Culture of Portugal Agata Cieplik IIcg

Portugal

Culture of Portugal LiteratureMusicTheatre Customs and traditio ns

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.

Literature Best known athors are: Jose Saramago, who won the Nobel Price in 1998; Antonio Lobo Antunes, who was a Jose Saramagos rival to the Nobel Price.

Music Portugal is internationally known in the music scene for its traditions of fado, but the country has seen a recent expansion in musical styles, with modern acts from rock to hip hop becoming popular, as the new generations reject much of the past traditions. If Amalia is still the most reconizable Portuguese name in music, today the biggest exportations are bands like Moonspell (metal), Madredeus (fado and folk inspired), Da Weasel (hip hop) or Wraygunn (rock, blues). Regional folk music remains popular though, having been updated and modernized in many cases, especially the northeastern region of Trás-os-Montes.

Music Fado (fate in Portuguese) arose in Lisbon as the music of the urban poor. Fado songs are typically lyrically harsh, with the singer resigned to sadness, poverty and loneliness, but remaining dignified and firmly controlled. Besides Moonspell, the Portuguese metal band that finds most success in the world, and Madredeus, the best-selling band that explores traditional elements, there are other notorious modern acts, such as Da Weasel (hip hop), Boss AC (hip hop), RAMP (metal), Faithfull (soft rock), David Fonseca (pop rock), Linda Martini (indie rock) or Ornatos Violeta (indie rock), among many others. In electronica, the Underground Sound of Lisbon was a musical project that brought international attention to the Portuguese DJs, namely Rui da Silva - the only portuguese musician to reach #1 on the UK charts - and DJ Vibe. Ethnic Portuguese musicians such as Nelly Furtado and Nuno Bettencourt are popular in North America, though reflecting few of their Portuguese origin in their work.

Music 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."

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.

Peasant dresses The kind of the people's dress in larger degree depends from region. In enough universal idea womanlike tune consists of: long skirt and headscarf. Also classic shoes be carried. Characteristic grey trousers and fat, black belt as well as black hat for gentlemen's dress are.

Corrida Bulls' fight called in Portugese corrida or tourada is controversial and unusually colourful duel between man and animal. It from Spanish bullfight differs first of all in two aspects. First, considerable part tourady make up the shows of riding art during the duel between rider on horse and bull. The rider presents the art Marialvy, that is the most perfect and the most also difficult techniques of breaking in the horse, popularised by marquess de Marialva. Second, the bull is not roughly killed on the publics eyes.

Carnival Carnival time in Portugal and lively processions can be found in many towns and villages. Carnival traditionally is the time for friviolity and feasting before lent begins. In this area, the best carnival procession can be seen in Torres Vedras, just a minute drive to the north of Lisbon. Estoril and Cascais have a smaller carnival -- as does Malveira da Serra. If you would like to travel from Loule in the Algarve, Batalha, Nazare, Ovar and Figueira da Foz are also known for their carnivals. To see unique carnivals, think of visiting Estarreja in Aveiro distric. The carnival here dates from the 19th century and has grown in size and popularity since the year 2000 when it was one of the biggest and best carnivals in the country -- having a children's procession, samba and many richly decorated floats. Other places to visit having spectacular carnivals are Canas de Senhorim where there is fierce rivalry between the various 'bairros' of Paco and Rossio, Mascarados de Lazarim in Lamego.