The arraial of Santoinho, held during the Romaria d'Agonia in Viana do Castelo, received this year visitors from various parts of the world who came to celebrate the Minhota tradition. The Groupo Folclórico Terras do Minho, from Kremlin-Bicêtre in France, was one of the prominent presences, performing for the first time at this event with about 45 members. The group is composed of Portuguese emigrants and their descendants, including choreographer Isabel da Fonte Alves, from Ponte de Lima, and president Miguel Sottomaior, from Alvarães, both born in France and accountants by profession.
Among the visitors were also representatives from the Casa do Minho in Rio de Janeiro, friends from Brazil and the United Kingdom, and Sofia Lourenço, the honorary consul of Cabo Verde for the districts of Castelo Branco, Guarda, and Viseu. The Luso-Brazilian journalist and writer Igor Lopes chose Santoinho to celebrate his 46th anniversary, accompanied by friends, including Renan Santana, the Brazilian who donated a kidney to him. Igor found parallels between Portuguese and Brazilian popular traditions, comparing the giant figures to the dolls of Olinda and the dances to the June festivals.
The French group's performance generated great emotion. Isabel da Fonte Alves, who entered folklore at nine years old and has been with the group for 24 years, stated that performing at Santoinho is different from just watching the arraial, highlighting the audience's recognition of the work developed. Miguel Sottomaior confessed he almost cried with emotion during the performance, evidencing the strength of the bonds with his ancestors' land. For both, the group represents a family tradition, with the husband, three children, and other family members being part of the about 45 members.
The memory of the event was also marked by stories of previous visitors, such as Joe and Carla Barreto, Portuguese residents in the United Kingdom who about 30 years ago experienced a decisive moment at Santoinho: it was there that Joe asked Carla's father for Carla's hand in marriage. The article concludes that Santoinho serves as a meeting point where Minhota tradition knows no borders, uniting people from different countries in a common celebration of cultural roots.
