| THE
"BORRACHEIROS" |
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| The
“Boracheiro”- literally a person dealing with rubber,
but in the Madeira Wine context a wine picker and handler that transports
the grape juice as soon after it has been pressed as possible in a
goatskin; a sight now fast becoming a rare sight on the island.
In the yesteryear most of the wine juice that was transported from
remote parts of the island was carried on the shoulders in these large
“pouches-cum-rucksacks”. These goatskin pouches could carry up to
seventy litres of grape juice. |
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| The
“Borracheiro” was a typical sight seen during harvest times
in Madeira |
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|
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| The
“Borracheiro” is a staple fare at traditional folklore festivals |
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The
origins of this unique method of carrying and transporting wines from the
remote and difficult-to-traverse parts of Madeira are attributed to the
Guancho slaves that used this method in the early centuries of Madeiran
colonization. The Guancho slaves were brought over from the northern parts
of Africa, and this method is still a means of transportation among the
locals in that part of the world. The wine carrying would be a task shared
among several persons. |
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If
you ever visit Madeira and wonder why some folk have short legs...
“Borracheiros” would also transport in small wine vats. |
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