History

In the early 60s we were, by many considered the “golden decade” of the previous century. It was the time of revolution in the customs and mentalities. Thorough the world there was a desire to escape the dullness and routine, to lay the foundations to a better life, more social and fraternal.

Although isolated in the middle of the Atlantic, the Azores did not escape the reorganization saga they getting to know, mostly through Radio, the best means of communication at the time. Each group, in each activity, were looking to set the tone as much as they could and as much as they had available. The need was felt to discover, to know, and to make known, aspects of life that until then had been ignored or forgotten. Science was expanding.

This was how a group of young people, possessed by a strong adventurous spirit and an attraction for the unknown, were willing to leave the comfortable floors of the city of Angra, dedicating themselves, on weekends, to go through the wildest areas of the interior of Terceira island, “discovering” what, until then, was unknown to them.
During these walks, for the adventure and to socialize, and also to hunt some rabbits, they happened upon natural cavities hidden in the lava flows that helped form this island. They were facing a “new” natural heritage of which there were many fanciful stories, which they decided to unveil, penetrating deep into the subsoil of this island, taking the risk of descending to the algae so profusely scattered and scrutinizing many hundreds of meters of volcanic caves.
However, the practical results of these adventures did not reach the public eye. They were only transmitted orally to friends and close people. The explanation for this was the absence of an association and team spirit; they were nothing more than isolated adventures, whose ends were aimed at undoing popular belief, proving bravery, and satisfying personal curiosity. These ventures lacked the cultural, social, and scientific character that they should have.
One day someone mentioned the existence of a new “hole” that seemed worthy of a visit. One more hike and we are led to this new volcanic pit, of very considerable proportions, named Algar do Carvão, (probably because it is located on Pico do Carvão). After careful observation, the group realized that this new challenge was out of the ordinary, exceptionally arduous and risky, as it was for others before them.
But in August 1963, Américo de Lemos Silveira Luiz, at the head of a group of young people, successfully organized two promising descents to Algar do Carvão, from where they extracted unusual pieces of rock. They were the first real explorations of Algar do Carvão, surrounded by great fanfare, as many people came to watch, and they turned out to be very auspicious.

This was the beginning of making the population aware of speleology, an activity that was completely unknown in the Azores. With the success of these descents, the spirit of the group’s greatest enthusiast, Américo Luiz, began to develop the idea of creating an institution that would encourage speleology studies, but that would also extend to culture and education.
The descent to Algar do Carvão had great repercussion in the press, insular and national, creating around this group of young people an atmosphere of sympathy and enthusiasm from scholars, researchers, technicians from various areas and many curious people, who provided valuable and disinterested collaboration. Some of these were Lt-Col. José Agostinho, Dr. Victor Hugo Forjaz, Dr. Jaime Ferreira, Prof. Veiga Ferreira, Prof. Zbysewsky, Eng. Fernando Codorniz Fagundes, Engineering Technicians Ulisses Simas Bettencourt and Álvaro Lopes Dias, Topographer António Pedro and the Designer Péricles Ortins.
Only after the descent to Algar do Carvão had been practiced with resounding success, and given the dynamics that were being generated and the organization that was required, perhaps thinking of future actions, there was a need to ensure the participation of those who were there and create a movement capable of involving and giving credibility to the projects that the future was opening the doors to. It was important to show that such motifs and hidden beauties could be good and strong attractions if they were put within the reach of interested populations, allowing some of them not only speleology as a science but also ensuring tourism authentic poles of human attraction.
It was born then, in the spirit of these brave young men who performed such feats, the idea of creating an associative movement properly organized and with appropriate statutes, which would encourage the studies of speleology, but whose action was also extensive to the promotion of knowledge, dissemination and protection of natural geological heritage and landscape.
It was on the last Sunday of November 1963 when it was decided to make it an official group called“Os Montanheiros“ – Organização de Campismo Terceirense”.
Soon after, on December 1, 1963, the first headquarters was made, located at Rua de São João, nº 127, in Angra, making this the founding day, commemorated every year. In the management book of Os Montanheiros there is this date marked as the beginning of the activities, accompanied by the names of the following members: Américo Juiz, Luís Rafael Ávila Azevedo, João Pereira, Jorge Silva, José Lourenço Miranda, Ângelo Silveira Luiz. Then, with time, other wills joined it, increasing the flow of enthusiasm and the ability to do.

The statutes were drawn up, and Lieutenant-Colonel José Agostinho, a friend of nostalgic memory, always available to help, contributed a lot to their making. Because the name of the group included the word “campismo” (camping) the first statutes were not approved by the competent entity. Convinced of the importance of the initially adopted principles, and of the continuity of the group, it was decided to suppress “Organização de Campismo Terceirense” which was replaced by “Sociedade Cultural Educativa”. 

Later still, with the interests and activities of the group well defined, it was necessary to change the name of the association again, this time to “Os Montanheiros – Sociedade de Exploração Espeleológica”. The new statutes were approved and registered in 1967, and it is the name that has remained until very recently.

On March 11, 2008, the current direction decided to change the name of the association to “Associação Os Montanheiros“, because it continued to dedicate itself to the exploration of the underground world, in its disclosure and preservation, but also started to dedicate itself to environmental education and promotion of activities related to nature.

Thus was born the association, known to many as OS MONTANHEIROS.

Founding Members

Os Montanheiros were born from the mobilization of a group of citizens interested in a cause e willing to contribute with the time and means necessary to its success. The names of these men, whose contributions became decisive for the start-up of the association, are perpetuated here.

1 – Américo de Lemos Silveira Luís
2 – Luís Rafael Ávila Azevedo
3 – Rogério Tiago da Silva
4- Roberto Faria Lourenço
5 -Álvaro da Conceição Lopes Dias
6 – Manuel da Silva Bettencourt
7 – Guilherme Ilídio Ferreira Brasil
8 – Jorge Orlando Ferreira da Silva
9 – Fernando Henrique da Costa Ávila
10 – António Deodato Ferreira
11 – José Machado Fagundes
12 – Ulisses Simas Bettencourt
13 – José Manuel Borges
14 – Anatólio Ferreira Cardoso
15 – Diamantino Campos Paz
16 – Leonildo Paulo Soares Martins
17 – Manuel Aguiar da Silva
18 – Manuel Alves
19 – Manuel Teixeira de Sousa
20 – Paulo José Borges de Lima
21 – Eovaldo João Melo Moniz
22 – Guilherme Albano Ávila
23 – Oscildo Alcáçova Couto de Sousa
24 – Hermano Mendonça Fernandes
25 – Arnaldo Vieira Lopes
26 – Luís Carlos Serpa Gouveia
27 – Fernando Neto Cristóvam
28 – João Alves Regalo
29 – João Alberto de Melo Miranda
30 – Daniel António Cardoso

Hino dos Montanheiros

Unidos e Corajosos
Olhamos a Natureza
Pr’a desvendar, curiosos
Sua tamanha beleza!

Pelas entranhas da Terra
Andamos dia após dia
Pisando o vale e a Serra
Com ardor e galhardia!

Avante Montanheiros
Num gesto de civismo
Nós fomos os primeiros
A descer ao abismo.
As grutas e algares,
Cavernas, galerias,
Que até nossos olhares
Lhe chamam romarias …

Onde jamais penetrou
A luz do Sol tão brilhante
O Montanheiro entrou
E regressou triunfante!

Nossa missão é honrosa
Nossa gente aventureira
P’ra tornar mais valorosa
A linda ilha Terceira!

Avante Montanheiros.
Num gesto de civismo
Nós fomos os primeiros
A descer ao abismo.
As grutas e algares,
Cavernas, galerias,
Que até nossos olhares
Lhe chamam romarias.

Lyrics and music by ANTÓNIO MENDES (1971)