Grupo de Cantares de Levides: Vozes erguidas (“Arisen voices”)

Book with 56 color pages and CD
Coordination: Luís Costa
Catalog number: Edições Nodar nodar.019
ISBN:978-989-99856-4-3

@Binaural Nodar & Associação “Os Amigos de Levides”, 2019

There are lands that historically have always been meeting places, villages that welcome those who come with good spirit and where community making is part of the genetic code of its inhabitants. Levides is one of these fortunate places, since 2005 counting with the Cultural, Sports and Recreational Association “Os Amigos de Levides” (“the friends of Levides”, what a fantastic name), which was founded after several gatherings and parties that have been held since the 90s and in which the idea of ​​creating an association began to germinate.

Right at the start of its activities, it was decided that the promotion of the rich ethnographic and ethnomusicological heritage of the village and the region should be one of the main focuses of the association, which materialized in 2006 with the foundation of the “Grupo de Cantares de Levides” which, since then, has participated in numerous meetings in the region and in throughout Portugal. After thirteen years of activity and many friendships generated, the group sees its first work published, a book accompanied by a CD that tells the story of the village of Levides, its most entrenched traditions and its irreproachablely interpreted traditional songbook with the truest Caramulan soul.

The songs included on the CD contain recurring themes that form a worldview of geographic, social and community elements. We can even say that carefully reading the lyrics of these songs is like entering in the ways of living and thinking of rural communities of over 50 years ago. These are songs that tell us about rivers, streams, mountains, vegetable gardens, gorse, trees such as apple trees, pear trees, laurels, vines, flowers like roses; Some of the lyrics deal with the relationship between boys and girls: the sneaky encounters of lovers, the unfulfilled passions, the fear of family and the community reaction to the assumption of love or stories of deceitful men arriving from outside the village; Finally, the social dynamics of the rural context is also present: wars, drunks and raggers, professions such as resin extractor, blacksmith or baker, moments in the religious calendar such as Saint John, Our Lady of Guia or Our Lady of Livramento, the simple and flowery houses, tales of poverty and the search for a better life in distant lands, etc.