If nobody is here... nobody is coming here - Alijó

Collecting "Living Archives" of the photo house Foto Morais collection | ViViFICAR Project

By Museu do Douro

Foto Morais Collection

Procession of Saint Barbara (Col. Foto Morais) (1974/1974) by Antonio MoraisMuseu do Douro

Living Archives | ViViFICAR Project

This project of visual archives was based on the photographs of Foto Morais. The images document representations of the common , where people and spaces constitute a record of living memories of the territory of Alijo, between the 1970s and the beginning of the 21st century.

Foto Morais was founded by Antonio Morais on 2nd January 1974. Born in Favaios, he learned the art of photography at Foto Martins, in Mirandela, where his father worked. His master taught him the art of photography and unveiling, still using manual processes. One of the jobs he most enjoyed doing was retouching the images with pencil and ink. With digital photography he has much less work. He says that with digital photography "any day there is no memory. In the paper we have the guarantee that we see".

SPACES

The transformation of the territory witnessed in the images reveals the passage of time. Between disappearance and adaptation, these photographs record the mutation of the space inhabited during the last decades of the 20th century.

Sanitation works (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1976/1976, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Blacksmith's workshop (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1976/1976, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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"A Obra" ( actual Favaios, Bread and Wine Museum) (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1976/1976, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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PEOPLE

People's experiences are fundamental for understanding the space and how it is constructed. They are the territory's most vivid memory.

Old lady (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1978/1978, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Mr. Raul (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1976/1976, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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EXPERIENCING the space

Moments of recreation

Schools Theatre - the audience (Col. Foto Morais) (1975/1975) by Antonio MoraisMuseu do Douro

Favaios Theatre

The theatre of Favaios presents the configuration of the small provincial theatres, with a large auditorium and a wooden balcony.  As a convivial space par excellence, it brought the population together around school plays or more elaborate stagings.

Theatre of Favaios (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1979/1979, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Theatre of Favaios (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1979/1979, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Feast of Our Lady of Cunha (Col. Foto Morais) (1975/1975) by Antonio MoraisMuseu do Douro

Our Lady of Cunha

An emblematic celebration of the town, which gathers annually near the sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Cunha, in a great feast for all the families.

Popular Religiosity

Procession in Favaios - Christ on the Cross (Col. Foto Morais) (1978/1978) by Antonio MoraisMuseu do Douro

Religious procession, Favaios

Solemn moments, but also moments of celebration, attended by the whole community, from the youngest to the oldest. Generations come together to thank the saints of their devotion.

Procession of Penitence - Our Lord of the Steps' litter (Col. Foto Morais) (2000/2000) by Antonio MoraisMuseu do Douro

Procession of Penance, Castedo

Medieval procession, symbolising the moment of the Passion when Christ meets his mother.  The penitents are wrapped in white linen and have a crown of ivy on their heads. The penitent who leads the procession carries a cup of wine and another of water and walks backwards.

Philanthropy in the community

Firemen Celebration - Ambulance Parade (Col. Foto Morais) (1977/1977) by Antonio MoraisMuseu do Douro

Firefighters, Pinhão

The acquisition of a new vehicle and its blessing is a reason for celebration and parade through the streets of Pinhao, ending with a conviviality by the river.

Ambulance Baptism (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1977/1977, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Firemen Celebration - Pinhao (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1977/1977, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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"Pyramid" - Offertory procession (Col. Foto Morais) (1948/1948) by Antonio MoraisMuseu do Douro

Offertory procession, Pyramid Feast

A moment of community unity in helping the underprivileged. This procession, which included a music band, represented the delivery of donations from each parish.

"Pyramid" - Offertory procession - Parish of Favaios (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1948/1948, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Vigil for Timor - detail (Col. Foto Morais) (1999/1999) by Antonio MoraisMuseu do Douro

Timor-Leste's Vigil, Alijo

Like the whole world, the community of Alijo also showed solidarity with the struggle for self-determination of the Timorese people.
The vigil brought together several generations in a common cause.

Vigil for Timor - ladies taking a break (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1999/1999, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Vigil for Timor - square of the Town Hall (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1999/1999, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Vigil for Timor - entrance of Gen. Alves Pedrosa street (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1999/1999, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Politics and the community

First of May Parade (Col. Foto Morais) (1974/1974) by Antonio MoraisMuseu do Douro

Political expressions

There are various records of post-April demonstrations, bringing together the various parishes and their demands for freedom and democracy. The first political campaigns or the commemorations of the 1st of May stand out.

Demonstration of Support to MFA (25th April) (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1974/1974, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Mario Soares' visit to Alijo (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1976/1976, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Mario Soares' visit to Alijo (Col. Foto Morais), Antonio Morais, 1976/1976, From the collection of: Museu do Douro
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Credits: Story


Photograph: Antonio Morais, Foto Morais - Alijo
Research: Natalia Fauvrelle e Susana Marques (Museu do Douro)
Texts/translation: Natalia Fauvrelle (Museu do Douro/CITCEM)
Inventory/translation  : Maria Joao Centenario (Museu do Douro)
Image processing: Susana Marques (Museu do Douro)

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions (listed below) who have supplied the content.
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