Em São Nicolau, as festividades de Sanjon concentram-se naa Praia Branca (concelho do Tarrafal). No dia 23, acontece o Desfile de Macela em que tradicionalmente, as pessoas levam molhos dessa planta endémica à cabeça para fazer a luminária. Mas, hoje é proibida a sua apanha, daí a fogueira ser feita com outros materiais. O dia termina com um baile popular.
An important reference in the festivities is the luminary or bonfire of S. João that takes place on the night of 23 to 24 June. The wood for the bonfire is prepared and piled up early in the morning and as soon as it starts to get dark one begins to notice flashes in various parts of the localities where this practice is still cultivated. The higher it is, the greater the prestige of the person who sets it up.
ler maisAs tradition dictates, the person must jump the luminary three times and at the end make a wish. They usually ask for a good year of rain, marriage, money, and good health.
As the saint's day approaches, a group of people duly appointed and guided by the parish priest organizes the religious ceremony, thinking about the smallest details, from the decoration of the church to the preparation of the saint.
No dia 24, cumpridas as cerimónias religiosas, o povo assiste ao sarau cultural na localidade de Laja, com grupos locais. No dia 25, milhares de pessoas participam no tradicional desfile para Boca da Ribeira, com tamboreiros e coladeiras, culminando com a visita à morada do santo.
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