The Queima

The Burning of the Ribbons

One of the traditions of university life in Portugal is the Queima das Fitas – the burning of the ribbons. It is celebrated by students as they complete their studies and matriculate into the “real world”. It is part of the Praxe – the traditions that surround academic life in Portugal.

In Porto, the Queima is held in early May, the week before end-of-year studying and final exams begin. It is a full week of merriment, frivolity and hard-core-partying. Students frequently pull all-nighters (there is an organized series of music performances lasting from dusk to the wee-hours), then head to local cafés to take sustenance before grabbing a few hours of sleep to do it all over again.

What follows is a series of photos, taken over a few days by Steve, showing the some (but not all) of the Queima . Hopefully it gives a sense of the traditions, garb, merriment, and the love these students have for one-another.

This story was told with more pictures than usual. Let us know in the comments if you’d like to see more like this.

The Traje

The Traje is the formal clothes worn by the students. A significant part of this is the cloak. There are very specific rules about how this is to be worn; the number of folds, the shoulder over which it is worn, etc. As students gain real-world experiences, patches signifying the experience are added. However, these are never seen in practice. They only appear at the Queima. Does this mean a single cloak is worn inside-out during the academic year? Or that there are two cloaks? Such are life’s mysteries. As with a Scotsman, you don’t ask what’s under the kilt.

Festivities

Two events herald the start of the Queima – the Serenata; held Sunday at midnight. So, yeah, no pictures. Steve was sleeping. Sunday morning, there is a mass held in the main city square, to bless the student notebooks. Here, students in their Traje, parents and families gather to celebrate the mass.

The notebooks are festooned with colored ribbons (the Fitas), which have personal hand written notes from family and friends.

Porto can be quite rainy

The Cortejo Académico

The parade, where-in each school walks the main thoroughfare of the city. Singing, Dancing, Chanting… The schools are ordered from oldest (medicine) to newest (law). Each with their own school color. Medicine (yellow). Law (red), Engineering (brick red), Letters (dark blue)… Graduating students lead, followed by underclassmen. Note, in some cases, depending on the field of study, these students can be celebrating 6 years of very hard work.

It was unclear whether these older ladies were graduating students or part of the professorial body. The traje suggests the former, but we are not sure.

Yes, an Iberian Ham was part of the parade, with samples being carved during the festivities.

A quick note on the top hat (cartola) and cane – they obviously are part of the traje, but in the Queima are used to wish the students well. One student kneels in front of anther, who, using the cane, taps the kneeler’s shoulders thrice in order: left, right, left. Then three raps on the hat, with words of encouragement to the new graduate to go forth and do great things in the world. Hugs are had.

Yes, the hats are pretty trashed when all is done.

A new crop of doctors

Underclassmen following the graduates

Engineers gonna engineer….

Recovery

After a night of merriment, frivolity and (possibly a fair amount of alcohol), students head to a local café, arriving at about 6am. The chow, doubtless, depends on the café, but here it was pizza.

When it’s all said and done, these students have forged life-long friendships.

Proud, tired, very happy students

Alas, finals await!