Summer Traditions

“Serragem Da Velha”

What is “Serragem da Velha”?

It is a kind of a parade that has the objective of making fun of the government, famous people and some the society traditions:› It starts with a funeral parade in memory of the old

lady;› After the parade, the will of the old lady is read to the

public, with the intent of mocking.› In the end, the old lady gets sawed and then it’s thrown

into the fire.

The will of the old lady As the ritual and the “death” of the old lady, this is not an

actual will, it’s a comic text that has the objective of mocking. For example:› “To the Portuguese government I leave my money,

because even though I’m dead, I still have to pay taxes”› “To those dear friends of mine who are lazy, I leave my

clocks, so they can start getting up early.”

How was it born? The “Serragem da Velha” started more than 70 years ago,

and it is a pagan tradition, and is celebrated in Porto region.

When it was created it was mainly a passage ritual, marked by the desire of regeneration and the renewal of society.

This tradition is usually celebrated during summer time.

Poster announcing “Serragem Da Velha”

Rituals after the parade