Folkloric Groups | Santa Cruz
Rochão's Folkloric Group | Grupo Folclórico do Rochão
Founded by Alexandre Rodrigues and a group of young people linked to Folklore, on December 17, 1986, the Folkloric Group of Rochão is one of the associations belonging to the parish of Camacha that has been developing a remarkable work in favor of the Cultural Heritage of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
Since its founding, the group has been developing, in different areas of activity, the ethno-folk character, namely in dance, music, singing, costume and traditional games.
In 1989, for the first time in its history, the Group carried out its first exchange with a group belonging to Mainland Portugal and, since then, it has been promoting several exchanges from north to south of our country, through the Azores Archipelago and several other countries like Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, Italy and England.
Since 1990, the Folkloric Group of Rochão has held its Folklore Festival every two years, which in 1997 became known internationally. The stages and their decorations have also become elements worthy of recognition. Currently, this group participates in promotional events on the island of Madeira and operates in Tourist Enterprises.
In 2006, they released their first CD, called “Meia Valsinha”.
Rochão's Pilgrimages Ancient Group | Grupo de Romarias Antigas do Rochão
Although some previous performances have already been carried out, this group was officially founded in September 1945 in the parish of Rochão, village of Camacha, and its history has been guided by the preservation and dissemination of typical Camacha pilgrimages, without neglecting its ethnographic values, many of them identities of Madeira in general, as these once hidden mountains favored the conservation of ancestral traditions, objects, costumes and songs.
The group has some elements in the age group of 80 years and their songs and dances originate in the pilgrimages that took place during the Religious Festivals, sometimes in distant parishes, and in the Christmas season, 'the Party' as it is called in Madeira, extending from Christmas Eve to Santo Amaro, on January 15th. This group has been responsible for organizing the Ethnographic Fair 'O Nosso Concelho', since 1985, as part of the Santo Amaro Festival, the main religious event that takes place annually in Santa Cruz in the first month of the year, an initiative where cultural, musical and gastronomic traditions are honored, such as wheat soup or “bolo do caco” (typical flat bread), both made with wood on site.
Folkloric Group of the House of the People of Camacha | Grupo Folclórico Casa do Povo da Camacha
Founded on November 1st, 1948, it has been hosting, over time, a set of dances and songs that make this group one of the best known and most appreciated on the island of Madeira, having been awarded a silver medal and diploma of merit by the Regional Government in 1981. In addition to these activities, the group also seeks to keep the Madeiran traditions alive, participating in other activities such as the singing of the kings, the traditional Madeiran games and the participation in the traditional lapinhas/ Christmas cribs to the baby Jesus.
In addition to participating in popular festivals and in the tourist animation of the island, the Folk Group of Casa do Povo da Camacha has participated in several festivals spread across the four corners of the world, in places as far away as South Africa, United States of America, Venezuela, Brazil, China and Australia.
The female costume consists of a linen shirt, a red vest and a short cape over the shoulder of the same color, a red bottom skirt with colors overlapping vertically, the typical dark blue hood, and the flat boots. The men's attire is a little simpler, consisting of a white shirt and shorts, both in linen, a sash on the waist, the blue cap and the flat boots.
This Folkloric Group is made up of around 35 elements, which use several traditional Madeiran musical instruments such as the wire guitar, the rajão (cordofone) and the braguinha (small guitar), as well as the ferrinhos (1) , the harmonica and the bass drum, among other instruments.
(1) Metallic musical instrument with a triangular shape, which is struck with a metallic rod. = TRIANGLE
Camacha Children's Folkloric Group | Grupo Folclórico Infantil da Camacha
Founded by Commander Maria Augusta Correia Nóbrega with the objective of providing an extracurricular activity to the children of the Parish, the Camacha Folkloric Group of Children has made a fundamental contribution with regard to the continuity of Madeiran traditions.
The Group made its debut in June 1969 and since then it has been participating in numerous events in the County and throughout the Island, including the Flower Festival, Christmas and New Year's Eve. It also participates in religious events such as the Masses of Rooster and the Feast in Honor of the Divine Holy Spirit.
Since the 1970s, the collective has represented the island of Madeira in several festivals that take place in mainland Portugal and the Azores Archipelago.
Its commitment to preserving and maintaining our customs led to the Group being awarded, in 1999, for its work developed by the region.
Youth Folkloric Group of Camacha | Grupo Folclórico Juvenil da Camacha
Founded by Commander Professor Maria Augusta Correia de Nóbrega in 1978, the Camacha Folkloric Youth Group was created with the aim of continuing the Children's Folkloric Group.
First presented to the public in September 1981, the Group is essentially composed of young people aged between 12 and 20 years old who seek to preserve and disseminate local folklore and traditions, keeping in mind all the collection work developed by their founder.
In addition to the parties and pilgrimages around Madeira Island, the Group also participates in national and international folklore festivals, making known Madeira's traditions in countries like Brazil, Austria or even Israel.
The Camacha Folkloric Youth Group has the particularity of integrating the only Youth Orchestra of a Folklore Group in Portugal.
Folkloric Group of Romanies and Traditions of Camacha | Grupo Folclórico Romarias e Tradições da Camacha
The Folkloric Group of Romanies and Traditions of Camacha was formed out of an informal group of people who met sporadically to have fun. In the seventies, one of the members of the Group, who occasionally participated in pilgrimages, was invited to participate in two ethnographic processions presented by Camacha in Funchal. In 1976, some elements of this collective, with the support of professor Maria Augusta Correia Nóbrega, organized themselves as a Folklore Group for a presentation on stage.
In the eighties of the twentieth century, the Group was officially introduced and integrated in the Casa do Povo da Camacha, and was then renamed Grupo de Romarias Antigas da Casa do Povo da Camacha. Currently, made up of about 35 members, the Group is part of the Association of Pilgrimages and Camacha Traditions/ Associação Grupo Romarias e Tradições da Camacha. Throughout its history, the collective has been participating in Gastronomic Fairs, processions and television programs. In 1992 he represented Madeira Island at Expo´92, in Seville.
Folklore Group of the House of the People of Gaula | Grupo de Folclore da Casa do Povo de Gaula
Founded on September 16, 1978, the day of Nossa Senhora da Luz, patron of the Folklore Group of Casa do Povo de Gaula, this collective has as main objective the promotion of the Parish of Gaula, through the reconstitution of customs and activities, dances and songs that claim to preserve some traditions that have been fading over the past few years.
Consisting of around 50 members, the Group participates in several local events such as the traditional Missas do Parto (Childbirth Masses) and Cantar dos Reis (Singing of the Kings), regional events such as Folklore meetings in the Autonomous Region of Madeira and Christmas, and regular performances in Tourist Enterprises and Madeiran Restaurants.
The collective has also carried out cultural exchanges with Folkloric Groups from Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
The costumes of the Folklore Group are characterized by linen wool fabrics, some in their natural color, and skirts in white, brown, or in various colors.
Association of Folklore Traditions of Gaula – TRAGA | Associação de Folclore Tradições de Gaula – TRAGA
Founded on January 15, 2015 with the main objective of promoting, preserving and disseminating local traditions and culture in the parish of Gaula, the Folklore Traditions of Gaula Association - TRAGA is composed of about forty members.
The group has been participating in several festivals and folklore meetings, as well as in events and festivals organized by the Regional Government and Local Authorities, where they carry out ethnographic reconstructions. The TRAGA Association also participates in some local festivities, such as the singing of the kings or the songs to the Child Jesus. They also regularly operate in Tourist Enterprises and local Restaurants.
Their outfits consist essentially of wool, linen, baeta(2) and cheetah.
Because the parish of Gaula is also known for the 'land of Adelos' - people who were dedicated to the mobile fabric trade, the association's flag stands out for the representation of this same figure.
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(2) untreated, thick and terry fabric, of wool or cotton.
Folkloric Group of the House of the People of Santa Cruz | Grupo Folclórico da Casa do Povo de Santa Cruz
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Founded in July 1982 by Father Alfredo Aires de Freitas, the Folklore Group of the Casa do Povo de Santa Cruz emerged within the scope of the Festivities of the Blessed Sacrament of the Lord in order to continue the traditions, customs, music and singing of our ancestors .
Integrated in the Casa do Povo de Santa Cruz in 1989, the community is composed of about 32 elements.
The Group's attire seeks to best represent the costumes used in the past to plow the land and go to church. The winter Sunday outfit, worn by women to go to mass on the coldest days, consisted of a red wool skirt with a linen hem, a red baeta vest, a blue baeta cap, a long-sleeved linen blouse and a yellow scarf. In summer, the outfit was similar, only the blouse, with short sleeves and the scarf that was replaced by the hood, changed.
The male Sunday outfit was made up of a linen shirt and shorts, flat boot without red stripe and could be accompanied by a brown silk vest and blue cap.
The work outfit in the women's field consisted of a red wool skirt, white linen blouse and red scarf. The men wore a linen shirt, a sheep's wool hat, and wore brown cow or pig skin flat boots. The nobleman's costume was already formed by a blue baeta skirt, a white with lace embroidery linen blouse and a hood with linen scarf. The nobleman wore a white linen shirt, blue baeta trousers, blue flat boots and a blue cap. All women wear red-striped flat boots.
In addition to this characteristic local outfit, the community also uses the traditional costume of Madeira Island.
Over the years, the Folklore Group of Casa do Povo de Santa Cruz has been participating in several Folklore Festivals, spread all over the Portuguese territory and also in international performances. In 2007 he made an exchange with Rancho Folclórico Unhais da Serra and Moliceiros de Ovar and recorded a CD.
Since 1995, the community has organized the Santa Cruz Folklore Festival.