
Introdution
These tales, collected by Bárbara Galvão in Lagos and Vila do Bispo, were told to her as having occurred in Quinta das Alagoas and in different places of Lagos, Vila do Bispo and Serra de Monchique, covering those places with an imaginary of affections, complementary to its heritage.
In these narratives, we are amused by the humor, the creative way of telling and the unfolding of stories, integrating differences, whether of cultural, religious or physical nature. They reflect multiculturalism, which has deep historical roots in the western Algarve and are particularly important today, because they are examples of citizenship and inclusion and thus associated with the celebration of 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, as approved by the United Nations.
Lupa Design decided to embrace this project, publishing the book “Contos da Quinta das Alagoas”, as a contribution to the registration and dissemination of oral tradition literature from the Western Algarve, particularly in Lagos and Vila do Bispo areas.
Framework
Following the editorial line that Lupa Design has been developing, we now intend to address, in a new publication, the theme of folk tales of oral tradition. Considering its importance in the formation of popular cultural identity and its relevance to citizenship and inclusion, it is important to disseminate and preserve this enormous cultural capital. With this edition we propose to make a small contribution to the dissemination and preservation of this collective imagination.
Issues
The collective agricultural activities that were once carried out in the region invited people to socialize in the late afternoon and early evenings on the threshing floor and “almeixares” and favored the tradition of oral transmission of tales, legends and other stories between the family and the neighbors.
The profound social change that we experienced between the middle of the last century and today with the development of tourism, has caused a change in the traditional ways of life. As the elders disappear, ancestral cultures and knowledges are lost, ranging from artisanal techniques to myths, tales and legends.
The conservation of these culture and knowledge is a duty of the local communities, not only because of the relevant role they play in the formation of the local cultural identity, but also because of the support they also can provide for regional promotion.
On the other hand, the reading of these tales reveals its great relevance as an example of integration in the community of cultural and religious diversity.
Purpose
In addition to preserving the aforementioned cultural memory, it is particularly important to foster citizenship and inclusion, in the context of a society of cultural diversity.
It is intended to value the richness and sage of the oral tradition, where a strong symbolic and poetic language resides, accessible to readers of all ages. In the proposed aesthetic adventure and through the selected stories, we are guided by the enchantment and the marvelous that constitute stimuli to cultivate tolerance, the discovery of the other and the acceptance of differences.