Situated on a patio at the side of Av.25 de Abril, this statue commemorates the life of José Cavaco Vieira, born in Alte 1903 and died here in 2002. The statue is by Fernanda Assis and Marcílio Campina, and was unveiled on November 23, 2003 as part of his birth centenial celebrations.
A life devoted to the arts
José Cavaco Vieira was born in the village of Alte, on November 23, 1903. At 11 years old after 4th grade he began his career as clerk in the firm of Pontes Barros e Nascimento, in Alte. He also played in the theatre and played several string instruments in the group Isidoro Rodrigues Pontes.
He left for Lisbon in 1921 where he was employed by the Sociedade Portuguesa Importadora e Exportadora until 1930. During the time he was in the capital, José Vieira also devoted himself to studies: he took a course in Book-keeping at the Escola Magalhães Peixoto and attended the Universidade Livre where he learned, among other subjects, English, French, music and painting. For music he attended the Academia de Amadores de Música.
In 1933 he returned to his birthplace - Alte, where he founded, with other musicians the Academia de Amadores da Música Altense.
In 1936 he became bookkeeper of the Caixa de Crédito Agrícola Mútuo de Alte before becoming chairman a few years later, a position he held until retirement, around 1980. He fought for, and ensured that this institution did not fail and was part of the management of Caixas de Crédito Agrícola do Algarve.
He was President of the Junta de Freguesia de Alte for several terms, a position he carried out with great dedication and zeal, always seeking the best way to solve all the problems and needs that the village lacked. With donations from friends he succeeded in having the streets paved and beautifying the village. He was justice of the peace for some time.
In 1938 he was the driving force of Alte's participation in the contest for the "most Portuguese village", where Alte took 2nd place. Also in 1938 he was a founder of the Grupo Folclórico de Alte and was its president for nearly fifty-four years. This group travelled throughout the country and abroad, teaching dances and songs they heard and danced in their youth. He made several speeches and lectures on folklore and other topics.
He was a founder of Casa do Povo de Alte, where he created an Ethnographic Museum, the first in the Algarve and which, after building a new Casa de Povo, was transferred to the Church of St. Luis.
He was also a founder of the Academia de Música Altense.
He had strong civic pride and after retirement participated in several theatrical groups, playing musical instruments, with the highlight his presence in the Grupo de Música Popular Erva Doce. He worked assiduously in local media, with particular emphasis on the "Jornal Ecos da Serra" and his special devotion, to painting.
José Cavaco Vieira died in 2002.
Information taken from Fatima Lourenco's blog and flickr.
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