23 September 2007

ViLlaGe pArTiEs...


During the whole month of August and still now in September all the surrounding villages have been having their local parties... it's often around some sort of "saint" (I don't even want to comment on that here), but is mainly a family gathering where also those who are working abroad join in... There are special masses around the "saint", there's a lot of food and drinks, and also bad portuguese music...we call it "pimba" music here, and they mostly have really bad quality and aweful lyrics...
they're usually about sex, where the role of the women is mainly as an object...and the most weird thing of all, is that we see the woman enjoying as well...I don't get it...probably they don't even pay attention to what is said...well, I hope that's the case :-/..I always say to the foreigners that they are lucky for not understanding the lyrics :-/...
Some may say this is our folk tradition, but excuse me...This has nothing to do with tradition... if we remember some old portuguese music, there's nothing to do with this... Here we have some good drum players, and some other traditional instruments, like "adufes" for instance...What about folklore? what about the revolutionaries from the 70's? Zeca Afonso, Janita Salome, Julio Pereira and others... and there are also so many good ones from today...where are the revolutionary songs which use to give the people from the countryside their worth and value? songs that would awake people to fight for their rights, instead of just making them numb and quiet with alcohol and other drugs ...
This "pimba" bands are no more than a great business...and it's sad that people are buying it... Even university students support this guys...Pfff...where is this country going from here?!!...
I wish we could do something here to really promote our traditional culture... there's so much richness in each district of Portugal... so many traditional handicraft and knowledge being lost... so many good artists which are mostly ignored...
Portugal is not only Lisbon... this is a big lie that was sold long time ago... There are so many riches in the countryside, and so much better quality life...
well, it was good to go to Povoa de Atalaia and participate together with the people, but I couldn't handle it for too long :-/... and also in the land, almost every weekend during this month we heard the loud music from everywhere :-) eh, eh... oh well, I had to sleep many times with ear-plugs, but that's ok :-)
It's good to keep traditions...it keeps the culture...but is this really keeping it ?!!!
here goes a song I like from Zeca Afonso...
for those who understand portuguese :-)

"Quando a corja topa da janela
O que faz falta
Quando o pão que comes sabe a merda
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é avisar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é avisar a malta
O que faz falta

Quando nunca a noite foi dormida
O que faz falta
Quando a raiva nunca foi vencida
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é animar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é acordar a malta
O que faz falta

Quando nunca a infância teve infância
O que faz falta
Quando sabes que vai haver dança
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é animar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é empurrar a malta
O que faz falta

Quando um cão te morde a canela
O que faz falta
Quando a esquina há sempre uma cabeça
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é animar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é empurrar a malta
O que faz falta

Quando um homem dorme na valeta
O que faz falta
Quando dizem que isto é tudo treta
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é agitar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é libertar a malta
O que faz falta

Se o patrão não vai com duas loas
O que faz falta
Se o fascista conspira na sombra
O que faz falta

O que faz falta é avisar a malta
O que faz falta
O que faz falta é dar poder a malta
O que faz falta"

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