The candidacy of the Socialist Party to the City Council of Santa Cruz assumes culture as one of its priorities, presenting the recovery as one of its central objectives of the mythical Café Relógio, in Camacha, and giving back to the municipality an emblematic space instilled with deep historical roots and heritage.
The socialist candidate, Pedro Diniz, proposes that the building be acquired by the municipality and transformed into a multifunctional cultural centre, a Wine and Folklore Museum, as well as a space for cultural events and a parish council office.
“Camacha breathes culture. It breathes folklore, and it breathes wicker. These are the roots that we distinguish and that we cannot let go of”, underlines Pedro Diniz, defending A living museum, where visitors and, above all, the new generations can come into direct contact with local traditions, to experience and understand them as a fundamental part of Madeira’s identity.
The candidate for the Mayor of Santa Cruz warns that the art of wicker, once a symbol of the parish and of Madeira beyond borders, is today at risk of disappearing due to cheaper imports, lack of support by the Government Regional and local governing bodies. Furthermore, there is a lack of skilled artisans and very little raw material in cultivation, leaving the few wicker workers stranded, as they refuse to buy cheap imported wicker.
Pedro Diniz stresses that it is a question of valuing the roots and collective memory of the people of Madeira. “What differentiates Madeira as a tourist destination is precisely that it is unique: its history, its culture, and its traditions. At the end of the day, Camacha is an important heritage site that needs to be regenerated, preserved, and promoted.”
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
