Rancho Folclórico da Nazaré
| Founding Date: | 1958 |
| Address: | 729 Carrying Place Mississauga, Ontario L5C 3W6 |
| Telephone: | 905-272-5391 |
THE OLDEST RANCHO IN CANADA
Audio Version:
Rancho Folclórico da Nazaré is the oldest Portuguese folklore dance group in Canada and possibly in North America. The pioneer status granted this group the honor of sponsoring other community ranchos over the years, such as Rancho Folclórico da Casa da Madeira, the deceased Rancho Folclórico da Casa do Benfica, Rancho do Académico de Viseu, Rancho Folclórico As Tricanas, and Arsenal do Minho. Godfather and godchildren still gather for the anniversary of Rancho Folclórico da Nazaré, held annually in Mississauga.
The foundation of the rancho dates to 1958 but, curiously, it was not started exclusively by people from the town of Nazaré.
Immigrants from Nazaré began arriving in Canada in the 1950s as were others who hailed from different parts of Portugal. As the Portuguese community was still small and slowly growing, people gathered to socialize and reminisce about the motherland. It was out of these meetings that the idea of a folklore dance group arose. It so happened that the majority were from Nazaré, hence the choice of name. Since then, dances, songs, and customs have always depicted those of Nazaré.
The group began rehearsing in the basement owned by a nazareno, who was also a founder of the group. It then began rehearsing at the headquarters of the First Portuguese Canadian Cultural Centre. In 1962, the group was officially registered with the Arts Council of Ontario, four years after its conception.
After a few years at the First Portuguese headquarters, the group decided to leave and settle at St. Christopher House until 1968 when the Nazaré club opened. The group moved there until the association dissolved, in December of 1990. The closure forced the group to find a new home at Trinity Community Centre where it stayed until 1995 when the group was moved out of Toronto to Mississauga, 37 years after its foundation.
Upon this move, the group accepted an invitation to join the Portuguese Cultural Centre of Mississauga where it remained for the next 5 years. However, at the turn of the millennium, the group decided to leave to seek accommodation at the Malta Band Club with the support of Mississauga’s City Council. The group has been housed there ever since.
It was also in 2000 that the group joined ACAPO, the Alliance of Portuguese Clubs and Associations of Ontario.
Each member is responsible for purchasing the attire and for all expenses related to traveling. This has been an effective way that the group has found to stay afloat. Most costumes come from the town of Nazaré, but some are made locally.
Among hundreds of performances over more than 60 years, the opening of the Montreal Olympic Stadium, in 1976, remains as the highlight of the group.
| With files from Luso-Ontario Magazine, 2008 |
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