Hino dos Açores
Encyclopedia
The Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...

, an autonomous region of Portugal, has its own, unofficial regional anthem: the Hino dos Açores (Hymn of the Azores).

History

The original song was composed by Joaquim Lima, a musician and director, of the Philharmonic Band of Rabo de Peixe
Rabo de Peixe
Rabo de Peixe is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 was 7407, its density is 437.7/km² and its area is 16.92 km². It is the most populous and most densely populated parish in Ribeira Grande. It has an altitude of 29 m .-Geography:Rabo de...

, the Filarmónica Progresso do Norte, in the 1890s, when a movement for autonomy was growing within the archipelago. It was first played by the band on February 3, 1894, and referred to as Hino Popular da Autonomia dos Açores (English: The Popular Hymn of Autonomy for the Azores).

On the same day, António Tavares Torres, President of the Executive of the municipality of Ribeira Grande, accompanied by a group of friends from the Filarmónica Progresso do Norte, went to Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada is a city and municipality on the island of São Miguel in the archipelago of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal. It includes 44,403 residents in the urban area, and approximately 20,113 inhabitants in the three central parishes that comprise the historical city: São Pedro,...

 to play the hymn in public. After playing for the members of the Autonomous Electoral Commission and, as it became late, they gathered at the Campo de São Francisco, with a large group of autonomy supporters, and crossed the streets towards the Centro Autonomista where they participated in a rally for the forthcoming general elections. During this rally several speakers promoted the autonomic agenda, including: Caetano de Andrade, Pereira Ataíde, Gil Mont'Alverne de Sequeira and Duarte de Almeida.

On April 14, 1894, Gil Mont'Alverne de Sequeira, Pereira Ataíde and Duarte de Andrade Albuquerque were elected deputies under the Autonomist banner, and celebrated their success with a march through the streets of Ponta Delgada accompanied by Philharmonic Bands playing the Hino da Autonomia.

On March 9, 1895 the philharmonic bands also played the Hino da Autonomia, in the municipal square of Ponta Delgada, during the festival marking the promulgation of the March 2, 1895 Decree establishing limited autonomy for the Azores.

Originally, Lima's anthem had no lyrics, but as a function of political evolution, many unofficial regional lyrics were written to support local autonomy. The first recognized hymn became the anthem of Partido Progressista Autonomista (English: Autonomous Progressive Party), led by José Maria Raposo de Amaral, in São Miguel. Its lyrics were composed by the poet António Tavares Torres, a native of Rabo de Peixe
Rabo de Peixe
Rabo de Peixe is a parish in the district of Ribeira Grande in the Azores. The population in 2001 was 7407, its density is 437.7/km² and its area is 16.92 km². It is the most populous and most densely populated parish in Ribeira Grande. It has an altitude of 29 m .-Geography:Rabo de...

 and political militant of the Progressive Party.

Modern anthem

Following the legal autonomy
Political status of the Autonomous Region of the Azores
The political status of the Autonomous Region of the Azores is the standard paralegal constitutional framework for the autonomy of the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores...

 of the Azores, the Regional Government asked Natália de Oliveira Correia
Natália Correia
Natália de Oliveira Correia, GOSE, GOL was an intellectual, poet and social activist, as well as author of the official lyrics of the Hino dos Açores, the regional anthem of Autonomous Region of the Azores...

 (an Azorean poet) to compose official lyrics for the anthem. The government also adopted Teófilo Frazão's arrangement of the original melody, as the official version of the anthem.

It was approved by the Regional Assembly on May 19, 1979, promulgated and adopted on October 21, 1980, as a ceremonial anthem of the Regional Government.

The official version of the Azores Hymn was sung for the first time in public on June 27, 1984, by students of the Colégio de São Francisco Xavier, during a ceremony the reunited the President of the Azores (João Bosco da Mota Amaral), members of the Regional Government, and various official attendees. It was sung by 600 children, wearing blue skirts/pants, white shirts and yellow handkerchiefs, and directed by professor Eduarda Cunha Ataíde.

In nationalist terms, "A Portuguesa
A Portuguesa
A Portuguesa , , is the national anthem of Portugal. It was composed by Alfredo Keil and written by Henrique Lopes de Mendonça during the resurgent nationalist movement ignited by the 1890 British ultimatum to Portugal concerning its African colonies...

" remains the official anthem used in all government events, in sporting venues and other civic ceremonies: the Hino does not have legal standing with the National Anthem
A Portuguesa
A Portuguesa , , is the national anthem of Portugal. It was composed by Alfredo Keil and written by Henrique Lopes de Mendonça during the resurgent nationalist movement ignited by the 1890 British ultimatum to Portugal concerning its African colonies...

.

Lyrics

Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...

:
English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

:
Deram frutos a fé e a firmeza
no esplendor de um cântico novo:
os Açores são a nossa certeza
de traçar a glória de um povo.

Para a frente! Em comunhão,
pela nossa autonomia.
Liberdade, justiça e razão
estão acesas no alto clarão
da bandeira que nos guia.

Para a frente! Lutar, batalhar
pelo passado imortal.
No futuro a luz semear,
de um povo triunfal.

De um destino com brio alcançado
colheremos mais frutos e flores;
porque é esse o sentido sagrado
das estrelas que coroam os Açores.

Para a frente, Açorianos!
Pela paz à terra unida.
Largos voos, com ardor, firmamos,
para que mais floresçam os ramos
da vitória merecida.

Para a frente! Lutar, batalhar
pelo passado imortal.
No futuro a luz semear,
de um povo triunfal.
Bore fruits, faith and strength
in the splendour of a new chant:
the Azores are our certainty
for the glory of a people.

Forward! In communion,
for our autonomy.
Freedom, justice and reason
are kindled in the high light
of the flag that guides us.

Forward! To struggle, to battle
for our immortal past.
In the future to cast the light,
of a triumphant people.

Of a destiny with dignity achieved
we shall pluck more fruits and flowers;
'cause it's this the sacred sense
of the stars that crown the Azores.

Forward, Azoreans!
For peace united with land.
High flights, with passion, we draw,
so that may flourish the branches
of deserved victory.

Forward! To struggle, to battle
for our immortal past.
In the future to cast the light,
of a triumphant people.

External links

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