About Trancoso
History tells that Trancoso was born with the arrival of the Portuguese in Brazil at the beginning of the XVI century, but of course the locals already were enjoying the delights and natural beauties of the land since many years. It might look as locals didn’t want to do anything else with so much richness from the land, but they did: to do parties to adore their gods, as even to commemorate their victories, or simply to celebrate life.
Surely all of these were a strong attraction for European, African and Brazilian people - from many regions of the country – and for all the foreigners who continued coming for the last five centuries and staying here forever.
The history of this people was not transmitted through the books because reading was never a local culture; tales has told us the rare changes that happened through the time. Trancoso was an obligatory way for troopers, pilgrims and gypsies that went to Arraial D’Ajuda, Porto Seguro or Alcobaça, in order to be present at the celebration of the local saints parties. They also brought news and caused the few changes that happened here in the last hundred years.
Travellers were welcomed, except the gypsies…they always did something wrong: stealing some fruit, a hen, a pig, a horse or everything they could carry. There is also a funny story about a gipsy who sold a horse to a grocer who was used to trade with travellers. The gipsy offered him a nice horse. The grocer was very interested, especially for the cheapness it was, but he wanted to know about the health of the animal. The gipsy promptly answered: - Just give him an eye, and you can see that it looks perfectly. After an examination from toe to head of the horse, and not condoning the business, the grocer accepts to pay, and happily thanked the gipsy. A week later he realized that the horse was blind.
That’s how life was going on those days. Small farmers used to plant nothing more than cassava, and at their backyards there were plenty of fruits that grew naturally. People who lived by the sea or at the village loved to go fishing, collecting shells, crabs, or going to the mangroves of Rio da Barra. When the kids were not chasing octopus or lobsters they were eating jaca, cacao, coconut, mangaba, jenipapo, graviola, guava. If the kids were smart while doing their own toys made of wood, they were even wittier when it was about doing traps to hunt small birds or animals from the forest.
There was no treated water. Locals used to either wash their clothes or had the daily habit of bathing by the river, once at a time: men then women. Electricity has arrived very early. The people of Trancoso had the ability to see even at the darkest nights without moonlight. People could recognize their selves by their silhouettes, by their gestures or simply by tracks left on the sand. This was also a way of communication.
During the years the village has been welcoming new people and new habits; opening a new way to see the world and its people. There are those who arrive here attracted by the beauty of the beaches and the main square of the village (the “Quadrado”). And there are others attracted by the rituals of the saints parties like São Sebastião, São Brás e São João. Foreigners who are enchanted only by the surprise of meeting a people who doesn’t had the habit of reading, but knew how to cultivate for a long time a rich culture, a simple and wise way of living, typical of these place. Those who stay here can assimilate and respect a mixture of cultures and habits, also known as Trancoso.
