Music]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Festivals]]>
Cantorias ao Desafios (also known as Desgarradas) are a song form based Portuguese musical tradition where the singers improvise lyrics about the topic or emotion of their choosing over instrumental music and take turns challenging or responding to each other.]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Parades]]> Marching bands]]> Girl Scouts]]> Boy Scouts]]> Military bands]]> Veterans]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Festivals]]> Catholic Church--Societies, etc.]]> Dance ensembles]]> Portuguese American women]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Processions, Religious--Catholic Church]]> Fasts and Feasts]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Factories]]> Shoe industry]]> Portuguese American women]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Antique and classic cars]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Portuguese American women]]> Azorean Americans]]> Dinners and dining]]> (Information taken from the description of this video)

Family Members:
Maria Ormonde Gomes, Palmira Gomes, Rosa Gomes, Teresa Gomes, Frank Vieira Gomes, and Antonio Viera Gomes.

History of the Gomes Family Reunion:
The Gomes family had been separated for many years, with the two older brothers, Frank and Antonio Gomes, migrating from Terceira to California in 1920. The remaining siblings followed suit, immigrating to the United States in the late 1960s. Despite the distance, Rosa Gomes kept in touch with her brothers over the years, and by the 1970s, she felt it was time for the family to reunite, especially as many had not seen each other in over four decades. In 1975, Rosa’s wish came true, and the Gomes family held a long-awaited reunion in the Back Central neighborhood of Lowell, Massachusetts—specifically on Walnut Street. Back Central is known as the heart of the Portuguese community in Lowell, MA, and provided the perfect backdrop for this gathering.
This video, filmed by Januario Leal on his Super-8 video camera, captures a cherished moment during the reunion: a family lunch attended by the Gomes siblings, their spouses, and children. It is a special recording of a momentous occasion, where the family, after years of separation, came together to reconnect and celebrate their shared heritage and memories.

Gomes family members in the video:
Maria Ormonde De Sousa (Gomes) and husband Manuel De Sousa of Lowell, MA
Palmira Flores (Gomes) and husband Isidro Flores of Lisbon Portugal
Rosa Da Silva (Gomes) and husband Antonio Da Silva of Lowell, MA
Teresa Vieira (Gomes) and husband Jose Vieira of Lowell, MA
Frank Vieira Gomes and wife Maria Gomes of California
Antonio Vieira Gomes and wife Arcuncao Gomes of California

Children and family members:
Manuel and Zita De Sousa of Lowell, MA
Fernanda and Januario Leal of Lowell, MA
Cecelia and Joao Vieira of Lowell, MA
Maria De Sousa of Lowell, MA
Fatima e Joao Lucas of Terceira, Azores
Many other family members were in attendance.]]> Leal, Januario]]>
]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Festivals]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Festivals]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Script and lyrics for the 1978 Carnaval Dança de Lowell, MA]]> Please press play below to video the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Festivals]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Festivals]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Portuguese American women]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Festivals]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Processions, Religious--Catholic Church]]> Marching bands]]> Catholic Church--Societies, etc.]]> Music]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Cambridge (Mass.)]]> Music]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Fasts and Feasts]]> Festivals]]>
Cantorias ao Desafios (also known as Desgarradas) are a song form based Portuguese musical tradition where the singers improvise lyrics about the topic or emotion of their choosing over instrumental music and take turns challenging or responding to each other. ]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Music]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Festivals]]> Fasts and Feasts]]>
Cantorias ao Desafios (also known as Desgarradas) are a song form based Portuguese musical tradition where the singers improvise lyrics about the topic or emotion of their choosing over instrumental music and take turns challenging or responding to each other. ]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Festivals]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]>
Performed in the Salão Da Igreja De Santo Antônio (St. Anthony's Church) in Lowell, MA.]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Festivals]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press the play button below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Festivals]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Fasts and Feasts]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Processions, Religious--Catholic Church]]> Azorean Americans]]> Marching bands]]> Livestock]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Cows]]> Catholic Church--Societies, etc.]]> Broadcast journalism]]>
Wine, meat, and bread is shown being delivered to the parish hall for the 250 participants, and then a priest leads the group in prayer to bless the food. Some of the participants, including the children, are interviewed about their attendance at the feast, what their families are going to make with the food they're given, how this festival is traditionally celebrated in the Azores, and what other information they know about this tradition.

Then, the reporter in the video discusses the Cantoria event that took place during the festival featuring José Amaral, José Galdinio, José Borges, and Francisco Andrade, accompanied by José da Rocha and likely Vítor Santos on guitar and viola.

The procession for the festival was held at 4:00pm on Saturday, June 1st, 1985, followed by the Bodo de Leite celebration where children and other participants dressed in regional clothes and handed out cheese, milk, and barley dough to everyone present.

During footage of the Festa da Trinidade procession, the reporter gives more information about the festival's tradition and its origins in the Azores as well as in Lowell, when it was brought back as a tradition in 1983 by Leo Silva, Henrique de Sousa, and other members of the Portuguese American community. Henrique de Sousa is then interviewed about the organization of the festa.

The Grupo Folclórico de Chicopee dancers are shown performing during the festival, and then the reporter describes the feast that was held after the procession with traditional Portuguese foods. The Holy Ghost crowns and their history are discussed, along with more history about this celebration. The folclórico dances continue, and then more footage of the Bodo de Leite and the Cantoria event is shown. The credits for the original TV program roll, and are followed by additional footage of the Festa da Trinidade procession with the Queens of São João, Portuguese businesses and organizations, dance troupes, and marching bands.]]> Leal, Januario]]> 1985 Cantoria Desafio Festa De Trindade Lowell, MA (1)
1985 Cantoria Desafio Festa De Trindade Lowell, MA (2) (shown in video)
1985 Cantoria Desafio Festa De Trindade Lowell, MA (3)]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Processions, Religious--Catholic Church]]> Marching bands]]> Music]]> Fairs]]>
After the procession, a live band performs on a stage while participants dance along. The band covers songs such as Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing In the Dark" and Julio Iglesias' "Hey."

Note: The timestamp on the camera footage first appears as January 1st, 1983, but the Festa da Trinidade is routinely celebrated in the summer.]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Music]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Festivals]]> Fasts and Feasts]]>
Cantorias ao Desafios (also known as Desgarradas) are a song form based Portuguese musical tradition where the singers improvise lyrics about the topic or emotion of their choosing over instrumental music and take turns challenging or responding to each other. ]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Music]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Festivals]]> Fasts and Feasts]]>
Cantorias ao Desafios (also known as Desgarradas) are a song form based Portuguese musical tradition where the singers improvise lyrics about the topic or emotion of their choosing over instrumental music and take turns challenging or responding to each other. ]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Music]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Festivals]]> Fasts and Feasts]]>
Cantorias ao Desafios (also known as Desgarradas) are a song form based Portuguese musical tradition where the singers improvise lyrics about the topic or emotion of their choosing over instrumental music and take turns challenging or responding to each other. ]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Festivals]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to video the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Pawtucket (R.I.)]]> Festivals]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Festivals]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Festivals]]> Folk dancing, Portuguese]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Female impersonators]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Processions, Religious--Catholic Church]]> Festivals]]> Fasts and Feasts]]> Catholic Church--Societies, etc.]]> Music]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lowell (Mass.)]]> Music]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Festivals]]> Azorean Americans]]>
Cantorias ao Desafios (also known as Desgarradas) are a song form based Portuguese musical tradition where the singers improvise lyrics about the topic or emotion of their choosing over instrumental music and take turns challenging or responding to each other.]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lawrence (Mass.)]]> Music]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Azorean Americans]]> Festivals]]>
Cantorias ao Desafios (also known as Desgarradas) are a song form based Portuguese musical tradition where the singers improvise lyrics about the topic or emotion of their choosing over instrumental music and take turns challenging or responding to each other.]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lawrence (Mass.)]]> Music]]> Music--Portuguese influences]]> Festivals]]> Azorean Americans]]>
Cantorias ao Desafios (also known as Desgarradas) are a song form based Portuguese musical tradition where the singers improvise lyrics about the topic or emotion of their choosing over instrumental music and take turns challenging or responding to each other.]]> Leal, Januario]]> Please press play below to view the video: ]]> Lawrence (Mass.)]]>