Madeira Video - Santana, Festa dos Compadres Festival

Santana holds the Festa dos Compadres each year in late January or early February. The festival marks the start of the Madeira carnival which is an island wide event. This 8 minute 37 seconds video in Portuguese shows the culmination of the Trial of the Compadres.

Brief history of the Festa dos Compadres

The Festa dos Compadres is a tradition that dates back more than 50 years now. It originally had its roots in a number of different displays in various locations in the archipelago. However in 1988, the Municipality of Santana officially adopted it as their own. Since then, the parade and show has gained in strength and the organisation has become progressively more complex.

The reason for the festival is to mock and deride local politicians and other vested interests. Social criticism is also undertaken, but all with a sense of fun and irony. Nothing it seems, not even the income generating tourists, is immune from a healthy dose of mockery.

The culmination of the celebrations is the public comic trial, sentencing and symbolic execution of a caricature figure of immorality and stupidity. An outcome that everyone seems to enjoy with immense glee.

Folk Festival of Santana

Santana holds a Folk Festival each year in July. This short photo slideshow features the 2009 folk group of Rochão. It gives a lovely insight to the pride and detail to which participants to the 48 Horas a Bailar go to.