There’s an old tradition in the Algarve, a collective bath in the sea, every year – the so-called Banho 29 (bath 29) or the Banho Santo (holy bath). This bath has taken place since the beginning of the last century. However, there are references with historical roots from several centuries ago. While its origins are unclear, it is likely that this tradition is the remnant of an ancient pilgrimage. On this day, peasants, whether living by the seaside or in rural villages in the interior, flocked to the beaches dressed in traditional costumes.
This bath is now re-enacted by some municipalities such as Aljezur, which celebrates the day with a municipal holiday on 29 August. The events take place in Aljezur (Monte Clérigo beach), Lagos (Cais da Solaria), Luz beach and Meia Praia, Vila Real de Santo António (Manta Rota) and Monchique (Portimão beaches). In Vila Real de Santo António, this bath is part of the parties of São João de Degola, which culminates in the so-called “holy bath” on 29 August. This coincides with the day of the beheading of the saint João Baptista, one of the celebrations that were introduced in the east and west liturgies to honour the popular saint.
Besides this bath, there was also a tradition, in some places such as Vila Real de Santo António, to take the cattle to the sea on this day (image 1 and 2).
In Lagos, the Banho 29 is now part of a bigger party that the municipality maintains annually in the city and in Praia da Luz (with the help of ACRAL and CRCD Luzense), with the traditional bath taking place at midnight and with music on the beaches and many other entertainments such as antique and modern swimsuit contests (image 3).
In Monchique, the Banho 29 happens on 29 September, the day of S. Miguel. This tradition was forgotten for some time but was recently revitalised by the community. In past times, this bath may have also taken place in other places in the Algarve, but unfortunately, the tradition was not maintained.
But it’s not only in the Algarve that this special bath takes place. In Sines, on 29 August, the bathing takes place on Vasco da Gama beach near the city and Praia Grande near Porto Covo. In the north of Portugal, in Esposende (Braga district), there’s the Banho Santo, which takes place on 24 August (image 4) where it’s part of the Romaria de S. Bartolomeu do Mar. With the same name as the traditional bathe in Vila Real de Santo António, in the Algarve, Ricardo Braz Frade (© Portugal num mapa) believes that its origins have a cultural connection between the Banho Santo from Esposende and the Banho 29 from the south of Portugal.
A tradition lost in time
Why was this symbolic bath taken in the sea? Why not in a river, near the rural villages where the peasants were living? Maybe this was because there was no ‘sacred’ river where people could take this bath, while the ocean is such an important and constant element in Portuguese culture due to its extensive coast. This tradition may also be related to the worship of nature as a primitive source of modern religious beliefs. Was the ritual influenced by ancient pagan practices worshipping the power of nature?
It has also been suggested that the banho was influenced by Catholic doctrine regarding the symbolism of baptism as a public act for the purification of sins by water. This seems particularly relevant as, according to the Bible, S. João Baptista baptised Jesus Christ. Is the deeper meaning of baptism and what it represents connected to the bathing ritual on 29 August?
Or, perhaps this ritual, which brings together people from different places on a special day to bathe collectively, had a more cultural significance encouraging people to travel so far when their transport options were difficult and slow. Could this reunion have further significance in bringing together people who lived apart from each other?
This celebration came at the end of the harvest in a time, when there were no official work breaks, and could be an early example of vacation time! In the past, it was not usual to visit the beach as a leisure activity. Bathing was uncommon and not part of daily hygiene routines as it is today.
Salt is a substance that has been used for millennia to flavour, preserve, and purify in many cultures associated with purity, cleanliness and ritualistic rituals. Through purification, protection was achieved. Maybe the combination of water and salt not only cleansed their sins, but purified the body and soul of those who travelled far to take their annual bath? According to folklore, it was worth 29 times or 29 baths and also kept ‘the demon away’.
These musings raise more questions than answers about a tradition whose origins have been lost in time but continue to bring people together today. So whatever the explanation for this piece of history, make sure you don’t miss the fun this 29 August!
Remembering tradition
After her mother’s death in 2016, Maria de la Salete Pacheco Norte Paixão started participating in the Banho 29 in Lagos to keep the tradition in honour of her mother, who went every year.
A group that included Glória Pacheco Norte, Vitória Norte, Idilia Norte, José Raposo, Fátima Raposo, and Berta started the competition for the best traditional clothing associated with this bathe. But before that, people were already going to Batata Beach in Lagos to take part in a communal Banho 29.
Maria de la Salete remembers: “People were coming from various parts of the countryside, in carts, on horses to take the 29th bath. They brought food and spent the whole day there. When my parents came to Lagos, the main Avenue was still being built, where my father worked as a carpenter.” Maria de la Salete Norte Pacheco Branco, niece of Maria de la Salete, adds: “This was a real tradition. Today I think it should be kept to save its authenticity regardless of the current tourist potential.”
We also spoke with Maria José Guerreiro Pacheco from Lagos. She remembers that her parents travelled from Santana da Serra (Ourique municipality) to have this bath every year. She remembers that the tradition was related to health, especially for the most fragile children or those with rickets. “The cold and salty water seemed to help the blood circulation and the general health of the children. For some people, this bath was regarded as a thermal therapeutic moment. But in my case, this experience made me afraid of the sea.”
Besides its deep meaning and origins, this bath still takes place every year in the Algarve. This old and unique tradition will continue to transport us to those interesting ancient times.
Acknowledgements: Fábio Miguel Nunes Ventura (proofreading); Maria de la Salete Pacheco Norte Paixão; Maria de la Salete Norte Pacheco Branco; Maria José Guerreiro Pacheco (testimonies about the “Banho 29”); Archivist from the Algarve city hall of Vila Real de Santo António (Madalena Guerreiro).
References:
Ricardo Braz Frade – O Banho 29 In Portugal num mapa. Artigo 27 novembro 2020. Disponível em: https://www.portugalnummapa.com/o-banho-29/
José António Guerreiro Gascon – Subsídios para a monografia de Monchique, 2.ª ed., 1993.
João Romão e Cecília Branco (Coord.); Hugo Cavaco, João Romão (Texts) – Vila Real de Santo António: cidade de suaves mutações. Um século de fotografias. Câmara Municipal de Vila Real de Santo António, [2002]
