Ethnographic Museum of Santa Cruz das Flores

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Açores > Santa Cruz das Flores > Santa Cruz das Flores > Boavista

Location

The Ethnographic Museum is located in the Boavista area, an integral part of the locality of Santa Cruz das Flores. This locality is the main urban center of the island, and the museum is situated in a central and easily accessible area within the town.

A Portrait of Island Life

This museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the traditional way of life of the communities inhabiting the Island of Flores. It presents a faithful picture of the traditions, customs, and intangible cultural heritage that have defined life on the island over centuries.

By visiting the museum, one has the opportunity to understand the roots and identity of the Florean people, on a journey through the past that helps to understand the present.

Daily Life and Work

The museum's collections display a variety of everyday objects, agricultural tools, and work instruments that were essential for the subsistence of Florean families in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These pieces tell the story of island life from times past.

Artifacts related to activities such as cereal cultivation, linen textile production, or bread making can be observed, illustrating the practices that allowed the population to be self-sufficient.

The Home and the Role of Women

A significant space in the museum is dedicated to the representation of domestic life and the importance of the role of women. Here, traditional home environments are recreated, highlighting objects such as looms and rustic kitchen utensils.

This section underlines the relevance of women in household management, education, and the preservation of cultural and family traditions that were fundamental to the island community.

Connection to Nature

The museum also reflects the close relationship that the ancient inhabitants of the island maintained with the surrounding nature. It showcases how they sustainably utilized natural resources and the traditional agricultural techniques that demonstrated a profound knowledge of the land.

The practices presented highlight a harmony between human life and the natural environment, revealing past knowledge that remains relevant today.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt