Mas, pensando bem, analisando bem, ele encontrará no âmago dessas histórias ingenuamente inquietas e encantadoramente sobrenaturais, o eco das suas angústias, dos seus problemas, das suas interrogações’
Gentil Marques
In northern Portugal, between Minho and the mountains, there is an area where history and legends merge. Melgaço is a space with strong cultural identity, recognized for its folklore and its unique landscape, where two elements are almost always related, water and femininity. Both are necessary for the fertility of the valley and irreplaceable references in the imagination of Alto Minho.
Myths, superstitions, tales and legends are an undeniable part of our common culture. This memory-based knowledge is a vestige of the past; it manifests in the way people move through society, changing their perception of the world.
This spiritual heritage is uprooted in the culture of the Portuguese man and usually appears hidden in rural areas, far from speeds and progress, where people live in deep connection with the natural world.
This project presents a collection of narratives from the region, and seeks to reflect on their social value; where they appear simple, they often have a deeper meaning. They offer wisdom in the face of human frailty and arise from the need to explain the mysteries of the universe, as well as our place within it. They are timeless stories that remind us of what it means to be human.
From voice to voice tales survive the centuries. Men die, but they remain.
© 2024. Joana Dionísio. All rights reserved