Tripeiros

Why are the people from Porto called tripeiros?

Yesterday, during a presentation, I showed the entry tripeiro from the Portuguese Academy Dictionary. The people of Porto are called tripeiros (literally, “tripe-eaters”). But why?

In 1415, King João I secretly organised an expedition to conquer Ceuta, in North Africa. One of his sons, Prince Henry the Navigator (Infante D. Henrique), was sent to Porto to oversee the construction and provisioning of the vessels. On the banks of the Douro river, ships and boats were built that would carry the Portuguese to Ceuta—and, in time, would set them on the path of maritime and colonial expansion that would shape Portugal for centuries.

Although the true purpose of the large number of vessels was unknown, the people of Porto enthusiastically embraced the project, which absorbed much of the city’s energy for months. While some laboured in the shipyards by the Douro, others prepared supplies for the vast fleet. In an extraordinary gesture of generosity, the people of Porto not only volunteered to join the expedition but also gave up all the best meat they had, keeping only the tripes for themselves.

And so a dish was born that remains one of the city’s culinary symbols to this day: the famous Tripas à moda do Porto, a hearty dish of tripe and white beans, also known elsewhere in Portugal as dobrada or dobradinha.

What began as an act of sacrifice and generosity became a name that endures with pride. Even today, we who were born in Porto embrace the title with affection. And what a privilege it is to be a tripeira! :)

 Ana Salgado