Grupo Cultural Cana Verde

Founding Date:	1979
Contact:	https://www.facebook.com/groups/grupoculturalcanaverde

A FAMILY-LIKE ORGANIZATION ADAPTING TO CHANGE

Audio Version:

For three decades since the arrival of the first Portuguese in Montreal, folklore was solely represented in the community by a children’s group. It was only in 1979 that the first adult rancho was created when Fernando Pires took an important step to form what was to become Grupo Cultural Cana Verde. A family affair since its inception, the rancho has been able to thrive and survive, to this day, due to these close ties and to its ability to adapt to change. The founders are Fernando Pires, Ilda Januario, Lidia Fontes Ribeiro, and Fatima Martins.

Fernando Pires’ sister, Joaquina, was part of the process from the first day and later became responsible for the group’s revival after it went into a hiatus during the mid-1980s. This second life was supported by many young Luso-Canadians who became important pillars in the rancho’s sustenance. Carla Oliveira is one such young woman who has contributed to the propagation and preservation of the Portuguese folk-dance not only in Montreal but also in other parts of Canada. In January of 2022, we spoke with both ladies to learn more about the History of Grupo Cultural Cana Verde.

“In 1979, my brother Fernando started working at the Anglican Church and organized different activities for the community. At the time, we only had one folk group in Montreal, but it was made up of only youth. We didn’t have an adult group. My brother knew a few people who showed some interest, who liked to dance, and one day, at a bar, they posed the question: what if we formed an adult folk group?” Joaquina Pires began. “We come from a village called Soajo (Arcos de Valdevez) and started recruiting people from there, people who knew the dances. This is how I got involved. Then, we began recruiting people who were not necessarily from Soajo because, at the time, we only had three families here old enough to dance [in an adult group]. We chose the name Grupo Cultural Cana Verde because we wanted the group to be more culturally inclusive,” she recalled.

Although the group’s beginnings took on an informal tone, its members began to prepare for the eventuality of receiving invitations to dance at different events. Therefore, the choice of attire became a point of discussion. “We opted for an attire typically Soajeiro [that consisted of] a black skirt, a white shirt, and a colourful headscarf [for the women], and for the men black pants, white linen shirt, black sash and a hat. My mother made the first outfit. I remember going through all the stores in Montreal looking for linen for the men’s and women’s shirts, or something that resembled linen. Since we couldn’t find any, my mother used sheets of raw cloth to make the first garments,” Joaquina Pires said.

Grupo Cultural Cana Verde continues to use typical garments from the village of Soajo, which are representative of the Minho regions of Arcos de Valdevez and Ponte da Barca.

Live music was always an important element since the group’s inception. José Branco was the first accordion player. He remained with the group until 1986, when it interrupted its activities. In 1994, Grupo Cultural Cana Verde was revived by Joaquina Pires who had the support of Baltazar Oliveira, a man who is considered by many to be the best accordion player in Montreal.

This time around, the group also counted on the participation of many young people. Baltazar Oliveira’s daughter, Carla, was one such young woman who joined. “The group was revived with a few people [from before the pause] who began to integrate their children. We learned that, to survive, we needed to integrate the youth. However, the group was never very large. We are a not-for-profit organization registered in Quebec, but we never belonged to an association. We have always been independent. Sometimes this causes a few problems because we have to look for places to practice, but we always try to maintain a good relationship with everyone. [However], it is getting difficult to find people to dance. That has been our biggest challenge,” Carla Oliveira lamented.

Throughout its four decades of existence, the group has used different places to practice. It started at the now defunct church where Fernando Pires once worked, but it also used the headquarters of the Associação Portuguesa do Canadá, Casa do Benfica, Centro Comunitário Santa Cruz and St. Michael’s Church. Before the pandemic stalled all activities, it was using the facilities of Associação Portuguesa.

Once the group was formed, it did not take long for it to begin showcasing its talent across the community. In 1980, it was invited to participate in Planète, a popular Radio Quebec television program that showcased the province’s diverse cultures. Through the past four decades, it also participated in various celebrations both in the Portuguese and the Francophone communities. However, there was one particular annual event that every member of the group looked forward to, as Carla Oliveira recounted: “The members always ask if we are dancing at São João. That’s the event that impacts us the most. Benfica used to organize a huge São João event, and we all looked forward to it. The other was June 10. We knew we had to be prepared for both.”

The group also performed in the United States of America, Gatineau, and Ottawa. One of its biggest objectives was to perform in Portugal but it hasn’t happened…yet.

Grupo Cultural Cana Verde has been at the forefront of innovation in many aspects of the local folklore landscape. In 2016, it implemented ‘Noites de Rusgas’ at different restaurants across Montreal. The event culminated with a major celebration at St. Michael’s Church where hundreds of participants not only had the opportunity to bask in the cultural elements of the event but also to savour various traditional platters. The night always ended with an informal session of folk dancing in which all those present were invited to participate.

This initiative led to the creation of the ‘Grupo de Bombos’, an entirely new section that has gained extreme popularity in the region, as Carla Oliveira recounted during our conversation: “The idea came out of the ‘rusgas’ at St. Michael’s. Other groups from Montreal, and some from the United States, were invited to participate.”

“In the last few years, the ‘Grupo de Bombos’ generated a lot of interest, and it has reached thousands of people. It’s easier to recruit people for the ‘bombos’ than it is for the rancho,” Joaquina Pires complemented.

The world changed in 2020 with the Covid-19 pandemic and, with it, the landscape of our community organizations. Grupo Cultural Cana Verde is no exception. “This pause has great implications. We are a group of adults but many of our members are now over 60 [years old]. My father is 76 and my mother is 70. This is a reflection that we have lost two quality years from these people. When it comes to the music, we are aware that once my father is no longer able, we will have a problem. To put it bluntly, my father is the best [accordion] player in Montreal. Once the pandemic is over, we will have to meet to assess the situation, if the members want to continue, knowing fully well we might not have much more time with my father. I think that, individually, some have already thought about this. If Cana Verde ceases to exist, those who enjoy dancing will find another group,” Carla Oliveira said, to then reflect: “Once the pandemic ends, perhaps the ‘Grupo de Bombos’ is the one that will remain.”

Carla Oliveira’s assessment of the current reality is echoed by Joaquina Pires: “Since we have other active groups [in Montreal], there is no need to form more. It’s better that we continue [solely] with the ‘bombos’.”

Grupo Cultural Cana Verde may no longer be able to maintain the initial vision for which it was created, but it will continue, nonetheless, to pursue its mission through the propagation and the maintenance of a significant cultural element of Portugal. This is a sign of adaptation and of the ability for reinvention, two characteristics that are crucial for the survival of our community organizations.

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