III CONGRESS OF THE CARNAVAL – March 4, 5 and 6, 2022

In the last week, it took place on 4, 5 and 6 of March the III Congress of the Azorean Carnival, via online, an initiative organized by the Association of Azorean Emigrants and Diniz Borges. During these 3 days, it was possible to hear and see the experiences about the living of the Carnival in the Terceira and Graciosa islands and in our Diaspora, in special in the USA, Canada and also in Brazil.

In this 3rd edition of the Congress we had the opportunity to talk with important personalities who perform this Carnival, either in the Azores, or in the emigrant communities, maintaining the tradition that is transmitted from generation to generation. It was possible to get to know all the work that is behind a bailinho de Carnaval in Terceira and the bailes of the Graciosa clubs: the logistics of performance and preparation, whether in the making of the costumes, or in the creation of music and dances; the impact that it has on the community and the younger generations; the situation regarding Covid-19, amongst many other subjects that filled the weekend. We also counted with the presence of the Vice-President of the Regional Government, Artur Lima, in the opening session of the Congress and of the Regional Director of Communities, José Andrade, in the closing session. We were also able to attend the launch of João Mendonça’s book, “Das Rimas do Carnaval à publicação de sonetos de lava e incenso”.

The traditional Carnival of Terceira and Graciosa, taken to the Diaspora by our emigrants is without a doubt an important milestone in Azorean culture, filled with diverse talents, as well as, becoming a vehicle for learning for the younger generations.

We thank all those who participated in this initiative and gave their important testimony about this beautiful art that is the Carnival of the Azores, in this case, in Terceira and Graciosa.