On February 25, 2006, Antonio (Toneco) Jorge da Silva
Transcrição
On February 25, 2006, Antonio (Toneco) Jorge da Silva
Vol. 29. No. 3 A Publication of UMA, Inc April – June 2006 Editor: Daniel Gomes, 4394 N. Sweetbriar Ct, Concord, Ca 94521 E-Mail: [email protected] On February 25, 2006, Antonio (Toneco) Jorge da Silva resigned as the Architect for the Fremont Clubhouse project. Tony recommended that we offer the contract to the Kastrop Group with a fixed fee of $99,750.00. After much discussion, the MCC Directors voted not to offer the contract to the Kastrop Group but to go ahead with the project and to accept bids from General Contractors. The most important feature of the project is to install an elevator from the ground floor to the third floor. We have since met with and received bids from Charles F. Mattox, General Contractor; Meylan Construction Company; John A. Manuel Construction; Behnam & Associates, Inc.; and Acme Home Elevators, Inc. We have planned a meeting with Otis Elevator Company to obtain a bid to install a 2,500 lb. capacity elevator from the ground floor to the third floor. After meeting with the above contractors, we were fortunate enough to be introduced to Architect James M. T. Chao. A business acquaintance of Art Britto mentioned that James Chao was an architect who works with non-profit organizations and that we should talk to him. We met with James Chao and showed him the plans that were drawn up by Toneco da Silva and he agreed to take on the project for a fee of $20,300.00. James Chao will be working with his team of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, structural, plumbing and electrical engineers to complete this project hopefully by May or June of 2007. The disbursement of the fees will be as follows: Initial Payment Schematic Design Phase Design Development Phase Construction Documents Phase Bidding or Negotiation Phase Construction Phase Total Basic Compensation $2,030.00 $3,045.00 $4,060.00 $9,135.00 $1,000.00 $1,030.00 $20,300.00 On May 9, 2006, we signed a formal agreement with James Chao and gave him a check for $2,030.00 for the initial payment. On Friday, June 2, 2006, the MCC Board met with James Chao who showed us his revised drawings of the clubhouse. There were a few changes to be made and he will meet with us one more time before meeting with the Historical Architectural Review Board and any other Approval Agencies. UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 1 of 36 On Monday, June 12, 2006, the MCC Board of Directors met again with James Chao who went over with us the final drawings and renderings of the clubhouse. Mr. James Chao, Architect will meet with the approval agencies and have scheduled a presentation to the members of all three clubs on Sunday, July 16, 2006 at 11 PM at the clubhouse, 37695 Niles, Fremont, Ca 94536. Lunch will be provided. Alex Xavier, President, UMA, Inc. Status of the Special State Board Meeting of Feb 18, 2006 As your Secretary of UMA, Inc. I am writing to give you an update on the Special State Board Meeting of February 18, 2006. As requested at the meeting I have made sure that each member of our UMA, Inc. State Board has a copy of the minutes of the meetings of MCC as well as the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of MCC. I have also asked them to share these with their respective chapter members. At our February 18th meeting, many of you present had questions and issues regarding the MCC Bylaws. Specifically, there were three issues: the first was on the "ownership" of the MCC Clubhouse; the second was on the term of office of our representatives in MCC; and the third was on the right of each of the three clubs to change their representatives if they deemed necessary. On the issue of “ownership” of the MCC clubhouse: the title of the clubhouse is in the name of MCC. The MCC Board of Directors issued a clarification notice, copies of which were given to your UMA Board members, that “The Macau Cultural Center, Inc. is governed by its Board of Directors consisting of nine (9) members. There is no political affiliation between Macau Cultural Center, Inc. and that of any of the three respective Board of Directors of Casa De Macau USA, Inc., Lusitano Club of California, and UMA, Inc. The Macau Cultural Center, Inc. and its Board operates independently of each of Casa De Macau USA, Inc., Lusitano Club of California, and UMA, Inc. and its respective Board of Directors.” On the second and third issues, members of the UMA, Inc. State Board were informed that on February 24, 2006 the Board of Directors of MCC voted to amend the MCC Bylaws to change the term of the Directors from 6 years to 4 years, and they also revised Article 6, Section 2 to extend the Officers’ Term from one year to a two year term. In addition, the Secretary of MCC was charged with obtaining a legal opinion regarding the right of the three clubs to replace their representatives if deemed necessary. Right now the present interpretation is that the removal needs to be “approved by a majority of the Board of Directors (of MCC) … a Director may not be removed prior to the expiration of such Director’s term of office”. As of this date we have still not received a legal opinion on this important item, nor have we received a copy of the amended Bylaws of MCC. Our three UMA, Inc. representatives in MCC are also the current presidents of the three chapters in the Bay Area: Alex Xavier, Robert de Graca, and Ed de Assis. If these issues are important to you, it is up to you to encourage them to work on this. We are blessed that we live in a democratic society, so this is in your hands. Maria “Zinha” Gomes, Secretary, UMA, Inc. UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 2 of 36 Editor’s Note: Thanks to Mr. Jim Silva, for obtained permission from the author Mr. S. F. Lam of Hong Kong to allow us to publish this article in the UMA Bulletin. This is a permitted reprint from a publication entitled “The Quest for Gold – 50 years of Amateur Sports in Hong Kong (1947-1997), published by the HK Historical Books Trust (Trustees: S. K. Lam, Dr. Julian W. Chang and A. de O. Sales) and the HK University Press, 2006” UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 3 of 36 UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 4 of 36 UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 5 of 36 UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 6 of 36 UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 7 of 36 REMEMBER, WHEN! By Al Madeira Former Hong Kong Tiger Standard Daily News Sports Writer Writer 1950/60 UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 8 of 36 HOCKEY QUEENS RECREIO A PRIDE OF HONG KONG PORTUGUESE AND ONE OF THE CLASSIEST TEAMS IN LADIES FIELD HOCKEY UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 9 of 36 HOCKEY QUEENS PRIDE OF HONG KONG PORTUGUESE A LONG, LONG, .....................LONG TIME AGO... ...on the tiny island of British Hong Kong, in the South China Seas, back to a time when life was still full of fun and games, of endless summers, movie dates, launch picnics, Saturday night jam sessions, Walla Walla rides across the harbor; snacking at the Wanchai Tai Pei Tongs in the wee small hours of the mornings, rendezvous' with your best beau at the Club or King's Park.............. ......... there was this band of pretty and talented young women, who played field hockey for Club Recreio. They were the pride and darlings of the colonial Portuguese, and one of the classiest teams to ever play field hockey in the Hong Kong Hockey Association Ladies 'A" League. During the decade of the '50s, Club Recreio shared the spotlight and laurels with their arch rivals, the power-house Gremlins manned by Jean Hall and a bevy of fleet footed and hard hitting wrens, from Her Majesty's Royal WAC brigades. These Portuguese lassies and the Gremlins won almost all of the annual championship tournaments, sponsored by the Hong Kong Field Hockey Association. Club Recreio had a large and supportive group of fans, who celebrated and agonized with their every game. Victory was cause for raucous celebrations at the Club bar. Defeat, meant taking many an extra shot of your favorite hard liquor, to p... and m... at the umpire's decisions and the bad breaks, and to dull the pain of defeat. Led by Sheila Collaco, their fleet-footed and prolific goal scoring centre-forward, these Portuguese women played an up tempo attacking style of field hockey, which was both exciting and a delight to watch. Penetrating opponents' defenses with speed and slick stickwork, were right-winger Margie Rosario and inside-left Valerie Souza. Their lightning raids provided the many openings and opportunities, for the good looking and dynamic Sheila Collaco, to score her many goals. This offensive trio was considered one of Hong Kong's best front lines. They were automatic selections on any all-star or AllHong Kong selections. Recreio's successful run at the top prizes in the 1950's, was their ability to promote capable replacements from their 'B' team. Left-winger Mickey Collaco and Loudres Guterres, made varsity while in their teens. Despite being rookies, their speed and deft stickwork, allowed them to play at the Senior level, within a short period of time. They readily melded into a cohesive and contributory unit, blending with the more experienced and dynamic trio, to make this UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 10 of 36 Portuguese front five, one of the best and classiest in the British Crown Colony. The team's defense was anchored by the instinctive talents of centre-half Evelyn Alonco, whose slashing forays across the middle, turned many a defensive situation into an offensive opportunity. Alonco's ball control and dribbling ability was amongst the best. She was blessed with lightning speed, endurance and tenacity. She had a winsome smile and, she was oh, so pleasant, and easy on the eyes. Flanking Evelyn Alonco at right-half was Catherine Remedios, who played with a lot of savvy, and could be counted on to make many of those do-or-die last minute saves in almost every game. Catherine used excellent positioning and anticipation, to thwart many a fleet-footed left-wingers or inside-left that raided Recreio's dee. At left-half was the always excitable Alex Mendonca, who was some how the steadying influence in pressure situations. Mendonca was adept at covering the open gaps and backing up the full backs. A critical element of Recreio's many triumphs were the aggressive play of their final line of defense. Flavia Collaco and Elaine Souza were two smart, fearless hard whacking full backs, who made the last line of defense a tough one to penetrate. They used power hitting and full body checking, to nullify and intimidated the speedy opponent attackers. They thwarted would be goal scorers with their clever positioning, body blocking and long clearances as they protected Recreio's dee. They displayed great teamwork covering one another in tense goal line situations. Goal-tender Nana Carvalho, made most of the difficult saves and was one of the major contributors to Club Recreio's long string of success in Hong Kong, during the decade of the 1950s. She was an intrepid defender, who stopped shots, at point blank range, from the like's of Gremlins' Jean Hall and Leslie Watts, Mussie Fincher and Gina Marchetti of KCC, a quartet of some of the hardest bangers to ever play women's hockey in the Crown Colony. The use of face masks were not in vogue or a requirement at that time. No mask, no sweat. That's how gutsy a defender she was. And waiting in the wings to back up and replace Nana Carvalho, was the pretty and very talented Nancy Prata. She was a nimble and cat-like goal tender. Versatile Therese and Ina Roza Pereira provided substitute insurance whenever and wherever the team needed. Recreio was truly a classy team with some of the prettiest and nicest personalities to ever grace the rough and tumble game of women's field hockey in British Hong Kong in the 1950s. UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 11 of 36 CHEERS! Here is Recreio's winning starting lineup: Sheila Collaco(C) Valerie Souza(IL) Loudres Guterres(IR) Mickey Collaco (LW) Margie Rosario (RW) Evelyn Alonco (CH) Alex Mendonca (LH) Catherine Remedios (RH) Flavia Collaco (LB) Elaine Souza (RB) Nana Carvalho (GOAL) • Substitutes: Therese Roza-Pereira, • Ina Roza-Pereira • Nancy Prata UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 12 of 36 Macanese Youngsters save two men in cold sea By Elaine Larsen, Courtesy of the Pacifica Tribune Editor’s Comments: This article appeared in the Pacific Tribune and sent to the editor of this bulletin, by Billy & Melvie Soares of Clube de Recreio fame. The Editor of the UMA Bulletin has received permission from Elaine Larsen and Bill Soares (Billy & Mellvie’s son and father, of one of the youngsters). This is an edited version of the account. Ms. Larsen wrote, “While news about the younger generation often seems negative, some young Pacificans recently proved themselves to be Good Samaritans by pulling an intoxicated man from the surf in Rockaway Beach - very possibly saving his life.” Billy Soares and Matt Williams, who are Billy and Melvie Soares grandsons were hanging out with friends on the beach near Nick’s at Rockaway Beach at about 9:45 p.m. last Tuesday, March 14. They were all listening to music in their cars and generally socializing when two apparently intoxicated men came out of one of the restaurants. Police later said the two out-of-towners, who are from Colorado and Minnesota, both in their 50s, had been having dinner with their wives. The two women went back to the hotel. One of the men, police later said, appeared to be intoxicated and jumped up on the boulders in the public area west of the Lighthouse Hotel and Portofino Restaurant. Suddenly, he plunged into the frigid cold water presumably to go swimming, prompting his friend to jump into the ocean after him. "It was apparent both were having problems as the surf was still pretty rough and the water obviously very cold," said Billy's father, Bill Soares, recounting the night's events. A young man staying at the hotel at the time, Jason Burger, saw what happened and came running out. He was the first to jump into the water after the two men. “After a few gawks, Billy and a female friend Jessica Smith jumped into the ocean after them. Jessica, who happens to be a licensed lifeguard, was one of the first to reach the pair along with Jason Burger," Bill Soares said. Also jumping in to help were Matt Williams and Tim Fogarty. "Billy grabbed the first man and pulled him back toward the boulders, but his dead weight was making it tough to lift him onto the rocks. After getting hit by a couple of waves that knocked him against the boulders, Billy felt himself starting to get pulled out deeper into the surf when suddenly, he felt someone grab him by the shoulder keeping him and the other man from being pulled out further. Billy thinks it was Matt (if it wasn't it had to be his guardian angel) but he wasn't sure. Matt was so giddy about it all he couldn't remember much of his heroic efforts," Bill Soares recounted later. UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 13 of 36 "Somehow Billy managed to lift this guy enough so Matt and his friend Tim could grab a hold of him. With much effort Matt started to pull the guy back onto the boulder almost losing him a couple of times. With adrenaline flowing, Matt and Tim, who by now was also in the water, finally got the guy onto the boulders. Without the kids the man and probably also his friend would have been sucked into the undertow and out to sea." Also helping out in the impromptu rescue effort were Pacificans Brian Powers and Linnea Haligren. "Billy, Matt, and Tim were on natural highs and all three felt such a great surge and emotion for what they did that although they were soaked they didn't feel the cold. They were so pumped. I congratulated them and told them how proud I was of them - they did the right thing and they were heroes," said proud father Bill Soares, who immediately sent word out to friends and relatives. Also commending the seven young people at the scene were police and firefighters who said without that quick intervention, the two men might easily have drowned or at the very least suffered severe hypothermia. The young adults, who are all in their late teens and early 20s, managed to pull the two men out before firefighters arrived on scene. They were checked out on scene by firefighter/paramedics and one of the men was taken to the hospital as a precaution. "There was a very fierce surf that night. The waves were coming up over the breakwater and it must have been 40 degrees out," said North County Fire Authority Cpt. Joe Penko, who works out of Pacifica. "This is a group of very motivated young people. They did a great job." Three heroes from left to right: Matt Williams, Tim Fogarty and Bill Soares. Matt and Tim are 18 years old and seniors at Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco and in the baseball team. Billy is 19 years old and a sophomore at Canada Junior College in San Bruno, studying Oceanography and Zoology – he wants to save the Planet. UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 14 of 36 The Guy Who Started The San Mateo Chapter By Jorge Remedios The year was 1971. UMA had been around for about 13 or 14 years. Its original founders, the earliest filhomacaus in the United States, though not exactly getting on in years, were beginning to lament the apparent lack of interest among the 'younger' generation, meaning the members of my own age group, then in our early thirties. UMA, then as now, had its largest contingent of members in the city of San Francisco. There were no Chapters at the time, it was just one entity, originally set up as a social mutual-benefit organization to help newly-arrived immigrants to California who were of Macanese descent. Many of the club's members were refugees from communist repression who left Shanghai in the early 1950s, went on to Macau and then to Hong Kong, where they found work and contributed to the success, among other organizations, of one of the foremost banking institutions in the world today. Others left the class- and race-delineated strictures of life in British Hong Kong to the freer climate of the New World, and to most of us who left, the United States, and especially California, represented the freest and newest of all possible worlds. By 1971 the younger members of the community had begun the inexorable move from San Francisco to suburbia, where housing was more plentiful and affordable. The great American dream of a home in the suburbs with a front lawn was taking shape among the filhomacaus. Certain chieftains in UMA had the idea that the club could be revitalized by forming a local chapter in San Mateo, where large clusters of MacaneseAmericans had now bought homes. One man took on the task of promoting the idea to his neighbors in San Mateo and environs. He was the late Bernard J. (Googoo) Santos. His efforts and energy, and his conviction that UMA would be best served by reaching out to those of us who, having to commute daily to work in San Francisco, would naturally prefer to spend our leisure hours in the places where we had put down roots, helped to convince the hesitant among us. And so, after a series of meetings at the Santos home in Redwood Shores, the San Mateo Chapter was born. Under Bernie's leadership as president during its first years, our San Mateo Chapter had a remarkable string of successes. Its members were young and full of verve, it had ideas and talents that were original and exciting, and the will and the wherewithal to carry them out. UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 15 of 36 I remember one of the most successful events in our second year was a Halloween dinner dance held in a church hall in Burlingame. This was the sort of party that occurs maybe a couple of times in a generation, and the precedent it set was to be the model for many other events to come. Bernie and his wife Felice were instrumental in helping to make this one of the defining moments in our Chapter's history. Bernie Santos was a man who had many interests. He was a guy who could build things — cabinets, workshops, all sorts of things around the house. He could cook, and would experiment with exotic dishes of all kinds. He enjoyed the outdoors, played tennis and lawn bowls. Early on he was interested in hi-fi equipment. In fact, the first stereo system I ever owned was one that I had acquired with his guidance. He was also, like myself, into making movies (and later, video) for his own enjoyment and for sharing with others. But the quality that I remember best about Bernie was that, despite having more physical energy than most other people I know, he was never the grandstander. He was ever ready to lend someone a hand, generously and in a most quiet and unassuming manner, never seeking any credit for himself. His focus was always about the benefit to UMA and to the Chapter that he was instrumental in creating. Bernie died on March 7, 2006 after a long and difficult illness. He will be greatly missed. Birthday Greetings to a lovely lady By Helene Ozorio Roffey On the 23rd April 2006 Marie “Figgy” Britto will turn 90. I join her large circle of friends, former Girl Guides and family all over the world with this modest tribute to Marie. I was 12 when I joined the St. Mary’s group in 1938. I believe it was the first time St. Mary’s had a Girl Guide Group. My fellow Guides were Celsa Monteiro, Vivi Rule, Barbie Lalurel, Julie Azevedo, the shy Ozorio twins and always smiling Millie Ozorio. White uniforms (with a tie), white topee – we were thrilled. Hong Kong in those days was a typical, small provincial English town. The Girl Guides were good fun. We learnt how to tie knots and sing round the camp fire. Taught various activities to see who could qualify for badges – I never got any as I am useless at most things. Marie was our Captain. I shut my eyes and I can see her now – handsome, with a fine pair of eyes, happy smile, excellent teeth, lithe and very athletic – “a jolly hockey sticks type of gal”. Her lieutenant was Carmen Silva. The Commissioner was a fair, rotund English lady. Marie was a perfect Captain – dead keen, energetic, full of “gung ho” and greatly appreciated by the British. The Girl Guides Association held Marie in high regard: Two memorable “Guiding” occasions – A big competition in the New Territories (all country in those days, of course). 13 different groups trying for 1st prize. We had to pitch our tent, stack everything away, cook a meal, clean and tidy up. Being filomacau’s with amahs at home what did we know about cooking and cleaning – our burnt offering was sausages and potatoes – we came LAST. UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 16 of 36 A big Jamboree in Hong Kong side. B.B.Q ( I think in those days it was called “eating outside”), rousing entertainment and a sing-song provided by an Army unit. On the big day a No. 10 typhoon struck – the white flag was raised- the typhoon gun boomed – no star ferries running – my parents refused to let me go – I cried for days. During the war when we lived in Macau I lost touch of Marie but, like most filomacaus, we met again after Marie moved to San Francisco. Marie visited me when she came to the UK to stay with her niece, Betty, who lives in my town. When the Third Encontro came up Marie asked me to share a room with her at Lisboa. I said “Marie, I snore.” Marie: “So do I.” This “sharing” didn’t affect our friendship at all, as so often happens! So “PARABENS” Marie on the great day – with affection and fond remembrance! Correa Wedding Party Photo was not available when I reported the wedding of Carlos Correa and Sarah McFarland in the last issue. Left to right: Marilyn, Julia, Carlos, Bosco, Sarah and Gabriella Wedding Bells – De Graca Anamaria De Graca, daughter of Henry and Teresa De Graca (GEB Chapter Member), was married to Matthew Puska on Saturday, April 8, 2006 in a beautiful ceremony at Saint Mary's College in Moraga. A reception and dinner followed at the San Ramon Golf Club in San Ramon. Congratulations to the De Graca and Puska family. UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 17 of 36 Clube Lusitano (Hong Kong) Henrique Souza (Club Lusitano, Hong Kong) reported that at the Club's AGM held last December, Cmd. A. de O. Sales stepped down and nominated Gabriel Azedo to be the new Club President. There were also three new faces in the General Committee, namely Ruy Barretto (Hon. Secretary), Luis 'Sonny' Souza (Hon. Treasurer) and Michael Ozorio (Committee Member). The other committee members were all from the 'old guard' of Sir Roger Lobo, Tito Rodrigues, Jorge Sequeira, Anthony Souza and Miro Goncalves. Proud Grandparents Department From Manuel and Doreen Pereira of Redwood City: On the weekend of May 19, 20, and 21,2006 our grandson Zachary Felise, and his crew team went to Sacramento to compete in the Southwestern Junior Championships. He and about 13 other crews competed to medal in their events. This year was the best year that Serra Crew has ever had. Zachary's Freshmen eight man boat started the weekend off with a bronze medal. Once Zachary's boat qualified and medaled, the whole crew team was pumped up that Zachary's Freshmen eight was the first eight man boat to medal at Serra. Later in the weekend, Zachary's freshmen four qualified and competed in the finals with the other freshmen four, freshmen four "B". Zachary's freshmen four man boat, or freshmen four "A", came on top of the "B" four with a silver. The "B" four clinched the bronze not too far behind. Our granddaughter Malia Felise graduated from Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. She received the following graduation awards: Notre Dame High School St. Julie Billiart Award, Notre Dame High School Alumnae Award, YLI Valda Britschgi Award, California Mathematices League Achievement Award, and the Community Service Award. From Raquel and Jorge Remedios of Hillsborough: On June 8, 2006, we attended the graduation ceremony at Lynbrook High School in Cupertino. Nearly the entire class of graduating seniors will be going on to college in the Fall, including our granddaughter Kelly Remedios, who will be attending the University of California at San Diego. Graca & Co Robert de Graca informs us that Michael Ozorio, came across an advertising flyer from Graca and Co on E-Bay, advertising their business on ships. The card is dated 1903 and gives the shop and office address as HK Hotel "corridor" and "Bonheur", 58 Peel Street. Michael (son of F. O Ozorio) has asked for more information on the Graca family. The shop was owned by Paquito (Francisco) Graca who was a post card publisher and also sold stamps, stationery and holy artifacts. Michael is related to the Gracas through his great, great-grandmother, Ismeria Graca. Unfortunately, Bob de Graca says they lost almost everything, including photos of the family, during the War. Bob request anyone with historical information and/or pictures, etc of the old Graca family to contact him. Luckily, Michael was able to pick up some old historical flyers and cards from E-Bay or they could have been lost forever. Monsignor Desmond Dillon Monsignor Desmond (Da Roza) Dillon celebrated his 65th anniversary as a priest on May 28, 2006. Congratulations Monsignor Dillon. UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 18 of 36 Lembracas de Macau Alex Xavier informs us that he has received a CD, put out by Armando Santos and Alex Airosa and the songs are great. The CD is available at $10 each and can be ordered through him [email protected] or directly through Armando Santos at [email protected]. The title of the CD is Lembrancas de Macau by Armando Santos and has 12 songs as follows: 1. Comizaina 3. Mufino 5. Chapa Chera Chipi Chuchu 7. Iou Quere Vos Tanto Tanto 9. Ai Qui Saiao 11. Iou Sa Mae 2. Os Namoradinhos 4. Coisas Da Vida 6. O Egoismo Faz Pagar 8. O Riquexo 10. Lembrando Macau 12. Casa Di Macau Collectibles for Special Ed. Class Oscar Collaco Oscar Collaco is still collecting any foreign stamps and local colorful ones for his students; and, if anyone has spare knitting needles and yarn, please save them for him. Oscar can be contacted at [email protected]. Oscar is a longtime member of the San Francisco Chapter of UMA Inc. Clube de Recreio Centennial Reminiscence Here's an adorable picture of a race (Easter 1941) sent by Barbara Vas. The participants she recognize are: Alex Xavier, ?, Gerald Cunha, (Her Mom, Dalin da Cunha), Eduardo Ribeiro, Julinho Ribeiro, Robert Graca, Frankie Barnes, Peter Silva, ?, ?. She says her Mom must have been a good coach because Gerald won the race. Can anyone identify the other people in the picture? Anymore pictures of that incredible era? UMA NEWS BULLETIN - Summer Issue 2006 Page 19 of 36 Greater East Bay Clippings by Daniel R Gomes The next Chapter Meeting will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2006 in Robert & Margaret De Graca’s home at 831 Sean Place, Concord, Ca 94518. At this meeting we will be electing new officers for the Greater East Bay Chapter for 2007. The meeting will start at 4 P.M and after the meeting we will be going out for a pro-rata dinner. This is a General Meeting and is open to all Chapter Members. Please call Robert or Margaret at (925) 685-8869 for directions and let them know whether you will be joining us for dinner. Hope to see you there. Election of Officers for 2007 – This is an important Election Year, so please give this some serious thought, and return your ballot to Joe De Graca, Chairman, Nominating Committee, 3135 Pine Valley Drive, Fairfield, Ca 94534. Diem Sum Lunch – The Chapter is planning a diem sum luncheon on July 29, 2006 at 11.30 AM in the Oriental Tea House, 604 MacArthur Blvd, San Leandro, Ca 94577. The Cost is $10 for East Bay Chapter Members and $15 for all others. Mail check and reservation by July 24, 2006 to Katherine Orescan, 315 Court St, Jackson, Ca 95642. Christmas Party – The Chapter is planning a Christmas Party at ZIO FRAEDO'S on Sunday, December 10, 2006, starting at 5:30 PM. Vi & Mimi De Britto will be organizing this event. More information will be available in the next issue of the UMA Bulletin. San Mateo Chapter News by Jorge Remedios ([email protected]) San Mateo Chapter Annual Mixed Triples Lawn Bowling Tournament by Pauline de Assis The tournament was held on May 7th at the Rossmoor Lawn Bowling Club. The day was just perfect, warm and sunny. There were 48 participants in the tournament, almost 20 more than last year. Len Gaan, assisted by Peter Souza, was the chairperson of the event. They did a great job in assigning the team players so that the matches were very equally balanced. As usual, there were two games played, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with the teams playing a different opposing team in each game. The teams had many very close games, with about 4 ties and some winning by just one point, but in the end the team of Arnie Barros (skip), Alfredo Pereira (vice) and Rennie Baretto (lead) took first place for the grand prize of $75 for each team member. Their names will be inscribed on the trophy donated by Raquel and Jorge Remedios. San Mateo Chapter generously donated eight cash prizes. The names are too many to mention but among the winners were, for instance, the Manny Pereira team, the Al Mendoza team, and the Andre Banares team. To make the event even more enjoyable, the chairs decided to host a BBQ dinner for the players and guests after the games rather than a sit-down restaurant dinner. The steaks were absolutely delicious, not to mention the rest of the meal of salads and desserts. The winners were announced and Raquel proudly presented the trophy to Arnie and his team mates, with cameras flashing. Miguel Roliz brought along his guitar and everyone joined in singing along the good old melodies that we know so well. Many congratulated San Mateo Chapter for a “swell event” as Oscar Collaço put it and to quote him “The warm atmosphere, the laughter, the kidding, the good sportsmanship, and the pleasant weather, all added to the enjoyment of all participants and viewers alike” – well said, Oscar! Of course, we couldn’t have done it without all the enthusiastic bowlers and the cheers of the non-bowlers. Without a doubt, 2007’s event will see even more bowlers come out to enjoy this fun-filled day-in-the-sun sport of lawn bowling! UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 20 of 36 News from ever sunny Southern California By Delano & Barbara Pereira UMA Southern California Chapter will convene on August 12, 2006, at 1 PM , at Ports O' Call at San Pedro, California, in a restaurant venue to be arranged. Our imminent Elections and Christmas Party will be discussed. Please call Sally Carchidi at (714) 526-5986 or Barbara Pereira at (562) 860-9622 for more information. Please mark on your calendar this important date. Gwen and Julio d'Almeida are anxiously awaiting the visit of their son, Dr. Michael d'Almeida, from Michigan, daughter-in-law Colleen and their five cute grandchildren. The entire gang will be hitting all the amusement parks with Grandma and Grandpa. Maria Boyol, daughter of Dolly Boyol and the late Evandole Boyol, was honored by Cerritos College for her dedicated 30 years of outstanding service. Maria was doubly also honored as the "Employee of the Year". Relatives and friends cheered her on as she received her awards. UMA is proud of you and extends to you effusively heartfelt Congratulations. Mrs. Lolita Garcia will be celebrating her 90th Birthday on July 28, 2006. Her children and grandchildren will be arriving from all the parts of the world for this most important and festive occasion. Your friends at UMA wish Da. Lolita a very Happy Birthday and muitissimos Parabens! Da. Lolita will also become the great-grandmother courtesy of granddaughter Gerry (Geraldina) and of Steve Gallegos. Gerry is the daughter of Lolita Garcias do Rosario and of Joao do Rosario, a former vice-president of the UMA Southern California Chapter, currently residing in Macau. Baby will make her grand entrance in late July, 2006. News from San Francisco Chapter by Alex Xavier Marie (Figgy) Britto, celebrated her 90th birthday with a lovely luncheon for her family and some close friends at the Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco on Sunday, April 23, 2006. Relatives from England: Betty Rudge, with daughter Patsy Cooke; son Doug & wife Shona; and Debbie Bello. From Hong Kong: Carlotta (Figueredo) Williams; and Lindy Fok. She received so many cards for the occasion that she has asked that an acknowledgement be made to thank all the people who sent her so many good wishes. Parabens Figgy…..sure wish we can look as good as you, and feel as agile as you, when and if we ever get to be 90!! All Day Social: Once again, SF Chapter is sponsoring their “All Day Social” on Monday, July 10, 2006, at the United Airlines Union Hall located at 1511 Rollins Road, Burlingame from 10 AM to 10 PM. Cost per UMA member: $12.00. Cost per non-UMA member: $17.00 Enjoy a full day of mahjong, poker, Mexican train, red dog and socializing with family and friends. Donuts will be served first thing in the morning, followed by lunch at 12:00 noon and dinner at 7:00 PM. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 21 of 36 Reservations can be made by calling either Maureen Xavier at *82/1/650/991-8808 or Tila Danenberg at 415/661-3027. Reservations must be made no later than July 6, 2006. Please make checks payable to UMA, Inc. SF Chapter. Send your check to: Maureen Xavier, 5 Belmont Dr., Daly City, CA. 94015. No Refunds for “No Shows”. Come one and all because it’s really a full day of fun!!!!!! New Members: Vasco J. & Judy H. Rosario, Jorge A. Rosario, Elisa Noronha, Alfred A. & Doring C. Mendoza, Joseph & Tecla S. Shepard. Lawn Bowling News: On Saturday, April 22, 2006, eight women bowlers from the SF Lawn Bowling Club took up the challenge to see who would be this years winner of the “Women’s’ 4-3-2-1 tournament. Each bowler played three 100 point games; one game in the morning and two in the afternoon. The players were pretty well matched and each player played nineteen to twenty ends before reaching the score of one hundred. This year, the first place winner was D. J. Doring. Maureen Xavier took second place. Both players won all three games but D. J. Doring had higher points. The third place winner was EB Parkell, and Doreen Pereira took fourth place. Both EB and Doreen won two games apiece but EB took third place with higher points. Good job ladies! On Saturday, May 27, 2006 and Sunday, May 28, 2006, the PIMD men’s’ and ladies’ Memorial Day Pairs were held at the San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club. The teams played three games on Saturday and three games on Sunday. In the men’s’ “A” Flight Division, first place was won by Ed Guterres and Joe Shepard. Mano Pereira and Norm Tiernan took third place. Congratulations! In the “B” Flight, Ed de Assis and Ingmar Erickson took first place while Ed Ribeiro and Jim Towar took third place. Congratulations to our fine men bowlers. In the ladies’ division, first place was won by Maureen Xavier and Doreen Pereira. Congratulations and well done!!!!! Sandy Souza and Jackie Purdy took second place. Third place was won by Regina Banares and Pat Guterres. Congratulations to our fine lady bowlers! I continue to encourage our members to submit news for the bulletin. Please feel free to call Alex Xavier at 650/991-8808, or mail your article to him at: 5 Belmont Drive, Daly City, Ca. 94015. His email address is: [email protected]. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 22 of 36 . The Great Caper By Daniel Gomes In the twilight hours of the civil war in China in 1949, a train load of military equipment from Cheng Kai Shek’s army left China and ended up in the railroad yard in Chatham Road opposite Rosary Church. The train was loaded with the best equipment the US Military had provided Cheng’s Nationalist Army. There were heavy machine guns, light arms, gas masks, grenades, watches, goggles, bayonets, compasses, etc. This was too much temptation for the Chinese looters, who would steal anything in those days inorder to survive the ravages of war. One night they broke into the caboose and made off with most of the expensive equipment. The next day some of our boys, whose names will not be mentioned, saw some left over equipment scattered on the railroad tracks and could not resist climbing over the pointed metal fence and picking up the equipment on the tracks and what was left in the caboose. However, this time the railroad guards were ready and started chasing our guys from the railroad yard. Most of the guys who were not yet too committed were able to scramble over the fence into the Chatham Road park and escape the wrath of the Indian railroad guards. One individual, however, whose name will not be mentioned, was totally committed by that time and his only route of escape was to try to leap over the pointed metal fence between Chatham Road Park and the railroad yard. Unfortunately, he was unable to clear the fence and got impaled on the spike. Lucky for him, our good friend and giant Bosco was watching the events unfold in the park and was able to lift him off the spike to safety – he was taken to the hospital and thankfully recovered fully. The next day we were all in class, when the local gendarme came calling. They lined us all up in the soccer field and started to question us one by one. Most of us admitted that we had one or two pieces of equipment , mostly compasses, watches and some knives. The police were not too concerned about the things we took; they were more interested in recovering the weapon systems. They told us to bring everything we had to school the next day and they would not pursue the matter further. The next day we all brought our loot to school. There were a whole assortment of stuff, including knives, goggles, compasses and gas masks. That ended our caper, however, we didn’t hear the last of it from the principal of our school or our parents. As a postscript to this story, my friend Manuel Nunes reminded me that some of the stuff which were pilfered ended up with the retail vendors on Jordan Road and we were able to buy them when we went looking for boy scout paraphernalia. I ended up with a compass which came in handy during my boy scout days when we were trekking through the hills of Hong Kong. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 23 of 36 On Tea-Bags by [email protected] Consider the lowly tea-bag. Whoever thought up its design deserves admission into the hall of fame for ingenious inventions. The little bag itself is made out of a type of porous paper, much like the rice paper that as kids we used to build our balsa wood model airplanes with. This bag is made in such a way that it has two compartments, not exactly mutually exclusive, but separated by a neat double fold at the base. The finely crushed tea leaves, enough to produce one cup of strong, and two cups of weak, tea, are contained in equal measures within the two compartments, which were designed to allow water to flow through, and thus offer the leaves greater exposure to the hot liquid, so as to produce a richer brew. The bag is folded over neatly at the top, neatly as in the manner of a gift parcel, and the fold is held by a tiny metal staple. (I am sure that you could not find a staple gun in the stationery store that handles such tiny staples.) Besides holding the bag close, this staple also encloses a short cotton thread. At the opposite end of the thread is a small printed label, in the case of the yellow Lipton's tea-bag the label is on a lightweight card, and in the case of some Chinese tea-bags it might be thinner paper. This label is held to the thread by another staple, so two staples per each two-compartment tea-bag. The yellow Lipton label bears the words "Lipton", "Yellow Label Tea", "Finest Blend", and "Quality No.1", quite a lot of advertising in a ¾ inch by ¾ inch area. But that's not what is really remarkable about the tea-bag label. Where at the top it is attached to the thread that is attached to the tea-bag by a staple, at the bottom the same string is neatly secured in a tiny slit cut into the label, so that when you pick up the tea-bag, the thread, which measures about 3 ½ inches in length, does not fall free, but acts as a secure belt around the bag, running from pole to pole like a meridian of longitude. You then gently take the thread out of the slit, hold it at the label end, with the tea-bag dangling like a pendulum, and place the bag in a tea-cup. Now we come to the true ingenuity of the design. I repeat, whoever thought up the tea-bag must be one of the world's great inventors, to share space in the pantheon with Leonardo, Edison, Bell and their ilk. That little slit at the base of the tea-bag label serves a dual purpose. We have already described the first. How often we have run into a situation like this — we take a tea-bag and place it in a cup, with the thread and label hanging over the cup's rim, we then pour hot, preferably boiling, water into the cup, and suddenly the weight of the water drives the string and the label into the cup. It then becomes a messy business to extricate the hot, wet thread and soggy label from the quickly brewing tea. Nobody wants to add milk and sugar to tea with a label floating in it. Now, this is how the tiny slit in the label comes into play. Before you add the hot water, you wind the thread through the ear of the tea-cup, once, to anchor it, and then you slip the thread back into the little slit in the label, and voilà, the label and thread remain firmly secured and will not be sucked in when you pour hot water into the tea-cup. You see what I mean by ingenuity. This humble tea-bag has it in spades. (Editor’s Note: The author of this article wishes to disclose that he does not own any shares in the Lipton Tea Company.) UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 24 of 36 1506 Massacre of New Christians in Lisbon by Gilbert Wells On Saturday 29 April 2006 after sundown, a commemorative symposium on the 500th anniversary of the massacre of over 2000 New Christians (converted Jews) was sponsored by the Association of Portuguese Jewish Studies at the Hotel Tivoli in Lisbon. The speakers included Professor Elvira Méa from the University of Porto who spoke on "The Time of Mistake 1496 - 1550"; Professor Yosef Kaplan from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem who spoke of "The Jewish-Portuguese Diaspora and their Tribulations in Exile" and Richard Zimler, author of "The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon", who entitled his talk "The Pogrom of Lisbon Through the Eyes of a Writer". The program was brought to a conclusion about midnight by a violin solo rendition of Ravel's "Kaddish" by Max Rabinovitsj. Professor Méa started off by talking about the not well known episode of the massacre of 1506 during the Inquisition in Portugal which she called "The Time of Mistake". The second half of the 15th century was a difficult time for Spanish Jews who had started to come to Portugal in the 13th century. In 1449 Portuguese youths sacked the Jewish quarter of Lisbon. The Portuguese locals were very poor in contrast to the Jews who were in a higher economic position than the Portuguese. Jews brought capital with which they engaged in the manufacture of cork, wine, silk and olives which are not labor intensive. They also invested in land. There were lots of complaints from the local population because of the economic diversity, however, most Portuguese were against assimilation of the Jews. During the Spanish Inquisition poor Jews started to flood into Portugal from Spain bring in new problems. There was no room in the Ghetto for these new immigrants and little help were offered by the more well-to-do Jews who had settled in Portugal. The Catholic Church was no help and preached against Jews living with Christians. There was a clamp down on "illegal aliens" coming into Portugal and some Jewish children were sent to the island of S. Tomé. Don João II needed money for his Discoveries and he borrowed heavily from the Jews. The discoveries by Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama gave both Spain and Portugal much needed prestige and both Spain and Portugal claimed they had found India. Don Manuel, who had not been trained to be king, gave the Jews lots of privileges and they were able to start businesses in the new colonies. When he married a Spanish princess the Spanish king insisted that he get rid of the Jews. Don Manuel gave the Jews some breathing space to make up their minds to emigrate. Those who wished, were allowed to emigrate and others with economic roots remained in Portugal. There were mass baptisms and they became New Christians. In 1503 the Spanish Inquisition asked for the Jews who had escaped from Spain. The Portuguese King refused the request. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 25 of 36 In 1504 there was a lack of wheat because of drought and the New Christians were blamed. There were rumors against the Jews and synagogues were attacked. In 1506 Easter was celebrated and Lisbon was a hot bed of jealousy. The plague arrived in Lisbon and the court left when the death count reached about 100 per day. The people prayed in São Domingos for relief from the plague and drought. A special light fell on the crucifix in the church and a statue of the virgin was seen crying. The New Christians had not had catechism lessons and had no idea of miracles. They questioned the miracles of the light and crying virgin and were accused of heresy and cries of "Death to the Jews" rang out. On the first day about 600 Jews were killed. On the second day the Portuguese pillaged and stole, not only from the New Christians, but took advantage of the situation and attacked their personal enemies. The king was in Evora at that time, because his mother was dying and his wife had given birth and had a one and half month old child. Two nobles volunteered to restore order with 400 soldiers but the people refused and the massacre continued. The king then sent a decree to allow the New Christians to go to Setubal and embark for abroad. Nothing happened. He then ordered harsh penalties for the perpetrators but the courts were afraid and only a hundred were arrested. The king then allowed all the New Christians to leave but the public refused and the Inquisition began in earnest. Professor Kaplan said that one of the consequences of the 1506 massacre was the arrival of Portuguese Jewish immigrants in Amsterdam, Hamburg and Nigono, Italy. From Amsterdam they spread out all over the New World and the orient. Many today, in places like Turkey, consider Portugal their true home. He also supported the statement of Professor Méa that in 1493 about 1000 Jewish children were sent to S. Tomé off the coast of Africa. Richard Zimler said that when he first came to Portugal from the US he did not know of the Lisbon Pogrom of 1506 and there was very little literature on the subject. He researched this historically remote incident and included it in his fictional book "The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon". He ended by saying we should never forget. Ravel's "Kaddish" played on the violin by Max Rabinovitsj was a fitting conclusion to the commemoration. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 26 of 36 Beliefs, Tall Tales, Superstitions and Ghost Stories By Arthur Remedios Hong Kong in the 1940s and 1950s presented those of us who grew up there with unique cultural opportunities. We were at the center of a mix that included centuries-old Chinese values, sundry other Asian influences (Indian, Malayan, Indonesian), British colonial attitudes, our own Macanese traditions, and an allpervasive American pop culture that included movies, music and comics. The environment provided many options for the pursuit of happiness, i.e. eating, drinking and having fun. By the same token, it was also a clearing-house for odd beliefs, tall tales, superstitions and ghost stories inherited from all the sources in the mix. Growing up, few of us questioned this stuff or said to ourselves, “C’mon, meh, don’t be such a môno.” Some of our naiveté was an inevitable by-product of our Catholic upbringing. For instance, my friends and I were all fervent believers in ghosts. And why not? Weren’t we continually reminded of the existence of one - the Holy kind - every time we made the sign of the cross? But more on ghosts later. Another religion-based belief was that if we dropped food on the ground, say a wah mui (sour plum), we knew that making the sign of the cross over it would either sterilize it or render us immune to any pathogens it picked up. Either way it was now perfectly safe to eat. Funny, we never tried this with ice cream, but that was probably not because we thought the principle wouldn’t work but because the ice cream lost its appeal somehow. It did work with buying and eating suspicious food from street vendors. Unsure about ch’au tau foo, tofu squares deep-fried in oil that had, because of continual use since the T’ang dynasty, attained a robust, fullbodied bouquet, like fine wine? Or ngau cha’ap, a gnarly stew made out of the entrails of, nominally, a cow but probably of assorted other animals too? Dali a sign of the cross and all would be well. In church, upon receiving communion, we had to let the host soften in our mouth and then swallow it whole. Woe to the person who bit into the wafer. One religion teacher assured us he had personal knowledge of someone who, having done this, caused blood to pour out of the wafer. This story so traumatized me that for years I took part in the sacrament with an obsessive and infinite care worthy of the obsessive-compulsive detective Adrian Monk, all the while feeling vaguely guilty of cannibalism. As to tall tales, it was common knowledge that one of the ingredients of Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (ki chup) was ground-up cockroaches, which gave it that extra zesty flavor. I think about that every time the dim sum waitress pours ki chup over my spring rolls. And here’s another I was reminded of recently. If you sat on a seat previously warmed by somebody else’s bottom you ran the risk of see fut saang ch’ong, i.e. your own bottom sprouting (or literally, “giving birth to”) boils, or at least hemorrhoids, or failing that a, er, solid case of constipation. I think someone should alert BMW and Lexus to these hazards, lest they continue to offer heated seats to an unsuspecting public. On a regular basis we observed the superstitions of our Chinese neighbors. From time to time, for instance, we’d notice the sudden appearance of a ramp of bamboo scaffolding, erected overnight, against the outside of an apartment building. A resident of an upper floor having died, the surviving relatives had arranged an alternate route for the corpse to exit the building through the window and down this ramp instead of via the apartment stairway. Afterwards, the ramp was speedily dismantled. The purpose of this elaborate strategy was to forestall the dead person’s spirit haunting the stairway. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 27 of 36 The next story is not from personal experience, but it was told to me often enough that it joins my collection of Chinese superstitions. If someone died away from his home village, you enlisted the services of a certain special skilled individual who could temporarily animate the corpse and then guide it back home. Literally, dead man walking. The guide walked in front and the corpse lurched along behind. Since it was considered very bad luck to come upon, on purpose or by accident, one of these walking corpses, the journeys took place in the dead of night to reduce the risk of chance encounters. As an additional precaution, the guide carried a drum which he struck slowly and ominously to warn people to stay away. This is truly some kind of creepy. So, with spirits that haunt and dead people that walk, we have arrived at ghost stories. When you are a kid first being exposed to such stories, it is helpful to have older brothers who bring home the appropriate comics, such as The Haunt of Fear, Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror, and who consider it their job to scare you witless. In those days before parental advisories, after reading the latest of these EC comics, I wouldn’t sleep for weeks. Incidentally, “EC” stood for “Educational Comics,” so I guess reading them was part of my education. But it was one thing to read about ghosts and to listen to programs like Tales of the Supernatural on Rediffusion (“tales weird, strange, uncanny,” and “there are more things in heaven and earth … than are dreamt of in your philosophy”). The young imagination can have a hard time distinguishing fact from fiction, yet still find some comfort in the thought that these stories might not be true. But to have your elders in the Macanese community tell you about ghosts that they’ve seen personally, well, that was gospel. A couple of the stories that were – honest, swear to God and hope to spit - true, in brief: The man who encountered a woman while walking in the street at night, and after he got close enough, saw that … she had no face! The Macanese family that, regularly seeing a tall, black-hooded figure roaming the corridors of their Austin Avenue flat at night, huddled together in one room every evening seeking safety in numbers. One can add to these the innumerable (and absolutely true!) stories with settings in Macau, a place with the reputation of being a sort of Bermuda Triangle of lost souls, except that unlike the ships and planes that disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle, the lost souls in Macau kept coming back to visit us. The Bermuda Triangle brings me back to the fact that while it has been fun reliving these beliefs, tall tales, superstitions and ghost stories, none of them are unique to the old days, to childhood, or to Hong Kong. In twenty-first century America we still have, alive and well: Bigfoot; aliens in Roswell, New Mexico; innumerable urban legends (did you know there are alligators in the sewers of New York that will pop up in your toilet and bite you where the sun don’t shine?); people who swear they have been abducted by aliens; and pills that are 100% guaranteed to reduce parts you want reduced (such as bottoms, with or without boils, and beer bellies) or enlarge parts you want enlarged (you fill in the blanks). Caramba! Excuse me while I go and photograph a yeti. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 28 of 36 WAYFOONG By Armando “Pinky” da Silva Wayfoong. Short for Wayfoong Ngan Hong “The Bank noted for its many forms of transactions” (my translation).” Wayfoong is the Cantonese term for The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the forerunner of “HSBC the World’s Local Bank”. How big is HSBC (now a holding company)? According to the April 17, 2006 issue of Forbes’ 2006 listing of the world’s largest corporations, HSBC ranks 5th, ahead of such oil giants as Exxon/Mobil (6th), Royal Dutch Shell (7th), British Petroleum BP (8th). By comparison Hong Kong’s Jardine Matheson (Ewo, the Princely House) ranks a respectable 580th. HSBC is the largest British corporation in the world. Scotsman Thomas Sunderland founded the bank in 1865, (in historical context think of the Taiping Rebellion, the American Civil War). The Filhos-de-Macau de Gema (FMs) of Hong Kong were intimately associated with the H&SBC from its very inception by providing deposits and by their employment at the bank.. The clerical ranks of the bank came exclusively from FMs living in the Matomouro (“Muslim Hill”) mid-level bairro near the Roman Catholic Cathedral. By and large, and comparable for its time, FMs led acceptable middle-class lives, (think of having amah servants and the socials at fledgling Lusitano Club), within an accepted socially- tiered British colonial society. There is a reason why Wayfoong (“noted for its many forms of transactions”) acquired this descriptive name. From the start H&SBC provided such features as current accounts, savings accounts, inward and outward bills of exchange, foreign remittances and collections, individual and business loans, vault cash security deposit safety, and bank note issuance. FMs had the trust, the honesty, the willingness, and the demanded skills to become assiduous bank clerks. Try “casting” (adding) by hand long columns of numbers with speed and accuracy or multiplying pounds-shillings- and pence then converting the sums into Hong Kong dollars (and the reverse) or knowing how to handle bills of exchange, or “posting” checks legibly to accounts with school penmanship elegance. Nuncassa fala mais ia! Nossa gente teng ‘sperteza e geito! Fica unga empregado di Hongkongbank sung grandi coisa! Chinese geomancers have ascribed the bank’s productive fortune to its site. The bank, at #1 Queen’s Road Central (still its address), faced The Harbor (shui) with Victoria Peak ridge at its back (shan). Such a positioning is considered auspicious and good Feng Shui. To this day, the current bank building faces open space greenery of sorts to the harbor’s water. There have been four successive buildings at this same site. The current imposing steel and glass Post-Modern edifice was designed by the renowned British architect, Sir Norman Foster, he also of the new Hong Kong Airport. But it is the previous elegant, white Art Deco building built in 1935 with its marble entrance steps flanked by its two imposing bronze lions at its entrance which evokes sentimental memories for many FMs who worked in that building. The Shanghai office on The Bund opened its doors also in 1865. The building was even more imposing than its then Hong Kong counterpart. And, again its clerical ranks were exclusively staffed by FMs. For expatriate officers H&SBC became “The Hongkers and Shankers Bank”. FMs pronounced it in one singsong word, “Hongkongbank” (with the stress on the last syllable). I contend that the H&SBC of that time became a pioneer in Global Banking. When Japan opened to western influences in 1853 with the modernizing “Meiji Restoration”, H&SBC moved to open an office in Tokyo in 1866. It followed by opening branches at all the Treaty Ports in China, Shameen (in Canton), Swatow, Amoy, Foochow, Hangkow and so on. What’s next? America! The U.S. Transcontinental Railway was completed in 1869 (with the Southern Pacific Railroad section constructed through the difficult Sierra Nevada by Chinese Cantonese coolies many having embarked from Macau to San Francisco). Freight and passengers could now move coast to coast in a week’s time. With telegraph connections also in place, H&SBC found it advantageous to open agencies in San Francisco and New York by 1874 to tap the “Opening of the West”, America’s “Manifest Destiny”. It provided banking services to local trading houses dealing with freighting (including the Chinese Coolie Trade), ship chandlery and provisions, and silver bullion shipments (the Mexican silver dollar embossed with Chinese “chop” characters was an accepted coin of the realm in Hong Kong and at all the Treaty Ports of China). UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 29 of 36 The template for the bank’s then prescient and today’s omnipresent expansion was set. Wayfoong provided loans for Hong Kong’s nascent infrastructure, electric, gas, cement companies, tram and rail lines, cross-harbor ferries, and coastal shipping. Then it extended similar services to build up the infrastructure of the Treaty Ports. 18th Century Mercantilism met 19th Century Gunboat Diplomacy. But it was the close relationship between “The Bank” and “The Government” which secured Wayfoong’s status. In a British Crown Colony, the “Crown” appoints a governor and maintains certain control of the lawmaking legislature. Crown land taxes are not repatriated to the British Treasury but remain in the territory. These paid for the administration and the garrisoning of the territory. Sir Thomas Jackson, responsible for the open square named for him which fronted the Bank (residents of pre-WWII Hong Kong will recall the bronze statue of him with that of Queen Victoria), was the Chief Manager. His tenure started in 1876. He served for 26 years and proved to be Wayfoong’s most influential leader of that period. He arranged in 1880 for Wayfoong to be the official banker for the Hong Kong Government. Not only this, but he arranged for the Bank to manage the accounts of all British Government embassies and consulates in China, Japan, and “The Strait Settlements and Singapore”. The interests of Wayfoong Ngan Hong conflated with those of “Her Majesty’s Government East of India”. Wayfoong proceeded to open branches in East Asia and Southeast Asia. The exceptions were at territories dominated by other European colonial powers, Portuguese Macau, French Indochina (today’s Vietnam) and Dutch East Indies (today’s Indonesia). In 1922 Wayfoong opened an office in Manila, in Americanadministered Philippines. Wayfoong set a reputation for managerial probity, financial steadfastness, and guaranteed security of funds, especially with Chinese merchants in the roiling China of the 1920’s and 1930’s. During the 3 ¾ years when Hong Kong was under Japanese occupation during World War II, the Japanese forced Wayfoong to issue newly minted red one-hundred dollar bills. These bills featured the Hong Kong Bank building with its two guarding lions. The money was known as “Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Duress Banknotes”. After the war Wayfoong honored these banknotes at face value. This act enhanced the bank’s reputation for reliability and steadfastness. But it was an event in 1965 which changed the banking picture in Hong Kong. Hang Seng Bank the largest “local native” bank in the colony had a run on its cash deposits by jittery customers. The bank was hemorrhaging cash withdrawals by the hour. Wayfoong stepped into the breach. For a two-thirds controlling share of Hang Seng Bank, Wayfoong guaranteed payments for all cash withdrawals from Hang Seng Bank. Its reputation for reliability, steadfastness and security soared. This takeover move changed Hong Kong’s banking structure which affected FM employees. Until then FMs dominated clerical positions at Wayfoong’s three offices, that at the main office at central Hong Kong and two branches at Tsimshatsui and Mongkok in Kowloon. Suddenly Wayfoong moved into many offices vacated by Hang Seng Bank. Many were located beyond Boundary Street the demarcation line between ceded Kowloon proper and the leased New Territories. Wayfoong moved into Shamshuipo, Laichikok, Tsuen Wan, Yuen Long, Sheung Shui, Lowu, Fanling, Taipo, and Shatin, most in areas undergoing change from rural to urban settings. Wayfoong had to accommodate to Hang Seng Bank’s managerial style of banking. Thus opened an era in which Chinese employees became ascendant in the clerical services at all Wayfoong offices. (By this time also FMs were streaming out of Hong Kong mostly for America, Canada, Australia, and Brazil). The acquisition of Hang Seng Bank provided a prescient template for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation’s predilection for expanding its banking services through the acquisition of troubled or failing banks. The template for future acquisition and expansion was set. Fast forward to today. Wayfoong, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, has morphed into megagiant “HSBC Holdings, Inc.” engaged in commercial banking, investment banking, governmental financing, commercial and home real estate, credit card issuance, and insurance coverage worldwide. In America it started first with the acquiring of the large and prestigious Marine Midland Bank of New York in the 1980’s. The “Pac Man Strategy” of buying up all sorts of banking, financial, insurance, credit loan and brokerage institutions followed worldwide. “HSBC, the World’s Local Bank” is now a recognized marketing brand name. In 2005 HSBC had some 9700 offices worldwide in 77 territories, employed 260,000 people, and had assets close to one and a half trillion U.S. dollars. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 30 of 36 HSBC has eleven offices in California, three in the San Francisco Bay Area (two in San Francisco, one in Oakland). I visited HSBC’s spanking new office at Irving street and 24th avenue in the Sunset district of San Francisco. It is attractively decorated in red and gold inside and outside. Its ATM machine outside is in eyefetching flaming red. This office provides full service banking with a complete range of offerings including personal online banking suited to the savvy laptop computer set, among them the many young, smart, entrepreneurial, and wealthy. HSBC operates its own state-of-the art Internet Technology Network (ITN) allowing for the linking of all operational transactions worldwide. HSBC issues it own special credit card in collaboration with MasterCard and American Express to approved selected clients. This credit card could be employed as a portable universal one to be honored where there is an HSBC office. The bank charges a foreign transaction fee equal to 1% of the U.S. dollar amount applying to transactions made in a foreign currency. This credit card could be used with ease and convenience most almost anywhere in the world especially at the many outlier offices of HSBC-heavens-knows-where. HSBC, The World’s Local Bank aptly describes this megagiant corporation. Wayfoong’s starting principle of providing many forms of transactions continues in HSBC today. HSBC has come full circle in full strength from Wayfoong’s beginnings. Betting beyond poker Review of article by Roberto Rocha publisihed in The Gazette, Montreal, Canada by Daniel Gomes Rod de Souza sent me the original article which was written by Roberto Rocha in the Gazette, Montreal, Canada. He must be a “balichao” – does anybody know? The article says that a Montreal software company Dynasty Gaming Inc., is gambling that the business model of “online poker” will propel the Chinese game of “mahjong” to the same scale of financial success. Dynasty Gaming Inc., will partner with Stanley Ho’s Group to launch an official “mahjong” tournament in Macau, China in December 2006 and televise it to China in February 2007. The article goes on to say that “mahjong is much larger than poker. Billions of people in Asia are playing it”. It goes without saying that this is not news to the readers of this bulletin, since most of us grew up with it in China, and many of us continue to play it today. Dynasty Gaming will launch “Mahjong Mania” the first aggregate player, cash-wager version of the game, in which players compete with each other online by betting with credit cards. The company has partnered with Junnet, the leading pre-paid card distributor in China, and will use the Ho brand for marketing muscle. Starting this summer, players can simply buy the cards at Internet cafes and bookstores and play their credits online at the company's website, named “Ho Majiang”. The player will have the chance to climb skill ladders and participate in tournaments. In fact, some seats at the World Cup of Mahjong in December will be reserved for top online players. The rest will be buy-ins, just like televised poker tournaments. Dynasty spokesman, Barbusci said, “If the big event is a hit, Dynasty Gaming and the Ho Group will host local tournaments in major Chinese cities to eventually become a pan-Asian competition”. Well ladies and gentlemen, lets roll up our sleeves and make some money! UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 31 of 36 DA LUZ, Alda (nee d'Oliveira), born in Shanghai, China on July 31, 1931, passed away on February 22, 2006 in Chilliwack, B.C., Canada after a brief illness. Alda is survived by Archie, her beloved husband of 44 years, devoted son Larry, daughter-in-law Kathleen, grand-daughter Lauren, sister Irene Winn in New Jersey, brothers Manuel(Gladys) in Sonoma, CA, Reinaldo in New Westminster, B.C., and numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws. The family would like to thank everyone for their well wishes, support, hospital visits, flowers and cards DA ROCHA, Therese (nee Barradas) - Peacefully, at Markham-Stouffville Hospital, in her 81st year, on Thursday, March 9, 2006. Loving wife of the late Octavio da Rocha. Devoted mother of Antonio (deceased), Linda (Robert Little), Regina (Robert Chan), Andrea (Norman Steinhauser), Jose (Joanne Wilson), Fernanda (Basil Lee). Avo to Dennis, Mark, Alison, Carl, Derek, Michelle, Peter, Jacqueline, Amanda, Cristina, Adam, Anthony, and Alex. Sister to Ilma, Mickey, and Bruno. Special thanks to Annie for her loving care. DA SILVA, Lily passed away peacefully in San Mateo on June 1, 2006 at the age of 90. Beloved wife of the late Carlos da Silva; loving sister of the late Charles Danenberg; and sister-in-law of Tila Danenberg. Lily was born August 18, 1915 in Shanghai to Gertrude (Barretto) Danenberg and Jeronimo Danenberg. After graduating from high school, she worked as an assistant in the payroll department of Texaco Petroleum in Shanghai from 1939 to 1951. She and her husband relocated to Hong Kong, where Lily worked for the Catholic Relief Service until 1956. She and her husband then moved to San Francisco where she worked for Getz Corporation from 1956 until her retirement in 1981 DEMEE, Alphonse Francois, Jr. - died tragically at the age of 45, on April 20, 2006. Dearly beloved son of Alphonse Sr. and Irene. Loving brother of Diane Benoit (Dan), Michelle Koriganowitz (Victor), Joseph Demee (Dulce).Grandson of Olga Da Luz,, uncle of Christian, Bradley and Evelyn Koriganowitz. Cherished friend of Jennifer Hart. Beloved nephew of Daniel and Leonardo Da Luz. He served as an Eucharistic Minister for Holy Name of Jesus Church, San Francisco. Alphonse was a graduate of U.C. Berkeley and worked as a software engineer. SASSON, Jacoby (Sas) in Jerusalem, Israel, on June 12, 2006. Husband of Hannah. Good friend of UMA and the Macanese-American community. Editor of the Igun Yotzel Sin, The New Israel's Messenger, an association of former Jewish residents in China. PEREIRA, Rita Maria (da Roza) passed away in Foster City, California, on May 9, 2006. She is survived by her loving husband Julio Pereira, 4 children (Joe, Kathy, Lisa, and Michael), and 6 grandchildren. A memorial mass was held in Foster City on May 12th. Julio and family are very grateful for all the kind words and prayers. The memory of Rita will remain in the hearts of family and friends forever. RIBEIRO, Dr. Germano Antonio Vieira passed away in Vancouver on Monday, April 3, 2006. Dr. Ribeiro was born in Hong Kong on December 12, 1913. He was the beloved husband of Alice Artindale (deceased) and loving father of John, Christine, Michael and Elizabeth. His grandchildren are Natasha, Tristan, Kim, Thea, Kevin, Gregory and Brandon. His family will miss him very much. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 32 of 36 RIBEIRO, Aida Maria Pompeia Mendes (formerly of Hong Kong) – Passed away in Wellington, New Zealand on January 16 2006 (aged 78 years). Beloved wife of the late Francisco Antonio (Francis) Ribeiro (of HK Electric). Beloved mother of Marie Frances (Zinha) Ribeiro, Antonio Francisco Ribeiro, Ann Josephine Ribeiro and Irene Aida Bower. Beloved grandmother of Francisco Antonio (Chico) Ribeiro and Jane Marie Ribeiro, Alan and Antony Ribeiro and Marivon Ribeiro; James Francis Foubister and Genevieve Marie Foubister, and Jacqueline Lucia Rodrigues. Beloved daughter of the late Francisco Xavier de Noqueira (Chico) Mendes and Milvida Geralda Xavier Mendes. Beloved sister of Olga Engracia Sousa, Mercedes Vicenta Xavier, Thelma Silvinia Lopes and Henrique Francisco (Henry) Mendes; and the late Felix, Gertudes, Ester and Maximo Mendes. Beloved daughter-in-law of the late Daniel Maria de Jesus Soares Ribeiro and Inez de Jesus Fernandes; and Josefina Maria da Silva Ribeiro. Thank you for being a wonderful mother and friend. Always remembered, sadly missed, forever in our hearts. – Zinha, Tony, Ann and Irene. ROZA, Helena Maria - passed away in Maple Ridge, B.C. on February 19, 2006. Nan, as she was affectionately known, was the daughter of Julio and Aurea Ribeiro and the youngest sister of the late Julio Ribeiro, Regina (Nina) Noronha, Elsa Fonseca and Olga Silva. She was married to the late Gerry Roza of Shanghai and they left HongKong for Canada in the early 50's. She is survived by her sons Marc and Paul, daugher-in-law Dierdre and granddaughter Kristen. SANTOS, Bernard Joseph (Goo Goo) -- Born 6/30/35 in Shanghai, China, to the late Daisy Carion Santos and Bartholomew Santos and whose mother later married the late A. J. Morgado who helped raised him with her, returned to God on March 7, 2006 after an extended and courageous 6-year battle with cancer and emphysema. He received the grace of a beautiful and prayerful death on that morning while in the ICU at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Walnut Creek, CA. He was surrounded by his ever-grateful-to-God, loving and devoted wife, Felice (nee Pomeroy); his son, Joseph, and granddaughter, Adreanna, both of whom he loved so much and was so proud of; Felice's sister, Gladys Marques (married to Fred Marques); his brother, Reggie Santos, and his wife, Fatima (nee Eca); and his other brother, Leonard Santos and his daughter, Stacey, who is Bernie's goddaughter. The Social Worker present in the room at the time of his death, said it was her honor to have been in the room and witnessed such peaceful acceptance, love, courage and faith in God at such a painful moment -- It had made her day! At this time, the family of Bernard Joseph Santos, and the families of his brothers, Reggie Santos & wife, Fatima, and Leonard Santos, wish to extend grateful thanksgiving to all their friends reading this UMA Newsletter and elsewhere for their prayers, cards, and messages of condolence and comfort that have helped so much during this sad occasion for the family. But, as his son, Joseph, put it in Bernie's Eulogy, "Bernie Santos was a man of the 4-F's: Faith, Family, and Fun With Friends". So we weep no more for we know and trust in the Lord that Bernie's faith has brought him to eternal peace and rest with the Father in Heaven where he suffers no more; and we, Joseph, Adreanna and I, his family, thank you all for your friendship and support throughout Bernie's illness and in the days after his death. We hope some time soon to again share in your fun and laughter that made Bernie's life so full. Thank you." Tonnochy, Olivia "Ollie" Angelina passed away peacefully on April 12, 2006 at age 74. Beloved wife of the late Fred "Junior" Tonnochy; loving mother of Joseph (Marlyce), Fred, Daniel, Elaine (George), Patty (Freddy), and Todd (Tonia); devoted grandmother of George Jr., Nisa, Todd Jr., Devin, Amanda, Sean, Tatiana, Serena, Angelique and Alexander; great-grandmother of Rico and Sean Jr. UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Summer Issue 2006 Page 33 of 36
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