Tradition can also have something modern and inspire an original Christmas, very connected to the Algarve. Objects produced from ancient knowledge that the «TASA – Ancestral Techniques, Current Solutions» project has been promoting, designed for the needs of our days, have been on display since Wednesday at the Tertúlia Algarvia space, in Vila-Adentro de Faro.
With Christmas at the door, this initiative, which is more than a simple exhibition, is also intended to be a way of proposing ideas for slightly different gifts, made in the Algarve. For this, in addition to Christmas hampers with TASA products, there will be a Christmas Market, with artisans from the Algarve, on December 8, between 11 am and 17 pm, where you can get to know the new handicrafts made in the region.
On this occasion, «there will be cribs and other objects made of cork, linen items, contract work, cane, hand-painted tiles, clay pieces and baskets that combine crafts, design, local products and ecotourism». «The artisans will be working live, inviting the public to discover some of the mysteries of their art», revealed those responsible for the TASA project.
On the same day, gastronomy will also be highlighted. «We are going to promote a cooking workshop, where people can learn to cook rooster stew in the Querença and donut fashion. Afterwards, they can taste what they cooked for dinner», revealed Lélia Madeira, from Tertúlia Algarvia.
The cost of this workshop is 40 euros per person and the reservation must be made by December 5th via email [email protected].
Until then, those who go to that space in Vila-Adentro Farense, can get to know the pieces produced in the first phase of TASA. Clay and cork lamps, walking sticks, memory sticks for walkers to store the scents and colors of their walk, pillows, ceramics and basketwork are just examples of what can be found.
These products can be purchased at Tertúlia Algarvia, as well as the TASA Christmas hampers, although in this case they have to be ordered. One of them even includes “a dinner for two at Tertúlia Algarvia”.
«We already had some TASA pieces for sale here, so the partnership already existed before. Recently, João Amaro and I went to visit the initiative they did at CECAL [the Links event] and we liked it a lot. We proposed that they make an exhibition here, at this time, and we had the idea of fitting it into a Christmas context», said Lélia Madeira.
In «Ligações», an artistic residency was promoted, with young Portuguese and foreign designers, which resulted in four new TASA products. Pieces that will be presented at Tertúlia Algarvia on December 15th, another high point of the initiative.
The proposed activities result from a partnership between the project promoted by the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission, represented by the company ProActive Tur and Tertúlia Algarvia, a space for the promotion of Algarvian gastronomy and culture that opened this year in the Old Town of Faro».
Tertúlia Algarvia is already in Christmas mode
In the gastronomic and cultural space, which is also a cafe and restaurant, the Christmas spirit is already present and there is even a typical Algarve nativity scene, although not many people know this tradition.
«Most people in the Algarve are unaware that this is the typical Nativity scene in the region and are even surprised. On the first day we still didn't have the caption and there was a stir around the crib there, as most people don't know that's how it is. It doesn't have the figures we're used to seeing,” he said, laughing.
The typical Algarvian crib only has the figure of the Child Jesus, on top of a stairway altar, with a towel made of good fabric. Around it are placed oranges and other rural products, such as ears and nuts.
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