Accordion player marks 40 years performing at Folklorama
Folklorama’s Casa do Minho is marking its 40th anniversary this year, and one performer has been sharing his gift every step of the way.
John Marques, president of the general assembly for the Casa do Minho Portuguese Centre, has been playing the accordion at the pavilion since 1983. He said it all began when a friend of his father was looking for musicians to play for Folklorama.
“There was an opportunity for us to play and represent our culture and I thought that was a unique opportunity for us,” he said, referring to his first time playing at the event.
“After that I never looked back and just continued on from there.”
Marques said in the earlier days of Folklorama he played a piano accordion, but eventually transitioned to a concertina.
“This is a typical accordion or a typical instrument that’s currently represented in northern Portugal, especially in the province of Minho,” he explained.
“The concertina is a very popular instrument. It’s used in every dance group.”
Marques described Portuguese music as lively and festive. He added that there are some slower songs, but it’s typically more geared towards dancing, which visitors can see at the pavilion.
“If you do visit our pavilion, you’ll see our dancers. It’s all very lively dances. A lot of intricate foot movement, leg movement and then the arms are always positioned high to demonstrate, ‘Hey, look at my feet and look what I can do with them,’” he said.
Marques said every year the volunteers work hard to find new ways to be creative and bring visitors to the pavilion.
Those who stop by this year can expect to experience the cultural heritage of Minho through traditional food, music and dancing.
“We have a lot of families who are committed to the Portuguese culture and to Casa do Minho,” Marques said.
“We’re fortunate that for the most part, there’s a strong core that comes back every year.”
He added that when visitors come to the pavilion, they can feel the passion.
“People are proud of their culture. People are proud of what they’re doing, what they’re representing and they’re enjoying performing and putting this out to the community at large,” Marques said.
A full list of the pavilions running the second week of the festival can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.