Craftsman Victor Afonso

Natural of Ousilhão - Vinhais, I started working on wood (mask) in 1998 for own use, beginning later (2009) to make masks for sale, I carry out works mainly on chestnut wood (Castanea sativa), which is the predominant wood in as well as alder (Alnus glutinosa) and walnut (Juglans regia), among others. My masks are connected to Stº Estevão's party or called the Boys' Party, this ritual of the Winter Festivities in Trás-os-Montes takes place in Ousilhão on 24/25 and 26 December where there is a connection between Christian ritual and the pagan ritual. The night before, the celebration is anticipated with the realization of the traditional gourmets where you eat, drink, dance and live together until the wee hours of the morning. The party is performed by the “Mordomos”, a group of four boys who run through the houses of the village during the day, performing at the door of each house a traditional dance to the sound of the bagpipe, with colored scarves covering the shoulders and a silk ribbon in the hat's crown fluttering like the scarf on their backs, they dance while they play castanets. Two other characters, the King and the Vassals are crowned, dressed in strictly colored strips of cloth and paper, parade with the crown on the head, carrying the rod in hand, symbolically representing authority. While the bento bread is distributed to the sound of the box and the bagpipe, the parish priest performs the Christian ritual of the mass in a ceremony marked by pagan rituals. After the religious celebration, the “masks” roamed the streets in various groups and in large numbers, wearing the most colorful costumes of the festivities.