PORTUGAL CULTURE

PORTUGAL WAS FROM ROMAN  OR SETTLEMENT NEAR DUORO RIVER.  THE ROMANS REFERRED TO THE AREA AS LUISO.  DURING RECONQUEST 714 -1100 C.E.  CHRISTIAN FORCES DOMINATED THE AREA BY BETWEEN  PORTUGAL AND THE RIVER.  THIS COUNTRY IS A HOMOGENOUS NATION WITH A SINGLE NATIONAL IDENTITY.  THE COUNTRY'S LOW LYING AREA HAS CORK TREES AND WHEAT FIELDS THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT CASH CROP.  IT ALSO HAS ALMONDS, FIGS, AND CITRUS  TREES.  THEIR IS FISHING  AND TOURISM HERE.

PORTUGUESE FOLKS SPREAD TO ASIA, S. AMERICA,. AFRICA, AUSTRALIA AND EUROPE.  THEIR POPULATION IN 2000 WAS 9.9 MILLION.  MANY EMIGRATED TO EUROPE  PORTUGUESE.  PORTUGUESE IS A ROMANCE LANGUAGE WITH SOME WORDS  OF ARABIC.  FRENCH USED TO BE USED BY ARISTOCRACY

SPANIARDS RULED PORTUGAL FROM 1580 - 1640.  THEY HAVE A POPULAR SONG THAT GENERALLY EXPRESSES SADNESS, LONGING, AND REGRET.  PORTUGAL WAS SETTLED SINCE PALEOLITHIC TIMES IN 3RD MILLENIUM. CELTIC PEOPLE MOVED IN AND ROMAN ARMIES INVADED THE COUNTRY ABOUT 212 B.C. AND ESTABLISHED  TOWNS.  GERMAN TRIBES CAME IN THE 5TH AND 6TH CENTURIES.  BY 1140 PORTUGAL WAS IN THE WAS AN INDEPENDENT KINGDOM.  BY THE 15TH CENTURY THE PORTUGUESE CALLED THEIR ENTERPRISE A SEABORN EMPIRE AT THE AGE OF DISCOVERY.  THE LOSS OF BRAZIL IN 1822 AND A SERIES OF POLITIC CRISIS LED TO A DECLINE IN THE WORLD POSITION OF THE NATION IN THE 19TH CENTURY.  UP UNTIL 1994 LISBON SERVED AS THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL.  IN 1999 IT TURNED OVER IT'S ADMINISTRATION TO CHINA!  BY 1143 IT WAS INDEPENDANT FROM SPAIN WITH ABOUT 100,000 FOLKS.

PORTUGAL HAS A GYPSY POPULATION LIVING APART IN THE SOUTH.  ONLY 35% OF THE POPULATION IS URBAN. PORTUGUESE ARCHITECTURE HAS AZULJOS OR GLAZED CERAMIC TILES.  THEY COVER THE FACADES OF CHURCHES AND PRIVATE HOMES.  SOME PATTERNS ARE GEOMETRIC  SOME PATTERNS ARE GEOMETRIC AND OTHERS ARE HISTORIC OR RELIGIOUS SCENES IN CHURCHES OR HOMES.  ANOTHER ARCHITECT STYLE HERE IS CALLED MANUELINE - IT HAS ORNAMENTS  WITH ROPES, SHELLS, AQUATIC IMAGERY REFLECT ING THE NATION'S PAST.  IN RURAL HOMES ALL HAD VERANDAS.  THEY HAVE A HEARTH  IN THE KITCHEN THAT IS THE CENTER OF FAMILY SPACE.  THEY ARE BUILT TO KEEP OUT SUMMER HEAT.

THE AREA'S CUISINE VARIES BY REGION.  IN THE NORTH KALE/POTATOE SOUP IS FLAVORED WITH SPICY SAUSAGE..  THEY LIKE GRILLED FISH.  THEY MAKE A TRADITIONAL WINE.  IN THE NORTHEAST THEY MAKE A STEW OF MEAT AND CALL IT COZIDA, IN PORTUGUESE.  IN CENTRAL PORTIGAL CHEESE IS COMMON WITH FISH.  GAZPACHO WITH BREAD AND PORK IS EATEN.  THEY EXPORT WINE. 

IN LATE DECEMBER OR JANUARY THEY HAVE A CEREMONY FOR PRESERVING A PIG.  THEY MAKE SAUSAGE, HAM, AND SALT OTHER PARTS OF THE PIG.

IN 2000 60% OF THE POPULATION WORKS IN SERVICE INDUSTRIES, 12% IN AGRICULTURE, 36% IN INDUSTRY.  TOURISM ISIMPORTANT PART OF SERVICES.  COMPEITION IN THE CONTEXT OF EUROPE HAS CHANGED THEIR SUBSISTENCE.  THEY MUST IMPORT OIL AND GAS!  THERE ARE MANY WOMEN LANDLESS LABORERS.  THEY FORM COMMUNAL OWNERSHIP AND COMMUNUAL OWNERSHIP AND FARMING.  THIS ISLAND HAS FEW WELFARE BENEFITS.

AT ONE TIME WOMEN WERE RESTRICTED TO HOUSEHOLD CHORES VS. RECEIVING ADVANCED EDUCATION TODAY.  SINCE THE 1960'S WOMEN HAVE OUTPACED MEN IN HIGHER DEGREES.SOME WOMEN HHOLD IMPORTANTANT RELIGIOUS POSITIONS. BUT MOSTLY ARE HELD BY MEN. 

MARRIAGE ROLES HAVE VARIED BY IME AND SPACE.  SOME FOLKS PREFER EVEN AFTER HAVING CHILDREN.  SOME PEOPLE MARRY LATE VS. EARLY.  MANY HOUSES HAVE THREE GENERATIONS  IN THEM.  HOUSEHO;DS ARE GENERALLY RULED BY A MAN.  KIN ARE SELECTED AS GODPARENTS EARLY IN LIFE.  MOST FOLKS ARE CATHOLIC.

LOCAL VILLAGE LIFE HONORS THE SAINTS SUCH AS THE VIRGIN MARY.  THEY ALSO CELEBRATE AN ANNUAL FIESTA!  THEY HAVE A PROCESSION.  THEIR FAMPOUS SHRINE IS FATINA WHERETHE VIRGIN OF ROSARY APPEARRED TO THREE SMALL CHILDREN IN 1917.  THEY HVE IMPORTANT PILGRAMAGE SITES AS WELL.  ALL SAINTS DAYS IS LIKE OUR MEMORIAL DAY TO THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED ON.  FOLK MEDICINE IS USED IN PARTS.  THEY PERFORM DANCES THAT HAVE HISTORICAL ORIGIN.  THEY LIKE BULL FIGHTING..

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