Latada
"The Tin Can Parade" ("Latada" or "Festa das Latas") is a homecoming parade that occurs at the beginning of the academic year in the city of Coimbra (Portugal), and is a welcome to the new university students.
The "Festa das Latas" goes back to the 19th century. After marching through the streets of the city the new students are "baptized" in the Mondego River thus entering into the Coimbra academic fraternity. Besides the tin cans they have tied to their legs, the new students wear all kinds of costumes made up according to the creativity and imagination of their godmothers or godfathers who are older students. They also carry placards with ironic criticisms alluding to certain teachers, the educational system, national events and leaders.
Usually this party/parade of thousands of students gets crazy and out of control...
The "Festa das Latas" goes back to the 19th century. After marching through the streets of the city the new students are "baptized" in the Mondego River thus entering into the Coimbra academic fraternity. Besides the tin cans they have tied to their legs, the new students wear all kinds of costumes made up according to the creativity and imagination of their godmothers or godfathers who are older students. They also carry placards with ironic criticisms alluding to certain teachers, the educational system, national events and leaders.
Usually this party/parade of thousands of students gets crazy and out of control...
- I attend to the University of Coimbra and I had to wear such a stupid costume at Latada!
- I drank so much at the week of Latada that I couldn't attend classes that month.
- I drank so much at the week of Latada that I couldn't attend classes that month.
