Siglas poveiras
The symbols were typically carved into wood using a razor, though painting them on boats and beach sheds was also a common practice.
[2] According to the Count of Vilas Boas, a former port authority of Leixões, an individual once stole a compass in Póvoa de Varzim and attempted to sell it in Matosinhos.
Unaware that the "drawings" on the cover indicated the owner's name, the thief approached a woman from Póvoa de Varzim, who immediately recognized the mark.
It became clear that these inconsistencies had historical or genealogical reasons, and that the symbols were indeed inherited through generations, preserved as part of Póvoa's local traditions.
Important locations for the study of siglas poveiras include churches and religious sites not only in the city and its rural surroundings but also across the entire Northwest Iberian Peninsula, particularly in the Minho region of Portugal and in Galicia.
Over generations, the Poveiros used to inscribe marks on the doors of chapels near beaches or hills, either as journey markers or as "campaign promises" (promessas de campanha).
This practice has been observed at Nossa Senhora da Bonança, at Esposende Beach and at Santa Trega on A Guarda Hill in Galicia.
The inscription would serve as a marker for future Poveiros, indicating either the passage of the inscriber or an attempt to seek good luck from the local venerated saint.
Following the inauguration, a fishing expedition aboard the Lancha Poveira Fé em Deus (Faith in God) arrived from Póvoa de Varzim.
Long ago, members of the fishing community would climb this hill to pray to the saint, performing a ritual with chants aimed at changing the direction of the winds to ensure a safe return home.
The siglas were first studied by António de Santos Graça in his book Epopeia dos Humildes ("The Odyssey of the Humble").
Based on numerous similarities initially found at the Nationalmuseet in Copenhagen, Octávio Lixa Filgueiras identified several objects marked with "home-marks" from Funen (also known as Fyn) in Denmark.
Given the geographical distance, historical Viking incursions along the Portuguese coast, and pagan rituals practiced by people from this particular fishing region, it is believed that there is a partial Norse ancestry and cultural legacy.
Comparing only identical Nordic runes: According to Santos Graça, the siglas were inspired by the daily objects of the residents of Póvoa de Varzim: The use of the Latin alphabet to identify boats occurred only very recently in Póvoa de Varzim, especially when compared to other fishing communities that used various marks.
Despite the decline in use over the years, the banheiros of the Bairro Norte district still place their family marks on their belongings at the beach.
The Casa dos Pescadores da Póvoa de Varzim, the fishermen's association, still recognizes marks as valid forms of signature.
