Grupo Etnográfico de São Lourenço da Montaria

biography The São Lourenço da Montaria Ethnographic Group was founded in September 1992 in the parish of São Lourenço da Montaria. Over the years of activity, the group has been committed to collecting and disseminating dances and songs, costumes and utensils from the eras it represents, participating in various activities related to ethnography. A few months after his birth, he performed for the first time in the parish of Outeiro, in Viana do Castelo, where the folkloric group from this same parish sponsored the Montaria group. Once the first steps were taken, invitations soon arose to perform in various locations across the country and in Spain, where they participated in the Iberian International Festival, which took place in June 1994, in the city of Orense. The group continues to showcase the popular and ethnographic culture of their land throughout Portugal and Spain. In 1997 and 1999 they were invited to perform on the Portuguese television channel RTP Internacional, on the Praça da Alegria Program. This cultural association is made up of 45 members, some of whom are quite young, assuming itself as a faithful representative of dances and songs, uses and customs and its main objective is the expansion and originality of its folklore. The Group has a repertoire with around two dozen dances, many of which are unique, highlighting the Enleio, which is a manorial type dance, the Gota and the Vira, two of the most characteristic dances of Alto Minho. This ethnographic group performs at parties, festivals and pilgrimages throughout the country. Their costumes are copies of old ways of dressing, where we can find costumes, such as those of Lavradeiras, bride and groom, domingar. The costumes, music and songs represent the most original uses and customs of their ethnographic region. United by their passion for their land's culture and popular history, the group's members intend to continue transmitting to present and future generations the entire cultural and historical heritage of their legendary land.