Hi friends! Today I would like to share with you about another ancient portuguese tradition that not many people know about. It's called Dia da Espiga and it is still celebrated today in many places all over Portugal. Origins of Dia da Espiga Dia da Espiga translates...
Welcome back to my blog! Today I'm writing about my charcoal tattoos, including my reasons for getting them, their meanings, who tattooed me and how I feel about them two months later. I hope you enjoy it! Ancient Ink Humans have been tattooing their bodies since...
How do Portuguese people relate with Goats and Sheep during Easter time? And how does that relationship relates to the Cycle of Life and Death? Here in Portugal, there is a ritual of eating goat or sheep meat during Easter celebrations. I always knew it was tradition,...
When you open the door of this Stone Age home, you might see reindeer hides on the floor and hare, squirrel and fox skins being stretched and dried; you might see a fire being fed by birch wood, willow baskets and flint knifes being used, and even a reindeer carcass...
Biophilia is a term coined by Edward O. Wilson, defined as our need as humans to connect with other forms of life. The Biophilia Hypothesis suggests that humans have an innate connection with the natural world, a connection that might be a biologically-based need,...
In Portugal, there's an ancient tradition that still lives today. A tradition of shapeshifters, of devils and masks, of rites and magic. This is the tradition of the Entrudo and of the Caretos. Every year in February or early March, the Entrudo is celebrated in...
The traditional or tribal shaman, I came to discern, acts as an intermediary between the human community and the larger ecological field, ensuring that there is an appropriate flow of nourishment, not just from the landscape to the human inhabitants, but from the...
The Pandeiro or Adufe is an ancient Portuguese/Iberian frame drum with origins in North Africa. Traditionally, it used to be played by women - the Adufeiras -, whom would play it not only in religious celebrations and romarias, but also in local festivities and even...
Muitas pessoas que descobrem o termo Animismo sentem-se atraídas por ele. A ideia de que o mundo está vivo faz naturalmente sentido para muitos de nós. No entanto, o "Animismo" tem uma história complicada. Se desejamos recuperar esta palavra de maneiras úteis, é...
Many of us who learn about Animism feel attracted to it. The idea that the whole world is alive naturally makes sense to many of us. However, the word "Animism" has a complex history. If we wish to reclaim this word in helpful ways, it is then important that we learn...
Texto e poema por Samuel F. Pimenta «Este poema é um aviso. Foi escrito em defesa de todas as terras e comunidades em risco com a exploração mineira e petrolífera, a produção agrícola massiva, a produção industrial e energética e o totalitarismo dos Estados. Foi...
It is a dark path. I can barely see my hand in front of me, and I feel uneasy. Who is on the other side? Do they wish me well? I walk, slowly, step by step, feeling the walls with my hands, stumbling on branches and stones. All of a sudden, fear overcomes me and my...