Carnaval is an ancient tradition worldwide that announces the arrival of spring. The Carnaval traditions in Portugal are very rich and varied.
Interestingly, its roots are in Babylon and Rome. However, through the ages, Christianity absorbed it, and later it evolved into what we are familiar with today. You may know it as “Mardi Gras”, “Pancake Tuesday”, “Fat Tuesday” or “Shrove Tuesday”.
Entrudo
In Portugal, it used to be known as “Entrudo”. Even today, it’s frequently referred to by this name. Further, many defend that Entrudo is the genuine Portuguese Carnaval and should be a protected heritage.
It occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. Precisely on a Tuesday, 47 days before Easter Sunday. It typically falls in February or early March.
Origin of the name
Some say “carne levare” is the origin of the word “Carnaval”. It means “remove meat”. Others say “carne vale” is the origin, meaning “farewell, meat” – an expression with roots in folklore.
“Entrudo” comes from the Latin word “introitus” which means “entrance”. In either case, both “Carnaval” and “Entrudo” allude to the lean days ahead of Lent.
Thus, Carnaval Tuesday and the Sunday before Lent are “fat” days. In contrast to the lean days typical of Lent, these “fat days” are for eating various meat delicacies. We call these days Domingo Gordo (Fat Sunday) and Terça-feira Gorda/Terça-feira de Carnaval. As a result, we have an expression revolving around these excesses:
What’s for dinner on Fat Sunday or Tuesday
Because Carnaval is a time of revelry and excess, it’s no different at the dinner table.
More Carnaval traditions in Portugal include eating heavy meat dishes for dinner. In other words, it’s tradition on Domingo Gordo and Terça-feira Gorda to eat hearty dishes like Cozido à Portuguesa (Portuguese stew), Feijoada (bean stew) and Papas de Sarrabulho (a type of meat “porridge”).
With the slaughter of the pig at Christmas time, the fattest meats are carefully stored and salted. They are to be later savoured on Fat Sunday only. This includes parts such as the ears, snout, feet and tails. Cheese, sausages and hams are other foods traditionally appropriate on these fat days. All accompanied by wine of course!
Main Carnaval Traditions in Portugal
Even though it’s only a holiday on Tuesday, it doesn’t stop people from celebrating it on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and the Monday leading up to it. Moreover, it’s up to the municipalities and private companies to implement Carnaval. Portugal has several traditions that are observed. Some of the most obvious and recognisable ones are people dressed up in costumes and masks.
Moreover, these costumes allude to a professional category, a movie character, a cartoon or even a celebrity. Most of the time, the costumes are satirical in nature, especially in organised parades.
Earliest beginnings
According to a document from 1252, the first Carnaval in Portugal was held that year. This document states the religious celebrations held at the time. But, as I mentioned earlier, it was known as Entrudo back then.
Entrudo traditions
The Carnaval traditions in Portugal have always been marked by popular spontaneity. A lesser-known date connected to Carnival is Lean Sunday(Domingo Magro). It’s exactly one week before Fat Sunday (Domingo Gordo). This used to mark the beginning of the celebrations with “spontaneous preparation” rituals.
Many of these traditions only live on in the memories of our older generations now. In recent years, there has been a tremendous effort to bring back some of this heritage before it’s completely lost.
Carnaval pranks
Overall, I was able to piece together some information about “Lean Sunday” and what the “preparation rituals” involved. These preparations consisted mainly of harmless pranks. Even if they sometimes hurt a little, we have an expression in Portuguese which is:
The participants would go out in the streets, throwing all sorts of things at each other. These included buckets of water, eggs, oranges and little cloth bags filled with rubble or sawdust.
Stink bombs
I remember as a child we played mostly with water balloons. And then some kids would have stink bombs. Bombinhas de mau cheiro were little, fragile vials with a foul-smelling liquid inside. They could clear a room in an instant; they were that bad. As you can imagine, classrooms were often the victims of this prank. It became so common that they were banned from schools altogether.
This happened in my class back when I was in third grade. The smell was so bad we were all dry-heaving and had to go outside for fresh air. As you can imagine, our teacher was NOT happy.
Pisão, farinhada and panelada
In some parts, a common prank was to tie a stone to a cord; then tie the cord to the door frame of a random house. Then, from afar, release the stone to “knock” on the door. This made the people inside have to get up no matter what the time, only to find no one standing at the door. This prank was known as “Pisão“.
Another prank is called “Farinhada” (“flour-ed”). Consisting of boys throwing a heap of flour into unsuspecting girls’ faces on Carnival Monday.
This next prank was called “panelada” (“pan-ed”). This one was usually destined for the older generations. It consisted of filling a pan with wooden rubble or nuts and throwing them into the homes of the unsuspecting elderly. This, of course, would make a tremendous noise and frighten people.
Carnaval parades
The Carnaval parades are one of the highlights in Portugal. These parades are often accused of being a bad imitation of the Brazilian Carnaval. However, there are plenty of places that still hold them despite this. Even if the weather in Portugal at this time of the year isn’t exactly suitable. Torres Vedras, Loulé, Estarreja and Funchal in the Açores, to name a few, are some of the most famous ones.
It’s interesting to note that the Brazilian Carnaval was introduced by the Portuguese. It also has a heavy Iberian influence in many parts of Brazil.
Parade themes
To begin with, there is usually an overarching theme for each parade every year. Within the main theme, each participating group will have an allegorical float and people dressed up in costumes and masks to match. The floats and costumes are usually satirical. They revolve around social criticism. Ranging from football to television to politics, always using a sense of humour to satirise the state the country is in.
Secondly, most parades often include samba dancing. The music played at these are usually the “marchinhas de Carnaval” (little carnival marches) from Brazil.
Thirdly, a very common presence at these parades are the “matrafonas”. Men dressed in women’s clothing, wigs and make-up n the most outrageous and whimsical ways possible!
Cabeçudos
The Torres Vedras parades are known for their gigantic puppets called “Cabeçudos” (giant heads). The puppets can be up to 5 metres tall and are meant to be worn by one person. The weight of the heads can be anywhere between 20Kg and 35Kg!
Children and Carnaval
Children also celebrate Carnaval with their schoolmates, usually by having a classroom theme and working on their costumes together. Usually, there are children’s parades organised by the schools and leisure associations on the Friday before the carnival weekend.
Masquerade Balls
Another highlight of the holiday is the masquerade ball. The municipalities or other organisations organise them on Sunday and Tuesday nights. Lots of dancing, drinking, eating and a prize for best costume usually go with this tradition.
Os Caretos do Entrudo Chocalheiro
The Careto tradition is a very old one believed to have Celtic origins; however, its true origins remain a mystery. This tradition is considered to be one of the most genuine Portuguese Carnaval traditions. It’s passed down from generation to generation. It’s still practised in the northern regions of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro. But the main highlight goes to the caretos from Podence, Macedo de Cavaleiros.
Caretos are young men dressed up in artisanal costumes decorated with colourful woollen fringes. The men cover their faces with red handcrafted masks. These masks are crafted out of tin plate (latão), leather (couro) or wood (madeira) with pointed noses and /or horns. They also wear cowbells on their belts.
These characters represent mysterious, diabolical and mischievous creatures that announce the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Fat Sunday and Shrove Tuesday are when they are most active. Running up and down the streets, jumping, dancing in groups and shouting excitedly and scaring people.
Chocalhar
Another essential characteristic of their behaviour is to run up to young women and “dance” with them. They ring their cowbells on the women by shaking their hips. This characteristic movement is said to have roots in pagan fertility dances. This is called “chocalhar”. The caretos bring joy and laughter wherever they go.
The preparation takes weeks and brings the community together. It takes many people working together to make it all happen.
The tradition almost went extinct thanks to the colonial war and emigration. But thankfully, through the effort of the people, it came back and in force, too. It’s now one of the main tourist attractions of the region and the country!
In conclusion, if you can, I would not miss the chance to go see them in person one day.
Below is a video with a little taste of them in action! (Turn the sound low, they are quite noisy!!)
Quarta-feira de Cinzas | Ash Wednesday
O Enterro do Entrudo | The Burial of the Entrudo
This tradition is very Portuguese, and it’s the closing celebration of the excesses of the last few days. Always organised by the people, and generally consists of a pretend funeral parade. The funeral is held on Ash Wednesday, with a life-size dummy or doll as the deceased. Some towns have it on Tuesday evening instead. Other “characters” present at the funeral include the “inconsolable widows” – a “sister” and a “wife” usually- making witty, derogatory and humorous remarks about the deceased to the “priest” and “sacristan” who equally respond sarcastically back.
There is even a will that the doll leaves behind with “tips” on how society can change or improve before the next year. The will is read in public for all to hear, and then the dummy is set on fire and then cast out to the sea or river to be “drowned”. The significance of this is to purge the soul of bad energy.
Every year, this tradition is reviving itself more and more in an attempt to preserve national heritage and fight globalisation. Which one of these is your favourite Carnaval tradition in Portugal?
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In this conversation video, we talk about Carnaval and the famous Caretos in a natural exchange between a native speaker and a Portuguese learner.
Want to learn about other February traditions in Portugal?
Thanks! It’s all strangely pagan!