The request had been submitted by the Amarante City Council, in the Porto district, to the National Registry of Certified Traditional Artisanal Productions.
Following the current publication in the Official Gazette, “any individual or legal entity with legitimate interest may oppose the registration within 20 days by submitting a duly substantiated statement to the IEFP (Institute of Employment and Vocational Training).”
According to the documentation attached to the registration request, the Viola Amarantina is a chordophone belonging to the family of traditional Portuguese wire-stringed guitars, easy to play and with good sound quality.
It is one of the traditional Portuguese guitars frequently referenced in studies in the field, recognized by the region’s luthiers and cherished by the community that came together to help revive it.
This typical instrument from Minho and Douro Litoral is distinguished by two heart-shaped openings cut into the top and by the overlay of the fingerboard on the top, unlike its counterparts.
“As the Viola Amarantina is a product with unique physical and sonic characteristics associated with the musical and cultural context of the Entre Douro e Minho region, it is crucial to ensure the continuity of this heritage with its own identity, where innovation in technical aspects and the refinement of other more aesthetic elements guarantee its preservation,” the publication states.
