Rancho Folclórico As Tricanas
Dissolved
| Founding Date: | 1980 |
Brief History
Audio Version:
In 1980, a group of parents mainly from the region of Bairrada, Portugal, gathered to discuss the formation of a folklore dance group to emulate the one in their native land under the name “As Tricanas”. Rancho Folclórico da Nazaré – the oldest in Canada – sponsored the group. It adopted the shawl of Meirim as its costume’s main feature – this particular shawl was used by people of means when attending social events.
Over the years, “As Tricanas” became one of the most prominent folklore dance groups in the Portuguese community with performances at varied cities and events across the Province.
In 2002, the group revamped its attire after a fundraising event that helped purchase costumes such as “Vindimeiras da Mamarosa”. It also added other costumes related to agriculture and pilgrimage.
The ladies wear long skirts, slightly below the knee, flat shoes, head scarves and hats, white blouse, and a vest with an embroidered basket on its back. The underskirt is white while the main skirt is black with a red stripe. The men wear black pants and white shirts, embroidered vest, and a hat with a bunch of grapes on one of the sides.
In 2003, after over two decades performing with recorded music, As Tricanas introduced live music. It used instruments that included the accordion, guitar, cavaquinho, drum, tambourine, the triangle, and a reque-reque in the form of a pig.
The repertoire is from the Bairrada region and is based on the modas de roda¸ corridinhos, and viras.
Its honours include first place finishes at the Portugal Day Parade, in Toronto, at CHIN picnic’s folklore festival and at Kingston’s Folklore Festival.
After nearly two decades practicing at Wallace Community Centre, the group moved to the headquarters of defunct Associação Democrática before it settled at its current location.
| With files from Luso-Ontario Magazine, 2008 |
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