Vilarinho da Furna

Oral tradition suggests that the village was founded within the 1st century (c.70),[3] during the Visigothic settlement of the region,[3][4] a time when the nearby Roman road (Via Nova XVIII) was extended. According to this history, seven men settled present-day Portela do Campo, but following a dispute, four decided to settle downstream of the Rio Homem, establishing Vilarinho da Furna. Little evidence exists to support this story, although there are several Roman roads and bridges within the region, including two roads to the south and three bridges (one within the village that crosses the Ribeira do Eido, one upstream (the Ponta Nova) and one downstream (Ponte do Couço).[5][6]

Little is known about its status during the Roman occupation, although it was first referenced in 1623, in the church register of baptisms.[5][7]

A German who visited Vilarinho da Furna in the final years of the 18th century noted that the houses were comparable to other peasants in the region. However, his large, host family lived comfortably; in contrast to many other places, they had no shortage of food, and their beds were clean and made-up with white linens. He suggested that many German peasants would envy how well-off they were (Link, 1803 mentioned in Cleto, 2001).[4]

Vilarinho da Furna was situated in the southern slopes of Serra Amarela, providing the village with both good solar exposure and protection from the northerly winds from the higher mountains. Local springs did not dry out during the summers and fertile soils were located in upstream locations whose sediments were deposited during regular floods. The Ribeira da Furna fed the community spring, while levadas provide water through a controlled system of sluice gates, that allow channeled the water supply to village and cattle, as well as field irrigation below the village.[11] The trees in the small valleys provided shade for them in the hot months of late summer. Pasturelands on hilltop, at most 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) above sea level, are predominantly sparse, with poor soils and exposed outcrops. Only a small portion of land in the lower, gentle slopes were suitable for hay and foraging cattle.

These circumstance provided the ideal conditions for a diverse local agriculture, supporting the cultivation of maize on small plots (or gardens) interspersed with small vineyards (to make vinho verde, the typical wine of the Minho region). Many of the villagers kept domesticated animals (chickens, cows, pigs, sheep and goats).

In order to avoid occupying arable land, the houses in the village were constructed side-by-side, thereby defining inter-community streets, alleys and the common spaces (including the alpendoradas, in which the Junta gathered). Due to the lack of space within the village, many of the houses overhung the streets.[4]

The lands belonging to Vilarinho da Furna encompass an area of approximately 3,000 hectares (320,000,000 sq ft). In 1895, after a dispute with the Serviços Florestais (Forest Services) much of the land became the shared private property of those descendants of the villagers who had signed a contract, ending the dispute.[3]

Had the village not been submerged by the reservoir, it might have been completely forgotten. The construction of the dam made scientists take notice of the village and its communitarian social system, which was uncommon in the 20th century, but which in remote times was found throughout Europe.[3]

The village had a council, called the Junta, with a member for each family. This is believed to be a practice dating back to the Visigoths, with their conventus publicus vicinorum (public assembly of neighbours).[3] The Junta's leader (Zelador, or Juíz) was chosen from among the married men, and sat for a term of six months together with its legislative chamber (Os Seis). At the beginning of each term all voters one by one went into a room with the new Zelador and gave him a note with name of six of the neighbours to elect the new "Os Seis". In a tradition that was abandoned already when Jorge Dias was around the old Zelador would give the new Zelador a whip upon which the new would swear an oath on the Santos Evangelhos.[12] The council discussed and made decisions concerning many aspects of village life, discussing some matters in great detail. This discussion at the council made Vilarinho da Furna a participatory democracy based on its consuetudinary laws.

Matters discussed by the Junta included preparing new routes and repairing existing ones; organising the pastoral duties, including the herding of the cattle; irrigating the fields; cutting wood and clearing forests; trapping wolves; and harvesting grapes. In essence, the Junta was charged with making sure that nothing went undone in this largely self-sustaining community. In the last years of the village's existence, the Junta also devoted itself to devising strategies to fight its final enemy, the company that constructed the dam.

The Junta also judged and punished any crimes; thus the leader was referred to as the Judge (juiz).[4][3] Absence from meetings of the Junta was punished: slight delays were fined; for absences, the offender owed the village one day of community work. The most severe punishment for any transgression within the community was to be excluded from it (botar fora do vizinho). The offender would not receive any help within the scope of the communitarian lifestyle, so no one else would herd his cattle; and he would be denied access to the communal land. In essence, this meant exile from the village.[5]

The village's economy was based on cattle. In 1968, the herd consisted of over 1600 head, not counting calves born in that year. At the end of World War II, the count was almost 1000 head higher, as a result of the high price of domestically-produced meat. Little beef or butter was found on the village's tables, and milk was only taken after calving; the focus was on feeding cattle for sale. Cattle were generally pastured in the lower lands; goats were kept up on the hills. The cow pastures were divided by stone fences to avoid mixing the animals, in particular to separate the castrated cattle from the bulls to avoid upsetting the latter. The villagers took turns herding, so that everyone had to spend time away from the village. A herder was fined if it was determined that an animal had been killed or had disappeared through his fault or negligence. Villagers in the fields prepared supper for those who watched the herds. The mountains around the village, especially Serra da Amarela, have a number of small huts (casarotas) as temporary lodging for the herders.[5] Every spring the villagers went out to mend the stone fence that defined the outer perimeter of the land (termo).[11]

• Etnographic Museum of Vilarinho das Furnas
• Blog Vento Norte items tagged Vilarinho da Furna
• Aerial view of Vilarinho da Furna at low water