Outeiros

They were held in Funchal in the 18th century, as is clearly shown by the Colecção poética of the teacher Francisco Manuel de Oliveira, which contains an ode and two sonnets written for outeiros in honour of Senhora da Luz (Our Lady of Light), patroness of learning on this island. We have heard from some elderly people that on certain occasions it was customary for the local poets to gather at the Convent of St Clare (Santa Clara) to gloss mottoes set by the nuns, some of whom cultivated the Muses.