Pottery:
Santa Maria is known for its pottery. It was passed down from the first settlers and has survived to the present day, even though the craft is gradually being lost. What can still be found today are at best remnants of the old craft, which is based on Santa Maria is practically extinct.
For a long time, clay was mined in several places on the island. The Barreiro de Faneca was the main mining area. The clay was Sao Miguel and exported to other regions. Until the end of the 80s, pottery and roof tiles were also produced on the island. The large factory in About Us | is closed today.
Handicrafts:
The handicrafts are mainly characterized by items of daily use.
On Santa Maria The island's sheep's wool is still processed into sweaters and blankets on rustic looms. Linen clothing is also still made locally. The traditional Azorean costume, including the cap (capote and hat) is still found on the island. Today, it is only worn at festivals. In the past, however, it was part of everyday clothing. The 'carapuco de la' is still worn by farmers. It is a hat made of black, white, and brown wool.
Music:
The island's folk music originated with settlers of past centuries and is closely linked to the Alentejo and Beira regions on the mainland. A typical instrument is the 'viola de arame', a small guitar with 12 or 16 steel strings. The dances performed to this music have distinctive names such as 'pezinho da garca', 'moda do moinho de mao', 'alfinete', 'balao', and 'mouros'.
Architectural style:
On Santa Maria A distinctive architectural style has become established, which is widespread in the rural regions of the island. The houses are mostly whitewashed. However, the colored window and door frames are striking, being green, blue, yellow, or red depending on the location.
The roofs are mostly covered with red tiles, which were formerly produced on the island.
Typical for Santa Maria The round chimneys are a distinctive feature. They seem to be an integral part of the house and terminate in a round stove. This stove is part of the kitchen, which usually projects slightly out from the main house. The shape of the chimneys indicates the origin of the inhabitants: depending on whether the settlers came from the Algarve or the Alentejo, they brought different styles with them.
Besides many houses, you can still find the racks for drying the corn, which are located on Santa Maria They are called burras and tulhas.
