Eiras, traditional spaces in Portuguese villages used for decades for drying and threshing cereals, husking corn, sharing stories, and holding dances, lost much of their function with the transformation of agriculture and ways of life. Aldeia do Vale, a locality administratively divided between the parishes of Pombal and Vila Cã, has about fifty eiras identified in a survey, many in different states of conservation.
Carla Longo, president of the Pombal Parish Council, launched the challenge of returning use to these spaces during a lunch of the Association Friends of Aldeia do Vale, giving rise to the Festival das Eiras. The first edition takes place on September 12th and 13th, a simple and modest initiative that aims to gauge the community's response and bring new dynamism to the village.
On Saturday, the festival presents four thematic eiras: the Corn Eira, where different generations will participate in husking and share memories; the Music Eira, with bagpipe and concertina players; the Dance Eira, with the Traditional Folk Group of Pombal; and the Memory Eira, transformed into an old tavern with an exhibition of old photographs. The second day includes a walk from Pombal to Aldeia do Vale, a community bean stew, and the debut of the Female Choir of Pombal.
The organization faced challenges in identifying the owners of the eiras and obtaining permission for use and the creation of access routes, as some structures have multiple heirs. If the first edition receives the expected response, the intention is to continue and expand the festival, recovering more spaces and traditions in the coming years.
