Iberian Pauliteiros Festival
Pauliteiros and paloteo groups from Portugal and Spain meet in Sendim for a night of shared tradition.
Sendim, in the municipality of Miranda do Douro, once again stood out as one of the leading stages for traditional culture in the Iberian Peninsula, hosting the 12th Iberian Pauliteiros Festival — a gathering of groups from Portugal and Spain in a great celebration of tradition, music and folk dance.
Before hundreds of spectators, the festival offered a night of friendship between peoples, cultural exchange and appreciation of an intangible heritage that still sets the Miranda region apart, strengthening the historical and cultural ties across the border.
One of the most moving moments was the return to the stage of the Antigos Pauliteiros de Sendim – Geração de 80, a performance full of symbolism and emotion that recalled the decisive role of a generation in preserving and promoting this tradition, today one of the great symbols of Mirandese identity.
The night also paid tribute to Paulo Felgueiras and Belmiro Carção, two leading figures in the defence and promotion of the Pauliteiros de Sendim, honouring the legacy of decades of work preserving this centuries-old tradition.
Throughout the festival, the participating groups presented choreographies and performances that showed the richness of Iberian ethnographic heritage, turning Sendim into a true meeting point of cultures, generations and traditions.
More than a show, the festival was once again an important moment for folk culture, helping to keep alive a unique heritage of the Miranda region that continues to cross generations, preserving the memory and identity of a people.
