The theme for this week’s WordPress photo challenge is Heritage. Thinking of the words ‘heritage’ and ‘Portugal’ in the same sentence the first thing that comes to mind is Fado.
We were fortunate to see the highly acclaimed Fado singer Mariza in concert in 2010. It is one of those treasured memories that will always stay with me.
Dating back to the early 1900’s Fado (destiny/fate) is traditional Portuguese music with its roots in Lisbon. From my experience of listening to Fado I can only describe it as the voice of a soul in torment. The fadista (singer) usually sings about the harsh realities of daily life and is extremely melancholy. Expression also plays an important part of the performance with anguish not only portrayed in the voice but also in the facial expressions.
The fadista can be male or female and is often accompanied by guitars including a Portuguese guitar
The Challenge
This week, share a photo of something that says “heritage” to you. It can be from your own family or culture — a library, a work of public art, a place of worship, an object passed down to you from previous generations. Or, like me, you can choose to focus on a tradition to which you don’t belong, but to which you’ve been exposed whether through travel, moving, or the people in your life.
Related posts: Fado is like Marmite (or should that be Veggiemite?)
Useful websites:
https://portugal.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fado
Piglet in Portugal 
It’s interesting Carole, that when I lived in Portugal I couldn’t care less about Fado, but now that I live away, if I hear a Fado it actually moves me.
Mariza is a very talented fado artist.
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Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Sami. When you live somewhere we take so much for granted.
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I’m lucky my hubby likes it as much as I do . . we went to a fabulous concert in Olhao a few years ago, and always recommend to tourists they go to the Fado museum in Tavira.
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That’s an idea. We’ve not been to Tavira for ages. Have you written a blog post about it?
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Do you know I don’t think I have!! Must rectify that as have pictures . . .will try and sort soon. In meanwhile in case you head off to Tavira before I’ve written it the museum is called Fado com História and is located next to the Misericórdia Church
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Thank you for this interesting post just asking me to do homework after hours! Have never been to Portugal and, to the best of my knowledge, have never listened to the fado: well, just now briefly on YouTube. Shall return 🙂 ! However have visited Spain, particularly Madrid, and the first places our [Estonian] Ambassador took us were cellars where flamenco was sung: more lively and dramatic methinks – I found it difficult to comprehend yet fascinating at the same time . . . . perchance it is time to go back to both and learn and enjoy . . . even from a distance . . .
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LoL. Sorry, Eha.
Flamenco is more lively and dramatic. I wrote a post several years ago comparing fado to marmite (vegemit) with a little more detail.
We went to see some flamenco when we were in Seville a few years ago – I loved it!
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Nice BLOG!!! ADD my blog!!! Kisses!!!!
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Never been a fan of fado, but my wife can go misty-eyed over it!
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My husband feels the same. He only takes me to score brownie points!
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I think fado is to Portugal what flamenco is to Spain. Both art forms are an expression of the soul’s longing for reunion with the Beloved. Beautiful photos! 😉 xoxoM
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You are right. I love flamenco.
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