Rebordelo is a Portuguese parish located in the municipality of Vinhais, in the district of Bragança. It has an area of 22,15 km² and a population of 618 inhabitants as of 2011. The parish is composed of two villages: Rebordelo (the parish seat) and Vale de Armeiro.
Every year, on the night of 26 December, the inhabitants perform the “encamisada”. This is a parade that runs through the streets of the village to the sound of bagpipe music. The parade begins with a group of bagpipe players, followed by the masked participants, who dress up as they please and in bizarre costumes, as if it were a Carnival parade. As the “encamisada” runs through the streets of the village, more masked participants join in.
After the parade, the masked participants gather in a small square and dance to the music of the bagpipes. This is a moment of healthy and joyful conviviality among the inhabitants of the village. In 2022, the year I photographed the “encamisada”, it rained during the parade, but nobody gave up and everybody seemed to be happy.
Thank you.