Festivity, cultural heritage and community sustainability. Interplays between research and communication: the ‘Bugiada e Mouriscada de Sobrado’ case

The popular festivities have been an example of the call for the preservation and appreciation of cultural heritage, largely through the cultural policies that promote the dissemination, inventory, and classification of intangible cultural heritage at local, national and international level, as well as the media repercussion of such policies.

This research and intervention project focuses on the case study of the festival of Bugiada and Mouriscada of Sobrado, held annually on June 24, in the municipality of Valongo – Metropolitan Area of Porto. Its main objective is to develop a critical model for the registration, analysis, interpretation, and communication of cyclical popular festivities, based on the principles of cultural and community sustainability.

Actions and Results
1. An in-depth ethnographic study in the performative, symbolic and identity dimensions, paying special attention to the forms of connection between community and party;
2. Historical and anthropological background of this festivity in the context of ‘Moorish and Christian festivals’ and masked feasts in Europe and in other parts of the world, accompanied by a critical discussion of their role in the pedagogy of cultural diversity, tolerance, coexistence, and otherness;
3. Development of a critical model for recording, analyzing, interpreting and communicating popular festive manifestations as an intangible cultural heritage of the communities, identifying factors of the case under study that may be relevant to other cases/processes, in the current context of cultural policies related to patrimony;
4. Design, planning, and justification of a model for the dissemination and appreciation of the cultural heritage associated with this festival, through scientific publications and multimedia productions that are innovative and scientifically grounded;
5. Dissemination, communication, and promotion of products and contents.
Team
Rita Ribeiro, coordenator
Manuel Pinto
Emilia Rodrigues Araújo
Luís Santos
Luís Cunha
Moisés de Lemos Martins
Albertino Gonçalves
Carmo Daun and Lorena
Alberto Fernandes

Period | 2018-2021
Funding| FCT (ERDF and OE)
Budget | € 225,583.12
Site | www.festivity.pt