When the name is mentioned, it is often quoted as the most Portuguese Village in Portugal, yet this title is almost never explained. Even a New York Times article on 14 June 1998 described it as Portugal’s “most typical village”. It is a misnomer, as Monsanto is not exactly what most people will term typical of Portugal’s many diverse villages.
Burdened by my dissatisfaction of not knowing how it got this moniker, I embarked on a research project to satiate my curiosity. What follows is my attempt of telling the story of how Monsanto was awarded the title of “aldeia mais portuguesa de Portugal” or “the most Portuguese village in Portugal” as best I can.
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“The competition to discover ‘the most Portuguese village in Portugal’ presents a unique and intriguing example of one of the SPN’s most successful efforts to support and strengthen traditional patterns of rural dependence by propagandistic means.”
– Ellen W Sapega
The SPN (Secretariado da Propaganda Nacional or Secretariat of National Propaganda) was inaugurated on 26 October 1933 by António de Oliveira Salazar.¹ It was, in short, responsible for explicit social engineering and cultural censorship to suit the political agenda of the day.²
The organisation, which was one of the principal tools that was used to reproduce Estado Novo³ ideology in the cultural life of Portugal, changed its name to SNI (Secretariado Nacional de Informaçao, Cultura Popular e Turismo, or the National Secretariat for Information, Popular Culture, and Tourism) in 1944/5, and continued to serve as a means to control production in the cultural sphere until the regime’s downfall in 1974, even though its importance was diminished from 1951 onwards when a younger generation started to oppose the regime both politically and artistically.
António Ferro, the head of the SPN/SPI from 1933-1951(or 1949 depending on the source), was a well-known journalist when he accepted the position. In 1932 he wrote an article in which, for the first time, he made use of the expression política do espiríto, or politics of the spirit, to describe government policy of subsidising literature and the fine arts. Writers and artists, to him, were the ‘projection of the nation’s soul’ and hence it was necessary to bring attention to their work, which was a reflection of the Portuguese spirit.
Salazar depended on the ultra-conservative rural population during the first decades he was in power, and as early as 1934 he endorsed a policy to restore and develop the nation’s ‘spiritual values’, with an emphasis on traditional values and the celebration of the timelessness of village life.
As a totalitarian system, the Estado Novo, wanted to create a symbolic world to serve its political ideals and agenda. In this world the popular, people, village, and traditions formed the central concepts. The peasants who lived close to nature and removed from what was termed ‘foreign’ influence were held up as ‘pure’. Their collective identity, instead of individuality, was emphasised, while the village in this context was promoted by the SPN as a stronghold for tradition and a way of life that was worth preserving as a form of Portuguese ethnicity, which stood in sharp contrast with the modern, urban, and cosmopolitan Portuguese character.
Professional ethnographers and musicologists were carefully selected by the SPN to find and promote the customs, traditions, folklore, and folk art & crafts of rural Portugal. What happened was that only certain folk traditions and crafts were put on display in a form that was interpreted and changed in order to suit the government’s agenda. In this way the rural inhabitants, whose customs and traditions were showcased were treated as bystanders or observers. It was also a time during which the people in power lobbied against any reforms that may have altered patterns of land ownership and production, and so, by creating this idealised image of rural life, the inhabitants were kept poor.
The contest to find the “most Portuguese village in Portugal” was an attempt of Ferro, as director of the SPN, to find and present an image of the nation as essentially humble and agricultural. It was a bid to hold up the virtues of rural life as some sort of ideal to promote a picture of a bucolic, rural and preindustrial Portugal as the essence of stability and harmony.
An official notice to announce the competition, with a rather vague outline of rules, was published on 7 February 1938. It listed the categories in which villages would be judged as follows: 1. dwellings; 2. household furnishings and utensils; 3. dress; 4. popular arts and industry; 5. commercial practices; 6. means of transportation; 7. poetry, stories, superstitions, games, songs, music, dance, theatre, festivals, and other customs; 8. topographic and panoramic features.
A flurry of activity ensued as administrative authorities, teachers, clergy and specialists in local customs were mobilised to identify possible candidates to represent the quintessential agrarian experience in their region. Both peasants and rural elite were united as they embraced the challenge to showcase their village and traditions, and after five months twenty-two villages from the eleven provinces (no longer in use) of mainland Portugal were selected as having met the relevant criteria:
Minho: Vila Chã and Carrazedo de Bucos
Douro Litoral: Boassas and Merujal
Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro: Alturas do Barroso and Lamas do Olo
Beira Litoral: Torre de Bera and Colmeal
Beira Alta: Cambra and Manhouce
Beira Baixa: Paúl and Monsanto
Estremadura: Aljubarrota and Oleiros
Ribatejo: Azinhaga and Pêgo
Alto Alentejo: Nossa Senhora da Orada and São Bartolomeu do Outeiro
Baixo Alentejo: Peroguarda and Salvada
Algarve: Alte and Odeceixe
On 27 August the members of the national jury were named, but before the jury had a chance to visit the villages, various ones were removed from the competition. Aljubarrota and Oleiros in Estremadura were removed through consensus of the provincial jury and the representative of the SPN, without a specific reason given. Pêgo in Ribatejo, was eliminated because it had “fewer characteristics” than its competitor in the province. Colmeal in the Beira Litoral was removed because it only met two of the requirements, and Merujal in the Douro Litoral for not having sufficient ‘characteristics’. Alturas do Barroso and Lamas do Olo in Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro were eliminated as the provincial jury neither sent their report to the SPN, nor was anyone available to accompany the representative of the SPN on his preliminary visit to the villages. São Bartolomeu do Outeiro was, it seemed, removed simply because the other competing village in the Alto Alentejo had “more and better conditions”. Salvada in Baixo Alentejo was removed for the vague reason of not having “enough characteristics”, and Odeceixe for not having “a sufficient number of characteristics to compete”.
This resulted in only 12 villages remaining in the competition, which the national jury visited with the following itinerary (competing villages are in bold):
18 September: Departure from Lisbon. Azinhaga
19 September: Torre de Bera (Also referred to as Almalagûes)
20 September: Boassas
21 September: Vila Chã
22 September: Carrazedo de Bucos
23 September: Stop in São Pedro do Sul – not part of the competition
24 September: São Julião de Cambra
25 September: Manhouce
26 September: Arrival in Paúl
27 September: Paúl – Arrival in Monsanto
28 September: Monsanto
29 September: Trip between Castelo Branco and Évora – not part of competition
30 September: Peroguarda
1 October: Stop in Évora – not part of competition
2 October: Nossa Senhora da Orada
3 October: Trip between Évora and Praia da Rocha – not part of competition
4 October: Alte
5 October: Return to Lisbon
The national press reported on the competing villages on an almost daily basis. On the one hand the backwardness and isolation of these villages were hinted at, while on the other hand, the preindustrial, often feudal life, where people regularly bartered with one another for goods and where ox carts often were the only way of transport, were upheld as an ideal way of life.
The jury clearly had a difficult time deciding, as they first chose 6 finalists, Alte, Azinhaga, Nossa Senhora da Orada, Carrazedo de Bucos, Monsanto and Paúl, before whittling them down to 3 contenders, namely Carrazedo de Bucos, Monsanto and Paúl.
Monsanto was declared the winner on 11 October 1938.
Some of the reasons cited for Monsanto winning the competition were the strong religious sentiments of its residents; its archaic houses, streets and customs; several manor houses; and its castle. It not only met all the categories that were set out in the competition, but fitted perfectly with Salazar’s ideology.
In Paúl, António Ferro (director of the SPN) and his wife, Fernanda de Castro were asked to be godparents to a set of twins who were baptised during the jury’s visit, while in Monsanto they acted as best man and maid of honour at a wedding that took place during the visit. It is unclear if this gave these two villages any kind of advantage.
A month after the competition Monsanto was accused of actually being a town and not a village, and that the prize should be handed over to the runner-up, Paúl. Nothing came of this, and it wasn’t even reported on in the national press.
The first prize was the coveted Galo de Prata, Silver Rooster, Portugal’s national symbol, and a promise of “melhoramento de utilidade pública”, which was really only a vague promise of public works. A replica of the Galo de Prata was placed on top of the Lucano Tower in Monsanto, where it still perches to this day, while the promised public works included the repair and paving of the road between Monsanto and Castelo Branco, the construction of a small hotel or inn, and the reconstruction of the access path to the castle, but in 1960 the town still had no electricity, and by the 1970s a public water system was still incomplete.
The competition was originally meant to be held every two years, but the fact that it took place only once, could be because it would have undermined the image that was held up to the country as the ideal social order by the SPN. The purpose of the competition, after all, was to create national unity, not to call attention to regional and class differences.
As a result, Monsanto took on the qualities of a living museum, and became ingrained into the memory and psyche of the country as “aldeia mais portuguesa de Portugal”.
In 1950 António Ferro said: “Monsanto is, in fact, the exciting image of our honourable and clean poverty, which does not even envy anyone’s wealth, a seal of the spiritual homeland that we were and want to be.”
And so the competition managed to elevate poverty into a virtue; something to be celebrated, instead of eradicated.
* * * * *
Footnotes:
¹
| According to Salazar (Portugal’s Prime Minister from 1932-1968): * the ‘truth’ of a nation was greater than any individual lived experience, * the lack of accurate information was what was responsible for ‘discontent, coldness of the soul, lack of patriotic pride and confidence, and lack of the joy of life’, * in a time of increased social fragmentation it was the duty of the state to remind individuals of their responsibility to the values of national unity, patriotic pride, and the collective interest. |
²
| The SPN was responsible for: * generating favourable images of Portugal, * combatting ignorance, both in Portugal and abroad, regarding the ‘realities’ of the nation, its ‘services’ and ‘improvements’ as achieved under the Estado Novo, * waging a battle against ‘error, lies, slander, and simple ignorance’, * managing social contradictions, * countering dissident voices that challenge official views, * facilitating acceptance of the Estado Novo, * stressing familiar elements of Portuguese cultural life, * overcome or eliminate tensions, contradictions, and ambiguities that could challenge the image and concept of national unity and a strong central state. |
³
| Portugal’s monarchy came to an end in 1910 with the 5 October Revolution, when it was overthrown, and became a republic. This period, known as the First Republic was a chaotic and unstable time, and lasted from 1910 -1926, when on 28 May a coup d’état brought it to an end. The transition period, referred to as Ditadura Militar (Military Dictatorship: 1926-1928), saw several coup attempts, and was followed by the Ditadura Nacional (National Dictatorship) from 1928-1933. In 1933 it changed its name to Estado Novo (New State), and together these three are referred to as the Second Republic, which lasted from 1926-1974, the longest ruling authoritarian regime in Western Europe, when on 25 April the Carnation Revolution brought democracy to the country. |
** Watch this VIDEO for a glimpse of the villages and zeitgeist – the section on Monsanto starts at 18.27 in the video, but it is worth watching the video in its entirety. (To the person who brought this under my attention – thank you so much.)
# Bibliography:
1. Consensus and Debate in Salazar’s Portugal: Visual and Literary Negotiations of the National Text, 1933–1948 by Ellen W. Sapega
2. Voces de Povo by Salwa El-Shawan Castelo-Branco and Jorge Freitas Branco (Chapter 9)
Written by: Jolandi
Portuguese Words:
vida rural – rural life
aldeia – village
cidade – city
tradições e costumes – traditions and customs
riqueza – wealth
pobreza – poverty
Hello Jolandi,
Thank you for sharing more political and historical insight into the story behind Monsanto. Very thought-provoking. I’m going to be pondering on this one for a long time!
I must say that when I started the research I didn’t exactly expected to find the story and history that I did, Takami. – Jolandi
Fascinating history and evidence of man’s misguided notions! I’m sure many visitors are none the wiser and see that silver rooster in its quiet town as real winners. The whole thing makes me think of the erroneous and/or overly rosy visions that wealthy people and nations have of the “idyllic” lifestyles in poor rural places all over the world today.
You are so right that rural places all over the world are often painted as being idyllic, Lexie, while the reality is often very different for the people who live there. There are so many buildings in rural Portugal that are falling into ruin, and so many pieces of land lying empty instead of being farmed, because the young people move to the cities to find better paid jobs, while the old people are either dying or retiring. – Jolandi
Wow – you’ve really been doing your research! A fascinating post anyway.
With regard to: “António Ferro, the head of the SPN/SPI from 1933-1951(or 1949 depending on the source), was a well-known journalist when he accepted the position. In 1932 he wrote an article in which, for the first time, he made use of the expression política do espiríto, or politics of the spirit, to describe government policy of subsidising literature and the fine arts. Writers and artists, to him, were the ‘projection of the nation’s soul’ and hence it was necessary to bring attention to their work, which was a reflection of the Portuguese spirit.” – it is interesting to note, without defending fascism in any way, how writers and artists (and poets) were and have continued to be so important in Portugal.
I have been looking for a book by Fernando Pessoa on the Estado Novo – I believe I saw it in the Casa de Pessoa in Lisbon about 3 years ago but have been unable to locate it or positively identify it. He at first supported the dictatorship (in the light of what went before I suspect) but was obviously disillusioned with it by the end. (He died in 1935 and the day before he died, apparently, wrote, in English, his last recorded words in writing “I know not what tomorrow will bring” – I’m quoting from memory but hope that’s right).
I suspect that some of those villages withdrawn from the competition after it had already been decided that they met the criteria could have been because of a lack of municipal co-operation or ‘resistance’ if you will. Although a novel by an English writer, you might, if you haven’t already read it, find ‘Alantejo Blue’ by Monica Ali worth reading – an account of the regime and it’s aftermath in terms of (fictional) personal histories and relationships with the PIDE.
My first visit to Portugal was in 1965 when Salazar was still in charge and the Estado Novo very much in evidence. The long wikipedia article about Salazar is very good I think and I think it would be fair to say that he and the regime were never as bad as Hitler, Mussolini or Franco – although Portugal has never really come to terms with or investigated its ‘disappeared’.
I certainly did. Thanks, Trevor. I really know absolutely nothing about Portuguese history, apart from some vague ideas about discovery and empire, and that it once was a dictatorship, so this research was like opening a door. There is so much to learn and discover about a country with a very long and rich history. That said, I doubt my research will always be this comprehensive, but I have a huge dislike in finding the same information and quotes repeated over and over again when doing Internet searches, especially when they just skim the surface, and don’t provide the answers I’m looking for. Delving into academic books and research papers can be a bit like going down a rabbit hole from which one may never surface again.
I have started reading some of Fernando Pessoa’s work and will definitely keep an eye out for his book on the Estado Novo. Thanks for the recommendations and also sharing your insights. Portugal in 1965 must have been a very different place than it is today. – Jolandi
Very interesting indeed.
I would suggest to anyone curious about that particular period to watch a movie called “Night Train to Lisbon” starring Jeremy Irons.
A bit slow at times, but a very honest and intimate account of life under the Estado Novo.
Thanks for that suggestion, Alex. I’ve heard about the book, but didn’t realise that there is a movie. I’m definitely intrigued, so will see if I can find it to watch. – Jolandi
Awesome history of an interesting competition.. 😉
I thought so too, Lisa. – Jolandi
I have to admit, every time I see the word Monsanto, I think about the controversial pesticide company. It’s sort of challenging to undo that, but the amount of research you did on this little town is quite remarkable. What new research project will be next?
I completely get that, Lani, as I’ve also not yet shaken that image, really the complete opposite of this charming town.
You know, I’m still deeply entrenched in some research relating to the UAE, but that’s part of a more long term project. It will be interesting to see what grabs my attention here in Portugal to warrant some in-depth research. 😉 – Jolandi
I think you did the research for what could be the script to a satirical movie poking fun at nationalism. 😉
Seriously, this is a very interesting post about a little known piece of European history. Not much attention is paid to Portugal, which is often treated like Spain’s poor cousin. It’s too bad, since there are many descendants of Portuguese immigrants living here in California. I’ve talked with many of them, and it embarrasses me that I know so little about their culture and history, except for the explorer Juan Cabrillo, who was the first European to visit what is now California. (There have been many arguments over whether Cabrillo was Portuguese, as I was taught in school, or Spanish, which is the new theory. The local Portuguese community furiously defends his place in their history, but this is what happens when you don’t have birth certificates.)
Anyway, I hope to read more about your research. I hope the New York Times reads this post the next time it publishes an article about Monsanto.
With your sharp sense of humour, I think you should be the screen writer, HG. 😉
How interesting about Juan Cabrillo – to be honest, I’ve never heard of him.
Like you point out, Portugal is not nearly as well-known as Spain for instance. I must confess that I don’t know much about Portugal and its rich history apart from the very obvious, but that excites me, as living here will give me the chance to discover so much more than what I would have been able to if I were just a tourist. Hopefully I’ll be able to share many more interesting stories about the history and beauty of Portugal. – Jolandi
Hi
there are many fascinating stories about how the Estado Novo tried to forge an idea of Portugal. The castle of s. Jorge, in Lisbon, who everyone thinks is a typical medieval castle was built by Salazar. There were some ruins in the place and of course there was a castle there, but not a castle like the one that was built.
I didn’t know that, Manuela. How interesting.
Portugal has such a long history that it will take a long time for me to get my head around it, but it is wonderful to learn something new every time I visit a new place.
– Jolandi
Wow! That was inspiring! I also had difficulty processing the word monsanto…some 2 decades àgo i was fortunate enough to spend 2 months living in a small village in the southwest corner of Portugal called
Zavial(now not sure of spelling) I fell in love with soda bread,pasteous denada( custard tarts and some of the best coffee I’ve ever drunk..
Reading your posts are such a joy, particularly as we are still unable to travel out of Australia unless you’re
A politician , famous/rich sports person etc.
MEANWHILE, stay safe Trees from goolwa sa
Thanks for sharing your memory of living in Portugal, Trees. The Portuguese know how to make pastries and bread, that’s for sure. I’m so glad you have fond memories of your time in Portugal, and that you are enjoying these posts. Yes, sadly the only way to indulge in travel these days are through memories, flights of fantasy, or travel writing. Michael and I said the other day that the world used to be so big in the days when travelling from one country to another was expensive and required a lot of planning, then the world shrunk when travel became so much more afordable and easy, but now we are back to the world being a very big place. There is nothing easy about travel at the moment, that is, if one is even allowed to because of restrictions, as you point out. – Jolandi
Zavial looks OK. Very SW. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Zavial/@37.0467739,-8.9425686,12z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0xd1b4a28e9d0e95b:0xce1976b398193758!8m2!3d37.0467739!4d-8.8725308
And the custard tarts are pastel (pl. pasteis) de nata. The best reason for going to Portugal is so that you can say ‘Dois galões e dois pasteis’ (roughly Doysh galoysh e doysh pasteish). Some say the best custard tarts are pasteis de Belem – from a shop west of Lisbon which has a more or less permanent queue – and they will ship them for you!
Afraid I’ve never been to Australia though I have two cousins there.
Impressive, Jolandi! You sure did a lot of research for this fascinating story about how Monsanto came to be the most Portuguese village in Portugal. It’s amazing that this dates back to the 1930s and how the title has endured despite the disconnect. How popular is Monsanto as a tourist destination?
Thanks, Caroline. Yes, it is impressive that the title has stuck, especially as the country is such a different place now. Although Monsanto is perhaps the best known and one of the most visited destinations in Central Portugal, I don’t think this part of the country see that many tourists, especially perhaps compared to the Algarve and Alentejo.
– Jolandi
An excellent report, thank you for your work. Interesting how poverty was praised. But to think of it, the world would be better off if such life continued for a while longer: bartering, ox or horse transport, working the fields…
Thank you, Manja. There is, interestingly a new influx of people in the area, who, although perhaps not using ox or horse transport, do engage in bartering and are working the land which has in many cases been lying fallow for a while.