Alia reminded me that my grand-father also plays the mandolin (for several years !) and a regional guitar from his region - Beira Baixa (see this map), called Viola Beiroa (or Bandurra). You can see here some portuguese info (it's in portuguese but you can undestand if you make a google page translation and if you have any doubts, you can ask me *s*) and some photos. The first one is the Viola; the second is another funny instrument called "adufe", an arab heritage normally only played by women and also only in Beira Baixa; and the last 2 ones are from my grand-parents town and the guy who is behind the one who is running in the middle of those with the odd things in their heads, it's my grand-father. This photo shows an old religious celebration from the 16th century and we don't really know the origins, only that has a connection with the may festival celebration in the town. Only men can participate (how strange, euh ?!;-)), it's why it's called: Dança dos Homens - "Men's Dance". Among the musicians there's one who plays a very particular instrument, called "genebres" who is a source of interest for all the music studies in the country because it's only knowned in that town and nowhere else in Portugal. I found some information, in english this time, that descrives it: Dança dos Homens.

Listen the MP3 Dança dos Homens


For those who could have a higher interest in portuguese traditional music, please visit the Minho University Archive of Traditional Music page of Beira Baixa.