ETHNOGRAPHIC AND FOLKLORIC GROUP OF RIBEIRINHA "RECORDAR E CONHECER"

(Established in 22 of May of 1996)

In the sequence of a Monumental Ethnographic parade carried through in Ribeirinha in the 5th of June of 1995, integrated in the celebrations of the Autonomy of the Azores and transmitted live by RTP – Açores, and the movement generated around the gathering of antique documentation, clothes, ways of transports and traditions of Ribeirinha and Terceira island, the Group and the live forces of Ribeirinha that helped in the parade, intends to continue the work in widened moulds.

Thus, we thought in a group of gathering cultural traditions by the name of Ethnographic and Folkloric Group of Ribeirinha "recordar e conhecer" (To remember and To know), whose exterior face will be a group of folkloric dance and presentation of traditions.

This group started to organize in 1 of December of 1995. However for reasonable reasons, the Group considers as the date of its foundation the day 22 of May of 1996, this group officially was inaugurated in 1 of May of 1997 in the freguesia of Ribeirinha testified for honourable presences.

This Association has as their main gold, the study, research, collecting and spreading the Folklore culture and other elements in particular of Ribeirinha and cultural promotion of the population of the Terceira island through these activities.

Because we do not like to be limited to the borders of Ribeirinha and Terceira island in our gathering, and because comparison with other traditions alone improves your knowledge, leading to the discovery of things that before passed unobserved, therefore we collect typical suits of each region of the country with which we are making temporary expositions and we create a museum called "O Traje".

The Ethnographic and Folkloric Group of Ribeirinha "recordar e conhecer" is a true polar region of Social-Culture animation. Our group with much youth of this freguesia believes in bringing something new (or something differently thought, at least) in the domains of ethnography and folklore.

The Ethnographic and Folkloric Group of Ribeirinha "recordar e conhecer" is a cultural and entertainment association, that educate, creating in its members the taste for the popular culture, leading to healthier occupation of their free time, to cultivate and spread out this culture in its musical and choreographic aspects.

This group started to organize in 1 of December of 1995. However for reasonable reasons, the Group considers as the date of its foundation the day 22 of May of 1996, by Alberto Gonçalves de Melo and Nívea Pereira Ferreira. The first presentation in public was in 8 of April of 1997, integrated in the 50 Anniversary of Radio Clube de Angra, in the Angrense theatre in Angra do Heroísmo classified as World Heritage by UNESCO.

In 22 of March of 1997 the Group record for the RTP Açores in Ribeirinha and Fontinhas, the songs "Chamarrita" and "Os Bravos" to be presented in the shows of "Cartaz" and "Arquipélago", it was also transmitted in the RTP Internacional. In 9 of June of 2003 in front of Angra do Heroísmo City Council it participates in a live transmission of the RTP1 for the whole world for the arrival of the President of the Portuguese Republic. In its first eight years of existence 1997 trough 2005 this group carried through more than 290 shows.

This Group was officially inaugurated in 1 of May of 1997 in the freguesia of Ribeirinha testified with honourable presences of the Regional Secretary of the Social Works, the Tourism Delegate, the City Council President of Angra do Heroísmo, the Presidents of Junta de freguesia and Casa do Povo of Ribeirinha, some Ph.Ds, such as Maduro Dias, Orlando Bretão, etc., also the RTP Açores and other entities expert in Folklore and many hundreds of popular wanted to be associated with the event.

It is an autonomous Group with their own statutes, its a collective person of public utility by
forwarding of the Regional Government of the Azores on 20 of November of 1996, its clothes are rigorously traditional, some very old, dresses a representative of some social classes of Ribeirinha and Terceira island of centuries XVI and principles of century XX.

The Group carried through an ethnographic collecting of dances, songs, clothes, and agricultural utensils, based in this work, the Group is spreading the uses and customs of its land.

As an ethnographic complement, when performing the group shows some agricultural utensils allusive to farming, harvest and others. The Group is composed by 59 elements, thirty five dancers, nine acoustic guitars, whose sounds will join to the voices of ten singers.

The activity of the Group is marked by the way to be in spreading its region and land, and contributing to the approach between the people and its cultural and ethnographic interchange.

In the same year the association is legalized and becomes partner of Inatel.

This Group carried through four expositions, one in 20 trough 29 of June of 1997 in the Sanjoaninas, the biggest profane festivities of the Azores, the exposition was called "O Traje" and it was located in Palácio dos Capitães-Generais, it was very visited by tourists and the local population, another in 26 trough 31 of October in the Tourism Delegation of Angra do Heroísmo where it was made an honourable opening testified by the RTP Açores, the Regional Director of Inatel, and other entities, another exposition in 2 trough 17 of November in the mill belonging to the City Council of Angra do Heroísmo, visited by tourists and students of some schools and finally another exposition in June trough September of 2002 in the Archive of Angra do Heroísmo.

This Group in the 4 trough 7 of June of 1997 was in S. Jorge to participate in the Cultural Week of Velas, parading and performing in the village of Velas and in the Cooperativa da Beira, went to Ribatejo in 31 July trough 10 of August of 1998, parading and performing in Vila Franca de Xira, Azambuja, Rio Maior, Alenquer, Almeirim and Casa do Povo de Aveiras de Cima and in July of 1999 parading and performing in the Festa de Guadalupe in Graciosa island, in 8 trough 12 of July of 2000, this group went to Belgium (Brussels) Parliament European, and the the north of Portugal more properly in Minho and Trás-os-Montes, performing and parading in Minho, Vila Nova de Cerveira, in Trás-os-Montes, Vila Flor (in Santa Casa da Misericórdia and in the square next to the City Council), Macedo de Cavaleiros, Carrazeda de Ansiães (in Santa Casa da Misericórdia and in the square next to the City Council), in Pombal de Ansiães, in 20 trough 23 of July of 2001 in Festa da Madalena in Pico island and in 18 trough 29 of July of 2002 we participate in 24th Festival Internacional de Folclore das Terras da Feira (Argoncilhe) in Alto Douro, performing and parading in Santa Maria de Lamas, Arrifana, Olival, Travanca, Escapães, Castelo de Paiva, Espargo, Alcanena, Fronos, Caldas de S. Jorge, Louredo and in Argoncilhe and in 6 trough 16 of August of 2004 in Beira Litoral we participate in the VI International festival of Folklore in Carnide (Pombal), Redinha, Tomar, Lousões (Soure), Bajouca (Leiria) and in Vila Nova de Paiva (Viseu), in 24 through 31 of July of 2006 in Madeira's Island, since 1997 it participates in Sanjoaninas and diverse editions of the C.O.F.I.T. - “Comité” Organizator of the International Festivals of the Terceira Island, it also participates in the day of the Community or day of appraise in the North American detachment in the Base of Lajes.
This Group also carried through and organized in 1998 to 2006, The Day of the Emigrant a festivitie very dear to our emigrants and population in general.

The Group makes in average 40 performances per year, around of Terceira island, in several freguesias of this island, in the "Summer" festivities, from the beginning of 1 of May until middle October. The Group also perform in Hotels, Residencials and Restaurants for the tourists who visit us.

Every year in May to celebrate its anniversary this Group carries through the Folklore Festival of Ribeirinha, with the participation of all Folkloric Groups of Terceira island.

In the18th of April 2000 this Group became member of full rights (effective partner) of the Portuguese Federation of Folklore.

In the 13th of May 2000 this group launches its first CD, with 12 musics of Azores popular songs, more precisely of Terceira island, its very important and historical register for the Group and the freguesia of Ribeirinha.

In the18th of May 2003 this Group inaugurated its Headquarters or Museum of a Typical house of Ribeirinha or of Terceira island, more than five thousand pieces are displayed, some them with almost two centuries of existence. This Museum represents the living picture of Ribeirinha, bringing to your days habits, clothes, houses, furnishes and work instruments that made the everyday life in centuries XIX and XX. In this house there are 4 divisions of a rustic house typically of Terceira, where the marking details are of furniture and remain filling used at the time of our grandmothers and greats-grandmother. The crafts also weren't forgotten. There is room for the atafona, eira, alfaias (agricultural instruments) and sewing utensils. In this place the group also present recreations of the regional killing of the pig, the husking of the corn, works in eira (agricultural instrument), the cycle of the wool, festivities of The Holy host, etc. This Headquarters or museum is called “Centro Etnográfico da Ribeirinha” (Ethnographic Centre of Ribeirinha), to commemorate this event the Group organized in 18 trough 25 of May of the 2003 "A Semana Cultural da Ribeirinha" (Cultural Week of Ribeirinha), that is repeated every year on the Group Anniversary. This Group organized an Ethnographic parade in Angra for the celebrations of the 10 of June in 2003 for the President of the Portuguese Republic and Prime minister. In the Ethnographic Centre of Ribeirinha there are running Schools of Arts and Traditional Crafts of Ribeirinha, schools that were developed so that the craftsmen works didn't disappear, the weaving, the tapestries, arraiolos, embroiderings by hand and machine, courses for playing string instruments, etc. In 21 of February of 2004 the Program of the R.D.P. "As manhãs de Sábado" (The mornings of Saturday) making on this day its eighth anniversary and in 13rd of May of 2006, transmitted life of the Ethnographic Centre of Ribeirinha. In 1 of October 2004 this group launches the Tourist Guide, Cultural and Economic of Ribeirinha. In 9 of October 2004 from this Headquarters the Program of the RTP-Açores the "Atlântida" with the contribution of the International RTP, was transmitted life for the whole world, an allusive program to the freguesia of Ribeirinha.

This Group in 4 of December of 1996 performed (without traditional clothes) for the party of elderly people in the Hall the Recreation of the Farmers of Ribeirinha, in 1997 this group beats all records it carried through 41 shows, 27 shows with parade, 2 only with parade and 12 without parade, the Group is also composed by a Group of singers or Slaughter Ranch (group of singers that sings in the traditional slaughter of the pig) they are also called "Reises", of its portfolio consists all the songs of the "Bailho Direito". The Slaughter Ranch carried through their first show in 9 of May of 1997 in Casa do Gaiato, freguesia of Boa Hora, performing for "The Lion's" group. The Slaughter Ranch has as Director the choreographic assayer Mr. Elmiro Jorge Corvelo that have more than twenty eight years of folklore, has an assayer of sing Mr. Euclides Avila is an experienced man with more than 35 years in these life. This Group is a true magnet of social-culture animation therefore organized some parties, the first one was the conviviality of Christmas in 1996 with all the elements of the group and family, it also carried through a Photograph work preparing on proper places to match with the clothes and with the way to live of the people of that time, it prepared a show for the RTP, with three wagons or cars of stroll very old pulled by horses, and three teams of oxen of red colour, the day of the official inauguration of the group prepared with all the details, there was three magnificent expositions, there was a fashion show at Sergeants Club of the BA4, and in the hall of parties of Casa do Povo of Ribeirinha, also its prepared the day of S. Martinho in the hall of parties of the Casa do Povo of Ribeirinha and every year the Party of Christmas (the party of the family), with all the familiar elements of the group and, this group also organizes the Day of the Emigrant with the contribution of the City Council of Angra do Heroísmo. Annually, it participates in the International Festivals of Folklore of Terceira (C.O.F.I.T.), as well as in the biggest profane parties in the Açores, in Angra do Heroísmo - The Sanjoaninas – it also participates in the parties of the Praia da Vitória, in ethnographic parades and any manifestations of cultural interest. Of the songs that are part of the rich popular portfolio of the Terceira island, the Ethnographic and Folkloric Group of Ribeirinha "recordar e conhecer" present the following ones: Charamba, Samacaio, Olhos Pretos, Chamarrita, Amor de um Estudante, Suspiros, Bela Aurora, Branca Flor, Tirana, Os Braços, Saudade, O Pézinho, Os Bravos, Lira, Doce Esperança, O Cravo, A Praia, a Sapateia, etc.

The Ethnographic and Folkloric Group of Ribeirinha "recordar e conhecer" carried through in 1997 shows in the following freguesias.

In the freguesia of Ribeirinha performed ten times, two in front of the Church, two in Sociedade Recreio dos Lavradores da Ribeirinha, two in Salão de Festas da Casa do Povo, two in Serra da Ribeirinha, one in the summer party in Rua da Igreja and one in Ladeira Grande.