Vegetarianism in Portugal: a century of history.

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:: CONHEÇA AS VANTAGENS DE SE SER VEGETARIANO ::

LINKS IMPORTANTES PARA VER

 

Associação Vegetariana Portuguesa - www.avp.org.pt

Centro Vegetariano - www.centrovegetariano.org

Seja Vegetariano (ANIMAL) - www.sejavegetariano.org

Sociedade Portuguesa de Naturologia - www.spn.eco-gaia.net (em desenvolvimento)

 

 

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Vegetarianism in Portugal: a century of history

 

Contrarily to what one may think, Vegetarianism is not a recent trend in

Portugal, since it is, at least, one century old. The first presently known

reference to promoting Vegetarianism in Portugal dates back to the beginning of

the XX century (most likely 1908), with the creation of Sociedade Vegetariana de

Portugal (Portugal's Vegetarian Society), founded in the city of Porto by Dr.

Amílcar de Sousa, and located at Avenida Rodrigues de Freitas.

 

This same society released, in 1909 " O Vegetariano " (The Vegetarian), a magazine

described as an illustrated naturologist monthly publication, and directed by

Dr. Amílcar de Sousa, a dietetics and nutrition specialized physician. This

magazine was published till at least 1915. Apart from various articles,

illustrated with photos of vegetarian adults and children, it conveyed

vegetarian recipes and advertisements related to the magazine's philosophy.

Publicity was made to trading fruit, wholegrain bread, alcohol-free wine and

other natural food products, naturopathic offices, thermal baths and

naturologist resorts. In one of the advertisements, from a 1914 edition, mention

is made to a " Maison Végétarienne " ; it was presented as a vegetarian, dietetic

restaurant, at Avenida da Liberdade, in Lisbon.

 

Another advertisement from the same edition presented the " Grande Hotel

Fruti-Vegetariano (The Fruit-Vegetarian Grand Hotel). It was a one of his kind

place in Portugal, located in the city of Porto, at Rua dos Caldeireiros, which

provided naturopathic treatments and vegetarian meals. The magazine was already

internationally known in May 1911. Magazine Vegetarian Messenger (published in

the United Kingdom from 1849 to 1953), in its edition issued in the same date,

mentions Portuguese magazine O Vegetariano. O Vegetariano was also sent to a few

rs in Brazil and some African countries (Angola and Cape Verde).

 

Sociedade Vegetariana de Portugal was responsible also for publishing tens of

books (some of them translations of foreign authors) dedicated to a healthier

lifestyle. The main focus of those books, as well as in the articles published

in the magazine, lied in health and social reasons (world hunger, for ex.).

Little is still said on behalf of animal rights or ecology. Some of those

published books were: " O Vegetarianismo e Fisiologia Alimentar " ( " Vegetarianism

and Nutritional Physiology " ), by H. Collière; " Dieta Frugívora e Renovamento

Físico " ( " Frugivorous Diet and Physical Regeneration " ), by O. L. M Abramowshi;

" O Naturismo " ( " Naturism " ), by Amílcar de Sousa; " O Vegetarianismo e Moralidade

das raças " ( " Vegetarianismo and Race Morality " ), by Jaime de Magalhães Lima; " A

Cura da tuberculose pelo vegetarianismo " ( " Tuberculosis Healing through

Vegetarianism " ), by Paul Carton; " Parto sem Dor " , ( " Pain free Childbirth " ), by

William Taylor; " O Homem é Frugívoro " ( " Man is Frugivorous " ), by Ardisson

Ferreira.

 

In a 1914 edition of the magazine, a reference is made to a number of 3289

associates of Sociedade Vegetariana de Portugal! This movement on behalf of

Vegetarianism, taking place in the city of Porto in the first two decades of the

XX century, had a major contribution from renowned physicians and Porto

bourgeoisie's high representatives, defendants of the vegetarian regime and

natural health.

 

From this landmark, left by the Portuguese Vegetarian Society, other

naturologist groups have arisen. The core group that settled in Lisbon took the

designation of Sociedade Naturista Portuguesa (Portuguese Naturistic Society),

and it became official in 13th October 1912. The main founding members were

Luciano Silva and Dr. Roberto Neves, and at the time they had 200 associates.

Around the 30s, the name was changed to Sociedade Portuguesa de Naturologia -

SPN (Portuguese Society of Naturology), which, a few years later, would become a

member of the European Vegetarian Union (EVU).

 

One of SPN's permanent goals, among others, was to promote Vegetarianism and,

for that purpose, they also opened a vegetarian canteen, in the 60s (XXth

cent.), for their associates. This organisation also launched magazine " Vida Sã "

( " Healthy Life " ), which still exists and is distributed for free. SPN is still

active to the present day, and it is located at Rua do Alecrim, nº 38 - 3rd, in

Lisbon. During the World Vegetarian Congress organized by the International

Vegetarian Union (IVU), which took place in 1923, in the city of Stockholm,

Sweden, Portugal's first representation was ensured by Captn. António Carvalho

Brandão.

 

In the 1926 Congress edition, in London, England, the name of Dr. Bentes Castelo

Branco, who even made an exposé on a specific issue, was registered. Until 1950

there is no further mention to Portugal participating in the several IVU's

Congresses. Only in 1960 Sociedade Portuguesa de Naturologia (SPN) is mentioned.

During the 1960 IVU Congress, which took place in Hannover, Germany, Dr. Ângelo

da Costa Cabral was nominated as the vice-president in representation of

Portugal.

 

In another Congress, occurred in 1964, Ordem Esotérica Iniciática de Lisboa

(Lisbon's Esoteric Initiatic Order - which seems to have been eventually

extinguished) was accepted as IVU's affilliate. And since 1992, Portugal has had

no more representatives in IVU's Congresses. In the 60s there were a few

disagreements and there was a breaking up between SPN and a large group of

associates, who abandoned the organisation and who founded Associação

Vegetariana Portuguesa - AVP (Portuguese Vegetarian Association). But later on

SPN's Chairmanship changed and, in the 80s, both organisations were in such good

terms that they joined together again and, since SPN had more associates than

AVP, the latter merged into the mother-organisation, and its designation, AVP,

was extinguished near the proper authorities.

 

In the last decade of the XX century, many ecologists and animal right activists

developed campaigns to make people aware of the advantages of a vegetarian or

vegan diet. These were mainly youth-aimed campaigns and they somehow made their

way through. Many students have effectively become, not only vegetarians but

also activists. Although in the late XX century there has been quite a good

number of activists in the main cities, and a few personal web pages, only in

2001 a project arose to divulge and promote Vegetarianism nation wide: it was

called galaxia-alfa.com (Alpha-galaxy). This web project is still run by the

founding members and other volunteer collaborators. On the occasion of its 4th

anniversary, however, its designation was changed: it was no longer Galáxia

Alfa, but instead Centro Vegetariano (Vegetarian Centre). Their activities are

mainly developed in or through the Internet, and they include: publishing

articles and recipes; releasing periodic newsletters; clarifying visitor doubts

and questions; running a vegan selected product online shop. Centro Vegetariano

also distributes several informative and recipe books.

 

In March 2004, monthly magazine Cozinha Vegetariana (Vegetarian Cooking) was

launched in the market, by Presspeople's editing company, with 30.000 printed

items. This magazine published around twenty recipes, as well as some

information related to a healthier lifestyle. It made vegetarian cuisine

accessible to the public in general. From July 2006, this magazine changed its

name to Cozinha Saudável e Vegetariana (Healthy and Vegetarian Cooking), and it

stopped including only vegetarian recipes. In July 2004, a new magazine

appeared, Cozinha Natural (Natural Cooking), by editing company Mercuriana, with

10.000 printed items. This magazine includes vegetarian, vegan and macrobiotic

recipes. Although not as powerfully launched in the beginning as Cozinha

Vegetariana, it has been expanding it's market share and is continuously

growing.

 

From 2002, a few activists tried to found a new vegetarian association, the most

promising initiative being now in its early stage. Associação Vegetariana

Portuguesa (Portuguese Vegetarian Association) was recently founded (

www.avp.org.pt ). It became official in late 2006, but it has been promoting

some activities since 2004.

 

To sum up, Vegetarianism in Portugal is rapidly reappearing, with new vegetarian

restaurants opening, and many of the traditional ones offering vegetarian

options. Meanwhile, in the last few years, several companies offering vegetarian

products, mainly foodstuffs, have also been created. Many organisations and

companies have been organizing and conducting vegetarian related events (trade

shows, debates, vegetarian cooking workshops), thus responding to the public's

growing interest in the subject.

 

The history of Vegetarianism in Portugal is continuously being written, since,

just as one century ago, the interest in this kind of food regime and lifestyle

remains. And presently, due to a new social, cultural and economical context,

there are increased motivations to join Vegetarianism, and the transition from

an animal based food diet towards a non animal based food diet, is becoming

easier and more accessible to everyone.

 

30 August 2007

 

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References:

 

http://www.ivu.org/history/societies/portugal.html

www.ler.letras.up.pt/uploads/ficheiros/1645.pdf

Magazine Beijaflor Natural, nº 56, May 2006, pp. 40-41

Translation: " Vanda Viegas "

Source/Quelle: Portuguese Vegetarian Centre (Centro Vegetariano)

Autor: Author: Cristina Rodrigues, for Portuguese Vegetarian Centre (Centro

Vegetariano)

Link: Associação Vegetariana Portuguesa

Link: natural

Link: Sociedade Portuguesa de Naturalogia

 

 

Source: http://www.evana.org/index.php?id=25014