Bugiada and Mouriscada
JUNE 24TH
SOBRADO · VALONGO
HOW TO GET THERE
Via the A4, exit at Valongo or Campo, then follow the EN 15 and join exit at the EN 209 towards Sobrado, or follow the A41, with an exit at Sobrado, which leads to the town centre.
Bugio and Mourisqueiro House
Parish Church
Bugiada and Mouriscada Documentation Centre
Alminhas - “Entry Dance” Exit
Afternoon activity exit
Colher D’reitos and Lavra da Praça (several stops)
Cego and Sapateirada Dance (several stops)
Doce Dance
Traditional Bandstand
Palanque or Bugios Castle
Palanque or Mourisqueiros Castle
Sobreiro e libertação do Velho Dance
Saint Dance
Rio
Ferreira
Gandra
Valongo
Rua de Campelo
THE PARISH
Sobrado has an area of 21 km2 and is bordered to the northwest by the municipalities of Santo Tirso and Paços de Ferreira, to the northeast by Paredes, to the south by the town of Campo and to the west by the city of Valongo, from which it is 7 km away.
It is located on a schist plain, sheltered by some elevated terrain and crossed by the River Ferreira. This environment is favourable to agriculture and livestock farming. The cultivation of flax stood out, which in ancient times was the wealth of the area and may have been the origin of the name Sobrado. Medieval times saw the construction of bridges that were essential for the movement of people and goods. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, this wealth materialized in the residential buildings of the rural nuclei, such as Our Lady of Necessidades or Ferreira, and in other buildings, such as the Parochial House, the Parish Church and the House of Viscount Oliveira do Paço.
In the 19th century, the textile industry gained some prominence with the Balsa Factory. In the 20th century, CIFA continued this textile tradition, modernizing it by introducing artificial and synthetic fibres in response to new demands. In the meantime, other industries were set up, including furniture and construction. Recently, there has been a huge increase in wine production.
The patron saint is St. Andrew, who is celebrated on the last Sunday in November. However, the most exuberant and attended festival is undoubtedly the Bugiada and Mouriscada.
Held on 12 July 2001.
THE FESTIVITY
The Bugiada and Mouriscada, which takes place in the town of Sobrado, in the municipality of Valongo, is the participation of the community around the PASSION, inexplicable to many, but of unmistakable value to the people of Sobrado.
While other traditions are disappearing or losing prominence, the Bugiada shows no signs of waning and is becoming more and more lively. It is a festival of rituals, dances, music and exuberance from bygone times.
It takes place on 24 June, St. John’s Day, the most important day of the year, bringing together many characters who enthusiastically take part in various stage shows, scattered along the streets, mostly concentrated in Largo do Passal, a strategic place as it is the heart of the parish.
The festival is characterized by the conflict between Moors and Christians, known respectively as Mourisqueiros and Bugios. Contrary to what you might expect, the Bugios, of all ages and in masks, are
exuberant, and even subversive, revellers, while the Mouriqueiros, young singles with their faces uncovered, are organized and tidy.
This ancient and genuine manifestation of popular tradition attracts thousands of people, not only from the nearest towns, but also from all over the country and abroad.
Given its unavoidable value, a sculpture representing the scene of the Prison of the Old Man, an important moment in the culmination of the festival, was inaugurated on 21 June 2008, at the roundabout next to Largo do Passal.
Despite its grandiosity, the majority of Portugal is still unaware of it. And many who watch it, even though fascinated, don’t understand it. It is therefore necessary to publicize the program and the legend behind it so that it can be fully enjoyed.
SUMMARY OF THE LEGEND
During the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, the Moors settled in the hills around Valongo and were devoted to gold mining. The valley was home to Christians who worked in agriculture. They had an image of St. John, to whom they prayed, since he had once cured the daughter of their old chief.
One day, the Moorish king also found his daughter seriously ill. Knowing the powers of the Christian image, he desperately asked to borrow it. When the Moorish king’s daughter was cured, he organized a banquet to celebrate, inviting the Christians. However, it is during this period that tensions mount, as the Moors want to take possession of the image.
The conflict erupted and, once the Christians were defeated, their old chief was taken prisoner by the Moors, only to be freed in a most miraculous way.
The Christians, incensed, turn to a huge snake for help. They burst in, impetuously, and by surprise, frightening the Moors into releasing the old chief. The snake charges ahead of all the Christians, who chant “The saint is ours... The saint is ours...”, in reference to the miraculous image of St. John the Baptist.
THE PROTAGONISTS
MOURISQUEIROS
The army, much smaller in number than the Bugios, is made up of young men who, by tradition, have to be single. They are bare-faced, upright, form two parallel rows, in pairs, and are commanded by their King, the Reimoeiro. The first ones are called Guias (Guides), the ones in the centre are called Meios (Middles) and the last ones are called Rabos (Tails). Their dances are performed to the rhythmic and martial sound of a drum.
BUGIOS
Anyone can dress as a Bugio, from young to old, single or married, thus contributing to a group made up of several hundred people. The Old Man of the Bugiada is its King, distinguished by his uniform, barretina hat and different mask (cheerful in the morning and sad in the afternoon). His army is made up of Bugios, who line up in rows, with the Guias (first) and Rabos (last) made up of trusted men. Everyone dons a mask and, to the sound of traditional rebecs, violins and Braga violas, dances and jumps for joy.
programme
With the exception of the dances at the respective kings’ houses and the “dinner”, everything takes place outside.
The two most striking moments are the Entry Dance and The Old Man’s Prison. However, other dances and rituals, which follow a loose timetable, also shouldn’t be missed.
(Times given are a rough guide only)
The party begins
08:00 am
The Kings’ Houses
Gathering of the Mourisqueiros at Reimoeiro’s house and the Bugios at Velho da Bugiada’s house and their respective opening dances.
Afterwards, the two groups head to Bugio and Mourisqueiro House, where the “Dinner” takes place, alluding to the banquet in the legend. They take different routes, with the Mourisqueiros arriving first, as they will throughout the rest of the day.
09:30 am
Bugio and Mourisqueiro House
This is where the separate “Dinner” takes place, started by the Mourisqueiros and followed by the Bugios. On arrival, outside, there are opening dances for each group.
10:30 am Dinner Exit Dance
After the Dinner, the Mourisqueiros dance next to Bugio and Mourisqueiro House and then head towards the church along paths that avoid passing through Passal Square.
10:00 am Mass
A solemn Mass is celebrated at the Parish Church in honour of St. John the Baptist.
Also at the end of the Dinner, the Bugios perform dances and, turning away from the aforementioned Square, head towards the party area where everything afterwards takes place.
11:30 am Procession
The Mourisqueiros take part in the procession and carry floats.
12:30 am
Entry Dance
This is an opening dance, which takes place at the end of the procession, along a route from the Alminhas area to the churchyard entrance. First come the Mourisqueiros and then the Bugios. The S. Martinho de Campo Musical Band accompanies each of the groups to Campelo.
From then on, the Mourisqueiros are accompanied by the sound of a box and the Bugios by an orchestra of violins, rabecs and Braga violas. They end near the church with the blessing, first of the Mourisqueiros and then of the Bugios, from their respective kings. This is followed by the Entrajadas, made up of groups or individuals who promote social criticism.
01:30 pm
Sobreiro Dance
Performed by the two groups, separately, and in the usual order.
03:00 pm
Lavra da Praça/Afternoon Services: Cobrança dos
D´reitos; Sementeira; Gradar; Lavrar
While the Mourisqueiros go to rest, as well as most of the Bugios, there is the Collection of Taxes (by Bugios), followed by three acts of Agricultural Work in reverse order: sowing, harrowing, ploughing. The protagonists are masked peasants, supported by some Bugios.
5:00 pm
Cego or Sapateirada Dance
A shoemaker works at his trade. Next to him, his wife is spinning. Suddenly, a blind man arrives with his a blind man arrives with his back turned. The young man guiding him leads him in such a way that he falls on top of the shoemaker, who doesn’t find it funny at all. Meanwhile, the blind man’s boy takes the cobbler’s wife. When the shoemaker notices, he fights the rogue, gets his wife back and the situation is back to where it started. The scene is repeated in various parts of Passal square.
05:30 pm
Doce Dance
It takes place in the atrium of the parish residence, first performed by the Mourisqueiros and then by the Bugios. It has the particularity that the parish priest is obliged, by tradition, to offer each Bugio and each Mourisqueiro a traditional Sobrado sweet, wine and lemonade. After this dance, each group heads to their respective palanque (castle), to the Old Man’s Prison.
07:30 pm
The Old Man’s Prison
On palanques (castles) previously built about 50 meters from each other, in the Passal, the conflict breaks out. A messenger on horseback exchanges messages between the two parties. On the Bugios’ palanque (castle), a Doctor of Law from each party speaks. The cannons thunder on either side.
When the Bugio side runs out of ammunition, the opponent, realizing this, attacks, traps the Old Man and takes him prisoner. Only the Serpe, with whom the Bugios appear, allows the Old Man to be freed.
08:30 pm Saint Dance
Once again on an equal footing, Bugios and Mourisqueiros dance the Santo Dance in front of the parish church, in the usual order.
09:30 pm
Passing of the Committee
At the end, the Festival Committee passes the baton, symbolized by the handing over of the bouquet, to the next year’s committee.
The party continues...
The CDBM (Bugiada and Mouriscada Documentation Centre), inaugurated on 19 June 2014, is a thematic and interpretive space for the unique festivities of S. João de Sobrado, given its unavoidable cultural value.
Its mission is to contribute to the study, appreciation and dissemination of one of the country’s greatest and most genuine cultural manifestations, the Bugiada and Mouriscada, and to help safeguard it.
It is a hub for specific information on this tradition, as well as cultural heritage in general. Its purpose is to link this festival with other festivals around the world, as well as with events where masks are a central element. In this way, it provides knowledge and research within a healthy international dialogue of respect between cultures.
The CDBM also aims to contribute to global recognition of the region’s cultural heritage, particularly that of the Municipality of Valongo, enhancing and disseminating the region in a close relationship with the Bugiada and Mouriscada and the local community.
CDBM – Bugiada and Mouriscada Documentation Centre
Rua de Campelo, 340 | 4440-348 Sobrado, Valongo
Contacts: +351 911 062 744 / +351 220 135 060
c.doc.bugiada.mouriscada@cm-valongo.pt
www.facebook.com/cdbugiadamouriscada
