Raleigh and as dh is of Irish descent I join in!! Most English Summer get togethers I remember were always church fetes with country dancing, 'bring & buy" sales, kiddies games like ring toss, and goodies baked by the mums and grandmas. All quite simple but very pleasant on a perfect English Summer day - read 65 with no humidity or mosquitoes - I want to go back!!!!!!

When I talked to 'French village brother' yesterday, they had returned from a fete at the volunteer firemens' hall - seems there's a fete every weekend over there - such fun. Hope there are some in October when I'm visiting!
Hugs - Mary.

[Terri]

We had a huge Portuguese community in Peabody, Mass. where I lived and I remember these celebrations very well. I think it's wonderful when an ethnic group holds on to and maintains their culture.
The closest thing I can remember are all the Polish Easter's at my grandmother's house when I was growing up.

[Isabel]

You got me salivating Corey lol...
I know well all these soups and meats and the scents infusing the air of your Portuguese Festa.
Another Portuguese herb worth mentioning is cilantro. Here in the States, I still make a soup called Sopa Alentejana: I crush a bunch of fresh cilantro, garlic cloves and salt with my marble mortar and pestle, then add olive oil and let it rest while I slice homemade bread and place it in layers in a large bowl. Then, I bring water to a boil, poach some eggs, and when the eggs are done there goes the cilantro paste in. You pour the whole thing over the bread and serve in Portuguese soup bowls accompanied by a good wine, more olive oil, and lots of cured olives.
It is a great warm up for a cold winter day :)

[Ed in Willows]

It's great to see your mom out and doing the things that bring her joy.

[Jeanette]

As always it is also a day to catch up with old friend and remember the old days...before children.LOL Are you part of the clean up crew today also? I saw french husband serving. I was looking for you to say hi, but did not see you we must of been busy in the kitchen. My family being German takes part in the Octoberfest. Hot German potato salad, bratwrust or brockwrust and sauerkraut and music I am not a beer drinker so I let the other have at that. And like at the Festa no tradition can be without the Chicken Dance! Young and old get out and boogie to this dance with lots of laughes and smiles. Well I hope your leggs didn't fall off and you are still able to walk today. LOL

[the Farmer's Wife]

I can't wait to hear more about this beef that's cooked twice!!! Sounds awesome. I saw my Portuguese friend yesterday and told her about your Festa. She was very excited!

Well, the other Suzanne and I must be related because I'm Scottish too, my g-g-g-father came over in 1767 and fought in the revolution. He didn't make it as far as Texas though. He stopped in Tennessee and said, "This looks like a nice spot".

I was raised in Illinois though and the Scottish traditions have been lost in the mist of time. We have good old fashioned American barbecues....steaks and brats on the grill, potatoes wrapped in foil and baked on the grill, and corn in the husk, roasted on the grill and dipped in a big coffee can of butter.

ROASTED CORN IN THE HUSK

Fresh sweet corn in the husk
Large bucket of salt water
Butter
Salt and Pepper

Soak the corn in the salt water for several hours or overnight. Get the coals very hot. Arrange the corn on the grill, turning occassionally until the husk is blackened on all sides.
Pull back the husk and use it as a handle. Dunk the corn into melted butter and dress it up with salt and pepper. Eat several ears and suffer the consequences the following day.

- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

[Rosemary]

Sounds and looks like fun Corey!!
I'm Italian, so everyday is a festa. Just kidding, but we do have festas too!!
Thanks for sharing,
Rosemary

[martina]

That looks like so much fun to attend and a great way to pass on the culture to the kids. Mom always bakes spritz and krumkake for Christmas gifts. We never pass up buying any treat with marzipan in it or marzipan candies for ourselves. Favorite Aunty still does rosemaling-traditional Norwegian painting on wooden objects.

[kay]

What a wonderful tradition. I bet those of you who worked so hard to make it happen are really worn out! I'm learning about life in France from you and now some neat Portuguese info. See...my blog-reading habit (obsession) really is educational!

[Beachy]

Oh Corey! You've brought tears of joy to my eyes! I was brought up in a heavily Portuguese populated town (I've told you my uncle is Portuguese). I remember these festas oh so well! I remember the long processions, streets being closed off, and the wonderful feasts and parties which followed - and the sopas! The church parking lot became the most popular place to be in the evening - such fun! Everything you've described here is EXACTLY the way it was back home. Now I'm feeling rather blue.. I love living on the Cape, but my roots are still cemented in the suburbs of Boston and always will be. =) hugs!

[Franca Bollo]

Wha? Mary-Kate Olsen's the Festa Queen? I didn't know she was Portuguese.

[Tia Muminguz]

waa.. I didn't get any of the meat that makes me happy I'm a carnivore (and to think twas I who drove you to swear off animal flesh).
_________________________________

Hiya Tia

No kidding and to think i put a photo of MEAT on my blog and worked with it all day. Boy talk about being dedicated to tradition!

[Carol]

I've never heard of a Festa either, and have enjoyed these two entries so much! I also enjoyed reading the article you linked to. Thank you for sharing your heritage with us, Corey.

Sadly, neither my family nor my husbands handed down any cultural celebrations to us.

We have borrowed a couple of traditions from others for Christmas. We have tamales on Christmas eve (purchased at our local farmer's market) and a birthday cake for Jesus at our Christmas morning breakfast/brunch. I started making the cake for my grandchildren and they love it! I make a white cake with white frosting and write "Happy Birthday Jesus" on it in red. The children gather around and we all sing happy birthday and they blow out the candles.

[Jamie]

WoW, I have Never heard of this Celebration! It looks like so much fun. I learned something New Today. Beautiful Post. Jamie

[Franca Bollo]

Who is Tia Muminguz? I think you owe to your readers, Coco, to translate the sobriquet. Is it Sheba by any chance?

[Beverly]

I love the photos Corey, but I'm still sitting here trying to decide if any of the little girls are your nieces!

Traditions...my in-laws and Christmas are a tradition in itself. Lots of pasta, lots of cannolis!

[herhimnbryn]

Community spirit is so evident in your images and words. Thankyou for sharing.

[Debbie in CA : )]

How lovely! How festive! How traditional! How DELICIOUS!!! I'm taking notes. Haven't a drop of portuguese blood in my body, but my tastebuds are applying for a visa. (I'd want a touch of the crown, too.) Yummy post. Thanks. : )

[TACE]

Sounds like such a fun time!

[Marie-Noëlle]

"La fête des Lumières" in Lyon on December 8th.

Mary saved the city from the Plague in the 17th century.

Lights everywhere. Music everywhere.
That night all people put little candles on their window sills and stay out late. All sorts of concerts are performed -official and non official- in the streets, in the churches, in the halls...
With your permission, here is a link (with a gallery):
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%AAte_des_lumi%C3%A8res_%28Lyon%29

[amber]

As always your pictures are so great. and this is very cool. I wish I had family like this. What a gift.

;)

[lala]

Wow! What a surprise when I saw my picture on your blog. I had so much fun working with all my cousins and friends. The food was so good and it was a beautiful day to visit with everyone. We have to keep this tradition going :)

[susanna]

I really enjoyed reading this post, Corey. Your photographs capture the movement and gaiety of the celebration, too.