Francisco
««Here is a fantastic website article for anyone wanting to know more about the very significant Arabic influence on all things Portuguese, particularly the Portuguese language, music, cuisine, architecture, and even knowledge of navigation.»»
Don’t go exaggerating. It gives some information, but we have to correct some of it and “Give to Cesar what is from Cesar”.
««“Notice what Mr. Salloum says, "Portuguese is saturated with more than a thousand words of Arabic origin—more even than Spanish.»»
Yes, this is very good math, because Spanish has 4000 to 5000 Arabic words. I can assume he does not know the number of Arabic words there are in Portuguese or in Spanish.
The writer does not speak, and hardly understands Portuguese!!!
About fado and music:
««George Sawa, who holds a doctorate in historical Arab musicology from the University of Toronto, explains fado's links to Arab music..»»
Fado was heard for the first time in the XIX century. It can not been linked with the ancient Al-Andaluz or the Moors of that time. The influence can be African , (Lundum chorado) from Brazilian slaves or Medieval (cantigas de Amigo); and the musical instrument , the guitar, was British.
Fado was not known in the south of Portugal where the Arabs stood longer, not even in Spain. If it was of Arabic origin I am sure it would be sung in Andalucia (Spain) where the Arabs stood for a long time.
Fado was originated in Lisbon; it was not known in the rest of the country or anywhere else in the Iberian Peninsula before the XIX century.
http://www.attambur.com/Recolhas/fado1.htm
««Olshin adds that "There is also other Portuguese music which is clearly Arab-inspired. Listen, for example, to the modern flautist Rao Kao."»»
His name is Rão Kyao, not Rao kao. He plays jazz, and adds Indian, Arabic Chinese, Andalucian and Brazilian influences to his music. It is beautiful. But has nothing to do with the ancient Arabs.
http://www.uguru.net/pt/artists_raokyao.html
About Lisbon:
«« Alfama district, the heart of historic Portugal.»»
Uau!! This is a new one. The heart of historical Portugal is Guimarães as far as I know!! Alfama is the heart of Lisbon.
Alfama , today it is the oldest district of Lisbon, but when Lisbon was conquered everything was much smaller, even Lisbon.
The name Lisboa derived from the name that the Wisigoth gave: Ulishbona. The Arabs came much later and arabised the name to Lishbuna (Al-Ushbuna). “ Lisboa” was know since the time of the Phoenitians as Alis Ubbo.
««To this day, the common Portuguese verb mourejar means "to work like a Moor," and it implies unusual diligence and tenacity.»»
««old Portuguese cookbooks are filled with Arab recipes often simply called "Moorish lamb," "Moorish sausage," "Moorish hen," "Moorish fish," "Moorish broth"»»
Moor in Portuguese has two meanings :
The name “mouro”one derives from the Latin “mauru” and was given to the Muslim people in the Iberian peninsula.
The other meaning of “mouro” is much older and is probably of pre-Roman origin. The origin of the name “mouro/moiro” (moor) is probably Iberian or Celtic.
You will find tales about Moorish princesses and Moors that have pre- Roman origin. They were thought to be the magical people that built all ancient constructions, like dolmens , necropolis, standing stones or circle stones. The “mouras encantadas” and “mouros” lived not only in dolmens like the fairies of the “Domus de janas” in Sardinia but constructed them aswell , like the Basque's “Mairu” mythic people.
««Alfama, bustling beneath its hilltop Arab castle,»»
The walls and fortifications are known since the times of the Phoenicians. It is a castle of many builders.
«« Bermudo II, Christian king of León, who called the newly acquired lands Portucalia.»»
We know that the name the Suevi gave to their kingdom was Portu-Cale. So it was an old name.
««One Arab decorative tradition that has endured to become part of modern Portuguese identity is the love of vivacious ornamental tiles, called azulejo»»
««But it is the early, geometric styles of azulejos that show the clearest stylistic ties to the Arabs.»»
The decoration of floors and walls is not from Arabic but from Roman, the geometric is found in Conimbriga and other Roman ruins.
The first tiles or “azulejos” used to decorate walls were imported from Sevilha (Spain) in the XVI century, so it is not direct Arabic Influence , but Spanish tiles of origin.
“As primeiras utilizações conhecidas do azulejo em Portugal como revestimento monumental das paredes foram realizadas com azulejos hispano-mouriscos, importados de Sevilha cerca de 1503.”
http://www.instituto-camoes.pt/CVC/azulejos/tradisl.html
««And crowning all these towns is Silves, known as Shalb when it was the Arab capital of Algarve,»»
Silves was known as Cilpis by the Romans. The Algarve was known as Vandalácia by the Wisigoths and "al-Gharb al-Ândalus" by the Arabs.
Francisco:
I could go on correcting more but there are thousands of stuff written on the net, and anyone posts whatever they like.
The Arab influence is well known, I only think that some of you people want to make it look much bigger that what it was. If the Arabs had made in “Portugal” the center of their power instead of “Spain” maybe the influence would have been bigger than what it really was.
The thing is that The Arabs did not care much about the lands in the west.