Artesia News

Portuguese Hall Embraces Its Heritage

Part I - The Procession


Artesia DES – Portuguese Hall honored its Catholic heritage with four days of mass, processions, good food, and on the final day, a bloodless bullfight.

The period from July 29 to August 1 is considered the biggest celebration for members of the Portuguese community in Artesia. It is the Festa do Espirito Santo, or the Holy Spirit Celebration. The ceremony also in part honors St. Isabella, or Queen Isabella of Portugal. On July 31, a scorching hot day, six marching bands; the DES Filarmonica, the Azores Band from Escalon, CA; the Filarmonica Uniao Portuguesa from San Diego, CA; and the Filarmonica Portuguesa of Tulare, CA, began playing their scores at 10:30 a.m. inside Portugese Hall. A little after 11 a.m., the bands and hundreds of participants of the parade (Lakewood Sheriffs estimate the attendance of the procession at over 1000) lined up on Ashworth right outside of the Portuguese Hall to begin their trek to Holy Family Church on Clarkdale.

Participants included four members of the Miss Artesia Pageant as well as Queens and Aias of Artesia’s Portuguese Hall. A group of young men, located near the back of the procession, carried a statue of St. Isabella to Holy Family Church.
Upon arriving at the Holy Family Church, last year’s Artesia DES queens handed over there crowns to the 2005 queens in an elaborate ceremony.

After mass, the procession headed back to the Artesia DES where they were served the traditional “sopas” (or soup).

Part II - The Bullfights


On August 1, the Hall hosted a bloodless bullfight featuring Cavaleiro Rodrigo Santos from Mexico and Matador Luis Vitale “Procuna” of Portugal at 6 p.m.
Both bullfighters gave stunning performances. On horseback, Santos and his horses performed a series of visual feats that left the audience cheering for more. One horse almost stole the show with its dancing and fancy hoof work. On foot, Procuna went ‘mano y toro’ until the bulls were finally worn down.

Santos opened up the evening with a rather reluctant, strategic, and loud bull. Its angry ‘moos’, closer to roars, resonated across the bullfighting arena, even over the low buzz of the crowd.

The bull stood there and hardly chased after Santos or the numerous matadors meant to distract the bull. Santos and his horse, perhaps caught off guard because of the bull’s un-aggressive behavior, trotted too close to the bull at a bad angle, giving the bull a perfect chance to broadside the horse.

Later, Procuna (on foot) was clipped by a bull that deviated from the normal charging pattern. Bulls are usually expected to charge straight. Not this bull, for it followed up its charge with a hook and a swing of its head. One of these hooks caught Procuna and almost knocked him off his feet.

The last bull put on quite a show because of its unwillingness to be herded back into the stables. For 20 to 30 minutes, it resisted attempts to get it out of the arena. Finally, the men in charge of putting the bulls back into the stables had to lasso the bull and tug it back into the stables.

In the cafeteria, cooks were serving bifanas (pork sandwich, highly recommended), mussels, and much more.

No animals were hurt during the bullfight. No people were seriously injured.

 

www.artesiades.org

Part I-- THE PROCESSION

This festival -- rich in tradition -- involves all members of the family.
Children of all ages are part of this annual procession.

Color Guards from an out of twon band.
Portuguese Hall’s band marches on during the procession.
The DES band from Chino also participated in the events.
. . and the band marches on . . .
Michael Costa, one of the DES’s events directors, stands in front of the DES Filarmonica.
The Artesia DES Filarmonica’s band director positions the band.
Band member playing sax.
Band member playing tuba
Five members of the Miss Artesia Court were at the front of the procession.
Statue of St. Isaabella is carried on the shoulders of young men.
The statue goess through the procession from DES Hall to Holy Family Church.
The statue of St. Isabella arrives at Holy Family Church.
Queen and aias from out of town came to Artesia for the festival.
Artesia DES’s 2005 Queen Denise Santos, and her aias (princesses).
2004 Artesia DES Queen and aias
This year’s DES queen and aias arrive at Holy Family Church for their coronation.

Council member John Martins makes sure the procession is running smoothly
Members of the Miss Artesia Royal Court.
An Artesia parking enforcement officer discusses the proper way to protect over a thousand people with a member of the Lakewood Sheriff’s Department.
PART II -- THE BULL FIGHTS
Rodrigo Santos greets the crowd before the show.
Just prior to opening the gates, those handling the bull get out of the way.
Two of the “guys who get trampled by the bull” (as they are often called) kneel upon entering the arena.
Luis Vitale soaks up the cheers from his fans.
After the show, new members of the troop get a little hazing.
The bull charges out toward the arena.
He stood there for awhile, making the loudest “moos”.
Luis Vitale and his opponent.
On foot, Matador Luis Vitale jumps up to pound the Velcro-tipped spears onto the bull’s back.
Luis Vitale wears down the bull.
Luis Vitale and his opponent.
Luis Vitale slaps the back of the bull, taunting the tired animal.
There’s actually a bull under that pile of men.
The spears are attach to a patch of Velcro attached to the bull’s back.
(CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE)
Cavaleiro Rodrigo Santos waves to adoring fans.
People gathering at Artesia DES just before the festivities begin.

www.artesiades.org

 

 

 

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