NEWS
Music In Trancoso concert series scheduled for March 2012
December 11, 2011
The first Music in Trancoso festival will be held from March 17 – 24, 2012, featuring international classical music virtuosos and Brazilian musicians performing at a spectacular, 790-seat, amphitheater nestled within Trancoso’s famous red cliffs overlooking the ocean.
UXUA loses a neighbor and friend with the passing of Dona da Glória
August 31, 2011
The town has lost one of its most loved and respected natives today with the sudden passing of Maria da Glória Teixeira da Conceição, better known as Dona da Glória. Born June 26, 1945, she lived her entire life in Trancoso and raised a vibrant family from her house on the Quadrado.
Capoeira Sul da Bahia’s Bi-Annual International Congress in Trancoso
July 31, 2011
The acclaimed sporting group Capoeira Bahia Sul held their 5th bi-annual international congress from July 25 – 31 in nearby Arraial d’ Ajuda. UXUA Casa Hotel has worked closely for years with this organization to encourage participation in this traditional Afro-Bahian sport. Capoeira Bahia Sul’s local gym in is underwritten by the hotel, permitting low-income Trancoso residents to study regardless of their ability to pay fees.
National Geographic recognizes UXUA Casa Hotel and Bahia’s beaches
June 15, 2011
National Geographic earlier this year recognized UXUA Casa Hotel as one of South America’s most authentic hotels, featuring UXUA on the cover of its publication titled World’s Best Hotels; see UXUA’s Casa da Árvore (treehouse) at:
The traditional Festa Juninas take hold of Trancoso
June 1, 2011
Each year Trancoso residents celebrate the arrival of June with a series of parties called the Festas Juninas. Traditional music fills the air and dances and games are held throughout town with young and old participating.
Annual Pataxó Indian games held
April 15, 2011
Pataxó Indian tribes have lived in southern Bahia for countless centuries, and the native families of Trancoso descend from them. Several Indian reservations can still be visited within one hour of Trancoso, and the hotel’s décor features many elements created by Wilbert Das with Indian artisans who reside there.
UXUA Artist Canvases launch on UXUA’s restyled website
February 23, 2011
Since August 2009 UXUA creator Wilbert Das has invited artists visiting Trancoso to collect their impressions of the village and UXUA in a simple visual format; scrolling, digital canvases which can be shared with the world online.
Wilbert Das hosts Trancoso’s Festa São Brás
February 3, 2011
UXUA creator Wilbert Das has been honored by the Trancoso community by being nominated as festeiro (honorary host) of the town’s oldest and most colorful religious festival, the festa São Brás, held over 24-hours starting at 9 pm the night of February 2nd.
Celebration of the Goddess of the Sea – Festa Iemanja
February 2, 2011
Iemenja is the traditional goddess of the sea, and she is adored not only by the traditional fishermen of Trancoso, but also by the townwomen who view her as a sympathetic feminine figure and protector. On February 2 every year in the late afternoon processions of natives in white, traditional Bahian dress walk from Trancoso’s Quadrado down to the beach and send offerings to Iemanja in small wooden boats which are launched into the sea; offerings to the goddess include white fragrant flowers, perfumes, soaps, and products to enhance beauty.
Festa São Sebastião takes over Trancoso
January 20, 2011
Another edition of the vibrant annual party, the Festa São Sebastião runs over the 19th and 20th of January. This is a distinctly Bahian interpretation of a traditional Saint Day, mixing both Christian and African traditions. The entire community, young and old, celebrate with enthusiasm, making this a true high-point of the summer for the people of Trancoso.
UXUA Returns Traditional Farming to Trancoso’s Old Town Center
January 14, 2011
UXUA’s kitchen and garden staff are collaborating on a project to expand cultivation of produce in Trancoso’s town center, traditionally home to dozens of small, organic farms. UXUA currently operates an organic garden just steps from the hotel, and now adds a separate plot where 350 – 700 square meters will be planted within February 2011.
Another Spectacular New Year’s Eve Celebration Welcomes in 2011
January 1, 2011
Trancoso is renowned for having one of the most memorable New Year’s Eve celebrations in the world. This year did not disappoint, with fortunate visitors mingling with some 50,000 natives of nearby coastal villages who dress in white and stream into Trancoso’s grassy town square (the Quadrado) for the breathtaking midnight spectacle of music, dance, and fireworks launching behind the 500-year-old church of São João Batista and exploding over the sea. Tradition requires Brazilians to make the short walk from the Quadrado down to the beach to dip a foot in the ocean to bring luck for the coming year.
Capoeira In the Quadrado Presented by UXUA
December 30, 2010
Continuing a tradition started in 2008, UXUA’s support of the sport of Capoiera (a traditional Afro-Brazilian martial-art-style dance) will include not only aid for local children to study free-of-charge, but also sponsorship of free competitions and performances in the perfect natural setting of the Quadrado during the month of January 2011, granting added exposure to the local school and reward for its top students.
UXUA Restores 4th Casa on Trancoso’s Quadrado – Casa Seu Irenio
December 2, 2010
UXUA designer Wilbert Das has finished another restoration on Trancoso’s historic Quadrado, taking a space recently housing a small shop and returning it to its original form as a casa, and naming it in honor of a much-loved historic resident. Decades-ago this was home to Seu Irenio, a native fisherman and farmer. In Irenio’s older years he delighted local children by performing magic tricks and telling stories each night before a small bonfire in front of his casa.
UXUA Beach Bar Reopens After Storm
October 22, 2010
2-days after unusually high tides briefly closed UXUA’s beach bar, the rustic lounge created from old fishing boats reopened. And a plus for the local community; on a wide stretch of sand just to the north a simple beach volleyball court has been created by UXUA for use by the public, and a wooden walkbridge across the Atlantic Mangrove (used for years by native fishermen) has been restored.
