HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!
A SPECIAL EDITION

Olá a todos! Espero que tenham tido uma semana absolutamente fabulosa. // Hi everyone. I hope you all had an absolutely fabulous week. Since late June everyday here has been chock full of activities. And Tavira has bubbled with excitement. The shadow of Covid has shortened gradually. But now the sun is at high noon. As a result, no shadows it seems. Happy days are here again!

So much has been going on. I wanted to give you a front row seat. But also to give you the opportunity to be part of the activities and the excitement. I can’t actually transport you into the crowds here. But I hope you will feel the simple, electric vibrancy of the celebrations.

What For All the Excitement?

June in Portugal is known as a mês dos santos populares, that is, the month of popular saints. There are three. The feast of Saint Anthony (Santo António, in Portuguese) is June 13th. Then there’s Saint John the Baptist (São João) on June 24th. Finally Saint Peter (São Pedro) brings up the rear on June 29th. Only o António is actually Portuguese. He was born in Lisbon in 1195 but spent about half his life in Italy. He died and was buried in Padua.

The other two lived in the 1st century in the Roman Province of Judaea, today’s Israel and Palestine. O João and o Pedro have no association with Portugal at all. They are likely popular and important to the Portuguese because both are associated with water. Water, the sea, is the life blood of the Portuguese. So o João, according to Christian traditions, invented baptism. Through baptism Christians commit to a new way of life by immersion in water. The connection of o Pedro is easier. Christian literature describes him as a fisherman. But Jesus calls him as well to be a fisher of men. Presumably of women, as well. The Portuguese are fishermen. So the sea and fishing have been critical to the life and the economy of Portugal for eons. Both still inhabit the hearts and souls of all Portuguese even if they are less important economically.

São João is very important to Tavira. He is the city’s patron saint. As for the “why” of his importance? It is about new beginnings, starting over. And about water, that is, the sea, and about fishing. Both new beginnings and water are linked with São João. Here goes my attempt to bring these connections together.

More Than Just About Saints

Tuna, in particular the Bluefin, pass by Tavira, or used to, beginning in early July. They are returning to Mediterranean’s warm waters to feed and to build their stamina. But ultimately they are going to the Black Sea to breed.

Tuna fishing was the economic core of Tavira for centuries. It made some few rich. But it kept the bellies all Tavirenses full. Starting with the older man, on down to teenagers, everyone worked the armação. Hundreds of men at a time manned each armação. There were hundreds of armação.

Plus thousands of others worked in the fabricas. These tuna canning plants were located throughout Tavira and the Algarve. Tuna from Portugal arrived on tables around the world. The few months that the tuna swam past Tavira were critical. Especially to the workers on the armação and in the fabricas.

The weeks of June meant hard labor in preparation for the return of the tuna. This preparation wound down near the end of June, coinciding with the feast of São João. The 24th marked the end of the preparations for the big catches to come. It was reason enough to celebrate until the armação beckoned. Happy days were here again!

Another reason for the big June celebration is Tavira itself. In 1520 Tavira was elevated to the status a city by Dom Manuel I. It was and is a really big thing. That is because a city enjoyed special legal rights. It meant self-rule and a measure of autonomy. So being a city was a special honor. After 1520, these two big events — city status and the return of the tuna — melded in with São João.

Beautiful Decorations Greeted The Happy Crowds

Tavira gets fully decked out for the celebration. It is really quite beautiful. Every year there is a different theme. This year’s seemed to focus on the churches of Tavira. We covered this topic in a post a little ways back. The Igreja de Santa Luzia, the parish church of our village, is at the top of the photograph on the right below.

Of course São João makes an appearance. He presides over the entrance to Jardim do Coreto where all the partying will take place. You pass through the festooned entry archway. There is São João waving and greeting you. When I turned back, however, I expected to see the same image the other side. But no, there was São João’s rear view. He seemed to be shaking his booty too.

Happy Crowds Flooded Into The Streets

The festivities run each year from the evening of the 23rd until the evening of the 28th. Around 7 P.M. each night the bands start to play. The crowds gather early. There is a snap of anticipation in the air. You can almost feel and hear the crack of excitement. Everyone seems ready to party, to let go and to just be happy.

And for sure there was plenty of hoopla, that is, good music and lots of dancing. Things got rolling with O Trio Versátil, the three dudes pictured below. Everyone anxious to have a good time and let loose. And o Trio did not disappoint the crowd.

I have posted short videos for you on YouTube. But only if you are interested. It is the only way I could get you into the festivities. This first video features O Trio Versátil. As among the first, they had to set the bar high. And yes, they worked hard to entertain the crowd that gathered in Jardim do Coreto on the evening of June 23rd.

What I found truly fun, entertaining, however, was the crowd. Young and old, Portuguese and expats, everyone. Just enjoying life. Dancing the night away.

So click the little blue button right here ▶️ to watch this first video. But only if you are interested. And even if you think you might not be interested. Go ahead. Click that little blue button. Who knows, you just might find something of interest. It is a wee bit of wholesome voyeurism. Plus, watching folk being happy, enjoying simple pleasures. Well, it just might make you happy too. But don’t get lost on YouTube. Be sure to come back and finish this post!

The Big Draw Of The Night

Later, at midnight, came an amazing fireworks display. But some folks told me that the fireworks were a little disappointing this year. “They had been far better in the past.” I thought they looked terrific. Especially the climatic ending featuring a waterfall of light cascading from the bridge into the Rio Gilão. Let me know what you think!

So you have the photograph above. Beautiful, no? But how about another video too? Yep, you got it. Another little blue button to click! Hit it here ▶️! But like I said earlier be sure to come back to finish the post.

The next night, June 24th, featured another big draw. One of Portugal’s great contemporary fadistas, Gisela João, gave a superb concert in the town’s central square, Praça de Liberdade. We talked a bit about Fado in an earlier post. A Senhora Gisela is not an old fashioned fadista. Her dress gives that away, no? I love the dress! Fabulous! And Fado, as an art form, is constantly evolving. It’s not static. But very much alive and well.

Give a listen. Yes, sorry, that means another blue button. Again it is well worth the click for a short sampling of a Senhora Gisela. So click here ▶️. And be sure to come back. I’ll miss you if you don’t!

And There Is Still More

The concert of a Senhora Gisela was for watching. Sure people bopped and swayed. But dancing was the responsibility of the bands next-door, in Jardim do Coreto. Cristiano Martins performed on June 24th. He got the crowd up and dancing with ease and skill. I think they were game for another happy carefree night anyway.

Again, the music was basic. A good beat, repetitive and very danceable. And everyone had a great time. It is the crowd enjoying themselves that is the most fun for me to watch. So go ahead, have a listen. Oops! Sorry another blue button to click. But go ahead, just do it. You have had so much practice. Click here ▶️. This time you do not have to come back. We’re done for this week.

Até à próxima quinta! // See you next Thursday! And, by the way, you got off easy this week. None of my philosophizing, theorizing and the like. Don’t count on that next week. 😇