Hong Kong Stories – Life before the War

Vol. 34. No. 3
A Publication of UMA, Inc
Editor: Daniel Gomes, 4394 N. Sweetbriar Ct, Concord, Ca 94521
Jul – Sept 2011
E-Mail: [email protected]
Hong Kong Stories – Life before the War
Roy Eric Xavier
Author‟s Note: I have always been fascinated by the stories my parents and other relatives told me
about growing up in Hong Kong before the war. I also marveled at their descriptions of work and
military service, what Macanese family life was like, and how leisure time was spent. Recently I began
to collect those stories and synthesize them into a research project that I’m conducting at U.C. Berkeley.
In this short essay, I‘ve created a summary that hopefully will provide a glimpse of what it was like to
live in Hong Kong before World War II.
Life in Early Hong Kong
By most accounts, life in Hong Kong for Macanese residents
before World War II was comfortable, but not without challenges.
Many Portuguese families from Macau settled in Kowloon, across
Victoria Harbour in the “New Territories” on the Chinese
mainland. Following the British occupation of Hong Kong in
1841, Kowloon was ceded to England in 1861 by the Qing
emperor, and used for hunting until it was leased for 99 years in
1898. After the Kowloon Wharf was constructed in the early
part of the 20th century and the Star Ferry began service, many
Star Ferry Building, Kowloon -1900’s
Portuguese moved to the region.
Portuguese men began working in Hong Kong from the earliest days for large trading houses, like
Jardine and Matheson, or merchant banks, like the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, private companies,
such as Cable and Wireless, or the British colonial government. One of the earliest recorded work
histories belongs to the Barreto family.
Bartolomeu Barretto was a Macau trader who is mentioned
prominently in the early correspondence between William Jardine
and James Matheson in 1827. The firm employed Bartolomeu as
a “channel of mediation” to open British trade in South China,
asking him to intercede with the governor of Macau and the
powerful Hongs, the trade officials appointed by the Chinese
government. His brother, Joao Antonio Gonsalves Barretto and
his nephew, Bartolomeu Antonio Barretto, also worked for
Jardines. The nephew was one of two bookkeepers in the firm‟s
William Jardine James Matheson
early days, and William Jardine‟s trusted aide who oversaw accounts in Canton and Hong Kong. Like
his uncle, Bartolomeu A. Barretto used his knowledge of Portuguese and Chinese to settle disputes for
the company, including those between ship captains and Chinese officials just prior to the Opium War.
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
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Hong Kong Stories
In most cases, Portuguese men worked in Hong Kong as mid-level interpreters, clerks, bookkeepers, and
accountants. Some of the more enterprising started their own businesses in printing, mercantile goods,
and stock trading in the late 19th century. Others became artists and doctors, while some joined the
military or entered the priesthood.
A notable exception was Elvira Maria Alvares Marques, the daughter of Eugenio
Marciano Alvares, a businessman from Macau. Born in Lourenco, Macau in
1897, Elvira began work as the personal secretary to Pedro Jose Lobo, a powerful
businessman and politician in Macau around 1915. In the 1920‟s, she was hired
by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank as its first female secretary, but not
without opposition from the Bishop of Macau, who threatened excommunication
if she accepted the position. Headstrong at a young age, Elvira asked her father to
intercede, which he did successfully, and soon moved to Hong Kong. In a few
years she was promoted to head female secretary at the bank in charge of one
hundred other Portuguese women.
A Place in Society
Elvira Marques - 1920's
As the economy prospered, many Portuguese found themselves in such fortunate, and at times stifling,
circumstances. In the colony‟s culture, the Portuguese always “knew their place”, an accepted part of life
that permeated all levels of Hong Kong society. This situation originated from the earliest days. One
observer wrote about the “separate and peaceful coexistence” of the British, Portuguese, and Chinese in
the 1860‟s, which continued even after segregation laws were enacted on the pretext of controlling
disease at the turn of the century. The same writer noted that the unquestioned acceptance of work,
family, and social roles by Portuguese residents made such government policies irrelevant.
In the workplace, clear divisions separated British executives from Portuguese employees, and from
Chinese laborers. All English language newspapers in the 1860‟s, for example, were staffed by
Portuguese compositors and edited by British expatriates. A roster of government and business members
around the same time lists committees headed by Englishmen and staffed by one or two Portuguese male
secretaries. In the banks and trading houses, Portuguese clerks and bookkeepers also worked under
English executives. The shipping lines, telegraph companies, and the military were similarly organized.
These hierarchical structures did not change substantially until after World War II.
Within these organizations, Portuguese clerks reported to a
Head Clerk or a Chief Accountant, often a long time Portuguese
employee, the highest position to which a worker of his or her
race could aspire. There was little choice. Above the Head
Clerk, department heads were reserved for British expatriates,
many of whom stayed in Hong Kong only a few years. Below
were teller and labor positions, always occupied by Chinese
workers. Custom, family pressures, and traditions based on
years of ethnic stereotypes prevented Portuguese workers from
descending lower in the organization. Company and colonial policies
created barriers to moving any higher.
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
Portuguese Clerk - 1940's
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Hong Kong Stories
The same social ordering is evident in military service before
and immediately after World War II. The colonial militia was
first organized in 1854. The modern force, called the Hong
Kong Volunteer Defence Corp, was reorganized in 1933 in
response to the threat of war with Japan. It consisted of
separate Portuguese, Chinese, Eurasian, and Scottish infantries.
By 1941 there were two companies of Portuguese volunteers in
the Defence Corp, both of which fought with British and
Canadian troops during the Japanese invasion.
Portuguese Regiment - 1950’s
Racial divisions were tolerated for the most part. As Horatio Ozorio, a resident of Hong Kong before the
war, wrote,
As long as I was not too ambitious, as long as I could accept the system of government there, as
long as I “knew my place,” and despite being disenfranchised, life was pleasant enough. But
eventually it was not. In the makeup of the population I was ethnically sandwiched between the
privileged minority Caucasians, who held the power, and the majority Chinese citizens, who
were oppressed. In-between these two groups were the non-Caucasian, non-Chinese segment of
the colony‟s population. I was ethnically Portuguese, “classified” as a Macanese … so I
belonged in that segment. It had its pluses and it had its minuses.
Family Life as a Refuge
One of the few shelters from such conflicts was the family. Most Macanese women left the turmoil of
the workplace and politics to their fathers, uncles, husbands, and brothers. Many accepted traditional
roles as wives, mothers, and critically, as managers of large extended households. The pattern was a
carryover from traditions begun in Macau.
The Alvares family, for example, consisted of eleven siblings
and other family members from three marriages who lived in
the same household in Macau in the early years of the 19th
century. In 1862 Lisbello de Jesus Xavier was born into
another extended family of ten siblings and other relatives in
Macau. His son, Paulo de Gama Maria Xavier, was born in
Hong Kong in 1899 as the fourth youngest in a family of
twelve.
The Alvares Family - Macau - 1890's
Father Jose “Zinho” Gosano recalled a similar life in 1930‟s Kowloon.
“…besides the 9 of us plus Mother, we had 2 of Mother‟s brothers living with us. Mother was
also looking after another 4 orphans – her brother‟s children (a boy and 3 girls), and then another
family of my mother‟s (relatives) … including 2 boys. …, about 18 or 19 at one stage. “
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Hong Kong Stories
Such large families would not have been possible without Chinese “amahs”. As Ozorio wrote:
… , each family had two amahs, one to cook and the other to do the rest of the chores. Larger
families had a third amah to care for the children. When a family was exceptionally large, say
eight or more children, there might be a fourth amah whose main duty was the laundry. In the
high humidity tropical setting of the Far East a heavy load of laundry every day or two was
usual.
To accommodate these households, most Portuguese family
dwellings were built with multiple floors. On the ground
floor were sitting rooms and parlors, with kitchens and
servant quarters in the back. On the next level, or the “first”
floor, were usually relatives‟ and older children‟s rooms. The
“second” and “third” floors consisted of the main bedrooms
for the head of the household and his wife, their younger
children, and perhaps small rooms for “baby amahs”, who
helped care for them. Rooftops and balconies on each of the
upper floors allowed places to dry laundry, play areas for the
older children and vantage points to see other relatives‟
Alvares Women in Sitting Room–1940’s
houses.
Portuguese households also made up part of a larger community. Fr. Gosano‟s description of his
neighborhood was typical:
We lived on Soares Avenue, Homantin, where there were quite a few Portuguese people who
bought the houses around us. … The house … was two-storied. It was attached to number 9
Soares Avenue, which was occupied by … the Sequeiras. Next door to us, Number 13, was
occupied by another Portuguese family called the Barros. In between this house and the next was
one … occupied by a Portuguese family called Guterres. Next door to the Guterres‟s was where
the Yvanovichs lived …
Community Life
Much like their family lives, the community life
of Portuguese before World War II was similarly
cloistered. Macanese children almost always
went to Portuguese schools in Kowloon or Hong
Kong that were organized by Catholic
missionary orders, such as Jesuits, Christian
Brothers, Franciscans or the Canossian Sisters.
There were some instances in which children
were sent to Macau to learn Portuguese
language and customs, or to Shanghai prior to
1939 to be tutored in French, Spanish, or other
languages. But as Hong Kong grew and
Macanese families prospered, education in the
colony became the accepted practice.
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
La Salle College - Kowloon - 1930's
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Hong Kong Stories
Within the schools, students whose predominant language was Portuguese were often separated from
those who spoke mostly Chinese, and from other children who spoke a mix of Portuguese, English,
French, Russian, Filipino or the Macanese patois. While accommodations were made, such divisions
were observed for practical and cultural reasons. Most Macanese parents, for example, wanted their
children to learn English or Portuguese for advancement in business and higher education. For some
Chinese families, the purpose was to learn the language of the colonizer.
The closeness of the Macanese community also was evident among its
social organizations. The most well known were the Club Lusitano, the
Club de Recreio, and the Little Flower Club, all established in the late
19th century in Hong Kong by Portuguese men and women. While my
research is still preliminary, the purpose of the Lusitano was to create
places for Macanese businessmen and their families to meet and
celebrate holidays. The Recreio provided venues to play recreational and
organized sports, while the Flower Club concentrated on charitable
projects.
Club Lusitano - 1870's
The Club Lusitano was established in 1866, but was later moved to downtown on Ice House Street near
the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The Club de Recreio was founded by many of the same businessmen,
but remained in Kowloon because land was available for playing fields, swimming pools, and tennis
courts.
The Little Flower Club was a women‟s organization
which welcomed new families and helped raise funds
for the Church. Theresa M. da Luz, a former member,
described its origins:
The Club was primarily a Catholic Action
Ladies Club. At first, they would meet in a little
room in the rectory of the Hong Kong Catholic
Cathedral and as they recruited more members,
they moved to rented quarters in Jordan Road,
Kowloon, and eventually to their permanent location at Kings' Park, right next door to Club
Recreio. …
Little Flower Club - 1950's
Other less known institutions were also popular, including the Socorros Mútuos Association, which
aided less affluent Macanese.
These organizations, along with Portuguese hospitals, schools, workplaces, churches, and even
cemeteries helped to create a protective cocoon for the Macanese community. Within it, apart from the
turbulent and structured world of colonial commerce, many lived out their lives by following a welltraveled path from birth to the grave.
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Hong Kong Stories
Given this history, some important questions remain about Hong Kong society and the place occupied by
the Portuguese community.
Conclusion
How did Hong Kong become so socially stratified? What purposes, if any, did class and racial divisions
serve? The answers to these questions are complicated by the fact that, despite sporadic worker discord
and volatile world events, Hong Kong prospered as a center of “free trade” in Asia throughout most of
its history.
The blending of social rigidity and open markets apparently worked, but not without some costs. Prior to
World War II, for example, there were few instances of worker protests, strikes or union organizing.
There is also minimal evidence of public assistance, insurance, or healthcare programs during that
period. Without those pressures, government spending on social programs was low. Taxes and wages
were also kept to a minimum. Fewer taxes on business and low personnel costs meant less capital
spending and more revenue.
As a result, most Macanese enjoyed comfortable lives while working in mid-level jobs, benefiting from
the low cost of living, cheap labor, and the general acceptance of the social order. Class and racial
barriers in Hong Kong society, however they were established, did not seem to limit the colony‟s
commercial success at all. In fact, they may have contributed to it.
The separation of ethnic communities in such a highly structured environment was an advantage for
commercial and government interests. A major reason why trading houses and banks were successful
was because British, Portuguese, and Chinese employees always “knew their place” and worked
together. As a result, public criticism of any company or colonial administration before World War II
was rare. The absence of criticism among the Macanese could have been a relic of Portuguese culture, or
related to fears of reprisal, or a combination of factors. But the weight of expectations on them by
family, their community, the Church, and the workplace was enough for most not to question the status
quo.
Politically, an implicit policy of “divide and conquer” by colonial governments, supported by favorable
Portuguese stereotypes of the British and unfavorable Chinese stereotypes, had the effect of creating a
“buffer” between the two groups in which the Macanese community languished for many years. In some
cases, Macanese leaders were relied upon to help maintain colonial stability in times of crisis. Only the
coming of World War II, revolutions in China, and the migration of young Macanese to the west
disrupted this social order.
Geopolitical explanations, however, do little to capture the collective sense of loss in pre-war Hong
Kong, or the shock of refugee life in Macau as experienced by members of the Portuguese community.
Only their stories, placed within an historical context, allow us to understand the impact of those
experiences on the community as a whole. That will be the goal of future articles.
If you would like to contribute your stories on the Portuguese experience in Hong Kong, please contact
me at: [email protected]. I‟ll send you back a link to follow my research on Facebook.
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
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Maria F. Gomes
One of UMA’s Goals for the 2011-2012 Term is to “preserve, enhance and advance the culture,
heritage, traditions and history of people of Portuguese/Macanese ancestry”. Thanks to our Editor
Daniel Gomes and our many contributors, our UMA Bulletin has continued to support this goal. A new
Strategy of UMA in support of this goal is “to share information on UMA with the global community
…” through our Website. Our UMA Website http://www.uma-casademacau.com has had over 20,000
hits worldwide. Another strong force in support of this goal is our Scholarship Program. Our thanks go
to the members of the Scholarship Committee: Raquel Remedios, Jim Silva, and Armando da Silva, who
worked diligently on the selection of our scholarship recipients. Their job was a difficult one as UMA
was blessed with four excellent candidates this year. Our two scholarship recipients are Braxtin da
Roza, grandson of Gustavo and Gloria da Roza, for the União Macaense Americana Scholarship, and
Stefani da Silva, granddaughter of Janice and the late Eduardo da Silva, for the Jorge & Elise Rosario
Scholarship. Our congratulations and best wishes go to these two outstanding young members of the
Portuguese/Macanese diaspora and their families.
A new Objective for the 2011-2012 term is to “make UMA more attractive to individuals that are
under age 60”, and one of the Strategies to achieve this objective is for our Recruitment Committee to
“work on having new events and activities targeting individuals under 60”. This critically important
objective was well served by the very successful new event, our Family Picnic; special thanks go to our
Recruitment Committee: Joanne Segovia, Larry Collaco, Vic Boisseree, and Maria Gomes, and our
Social Committee Chair, Flavia Greubel. Many more of our younger members turned out to enjoy this
event. There were 82 adults and 22 children having a great time at Heather Farms Park on August 20th at
our picnic. Witness the fun in the photos of the event in this Bulletin as well as many more photos in full
color on our website. This is just a start, and we welcome our members to help us continue our work on
this objective. Our next event in support of this new objective is our Halloween Monster Bash on
October 30th. The flyer for this event is on Page 23; bring your family and friends to have a great time.
Another of UMA’s Objectives for this Term is to “continue to provide the many events and activities
that the current members enjoy”. Thanks to our Events‟ Chairpersons and the Social Committee
members we have continued to have our many events. On July 16th we had our annual Thanksgiving
Mass, and there were over 100 people present. On August 6th our Southern California members had a
very successful social at our Dim Sum Luncheon. Also on August 6th we had our annual Noite
Macaense Dinner Dance with 110 enthusiastic people dancing the night away after they enjoyed our
dinner of ham, Macanese Minchi, and Macanese Tacho with Balichao. Many shared their delight and
appreciation for our Macanese dishes. Use the flyer on Page 24, and come enjoy our Nossa Festa de
Natal which will be on December 3rd.
UMA‟s Goals, Objectives, and Strategies were set to serve UMA and our members. Take full advantage
of your membership; bring your friends and relatives to our events; and join us at our Annual General
Meeting on November 12th at the Macau Cultural Center. Please refer to our notice on Page 22. Your
presence and help is always valued and appreciated.
WE ARE PLANNING AN OPEN DISCUSSION ON HOW TO INCREASE UMA MEMBERSHIP IN
JANUARY 2012. FURTHER DETAILS TO COME IN THE DECEMBER BULLETIN.
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
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UMA, Inc Scholarship Recipient
Mrs. Maria de Fátima Gomes, President
União Macaense Americana, UMA, Inc.
4394 N. Sweetbriar Court
Concord California 94521
July 19, 2011
Dear Madame President,
My name is Braxtin da Roza, and I am honored to be the recipient of the 2011 UMA Scholarship.
I have recently graduated from Vancouver College, an independent Catholic boys school owned and operated by
the Christian Brothers and located in the beautiful city of Vancouver, British Columbia. I was fortunate to be
accepted by multiple universities across Canada and I have chosen to attend McGill University due to its renown
science and medical programs. It is located in the heart of downtown Montreal in the Province of Quebec, and I
will be studying biomedical sciences in preparation for medical school.
As I reminisce about my high school years, I pause to remember all the people, places, and things, which have
influenced who I am today. Growing up as the second of four boys I have constantly been surrounded by a highenergy environment curbed by the leadership of my parents. In school I have maintained top marks while
contributing to several academic clubs and athletic programs. This includes the math club, physics club, chess
club, varsity field lacrosse team, and varsity hockey team. Outside of school I have been actively involved in the
community as a volunteer for my local Roman Catholic parish, food shelf, and minor hockey association. I am
also an avid hockey and lacrosse player for my local associations. In addition to my community volunteering and
athletics, I have been a valued employee at my local McDonalds for the past year. Here I have acquired valuable
job experience, and money to help pay for university studies. I have also just learnt that I have been awarded
another scholarship given to three applicants in all of western Canada by McDonalds Canada. This ideal blend of
school, athletics, and community involvement, has enriched my life while teaching me the dedication and
responsibility needed to be successful.
Once again I would like to express my appreciation for being awarded the UMA Scholarship for 2011 and my
gratitude towards your selection committee. I will forever remember this generosity that has allowed me to focus
on learning rather than financial burdens. Thank you.
Yours truly,
Braxtin da Roza (Grandson of Gustavo & Gloria da Roza)
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
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Rosario Scholarship Recipient
UMA, Inc.
Scholarship Committee
4394 N Sweetbriar Court
Concord, CA 94521
July 27, 2011
To the Uniao Macaense Americana, Inc. Scholarship Committee,
My name is Stefanie M. da Silva, I am the eldest child of Thomas and Monica da Silva, and
granddaughter of Janice M. and the late Eduardo A. da Silva. I have recently graduated form Mateo Dei
High School in Santa Ana and will be attending my local community college of Orange Coast College in
Costa Mesa. I then plan on transferring to one of the California State Universities. I am quite fascinated
by the different styles of art, whether it is drawing, designing or painting. Since it all interests me, I have
chosen to major in Art and Design but I will also take the opportunity during my first years to try
different classes and recognize which subjects I am attracted to. I am positive in my goals and ambitions
to learn and gain an education. Archimedes once said “Give me a place to stand and with a lever I will
move the whole world.” With education as my lever, I am excited to see what the world and my future
has in store.
At this time, I would like to say “Thank You” to all the chairpersons, and many members of the Uniao
Macaense Americana, Inc. I am honored to receive this year‟s Rosario Scholarship and shall do my best
to make our heritage proud!
Sincerely
Stefanie M. da Silva
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
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By Joanne Segovia
It was Saturday, June 25, 2011 – a beautiful and perfect day for golf.
The sun was shining and the temperature was in the 70‟s. The
second annual UMA Golf Tournament saw the return of many
familiar faces as well as many new ones. Players gathered in front of
the newly built Rossmoor clubhouse with its river rock façade and
spacious patio overlooking the first hole of the Creekside course.
At registration, each player received a
goodie bag filled with snacks for the
round, golf accessories such as tees, balls, caps, towels, etc., and an UMA
golfer etched beverage glass. After some time to warm up, the players
took to the 18-hole Dollar Ranch course for their rounds. The Rossmoor
course is one of the best maintained courses in the San Francisco Bay
Area so we are very fortunate to be
able to hold our tournaments there.
The field consisted of twenty-eight men and eight women – it was
quite a nice turnout. Everyone was scored by the Callaway
system, which we used last year. It enables us to level the playing
field so that even those who play infrequently or just for fun can
be assigned a one-day handicap. This gives everyone – not just the
seasoned golfers – a chance to win a coveted trophy.
After the rounds of golf were finished, everyone gathered in a
meeting room at the front of the new clubhouse, which had a view of the golf course and access to the
front patio, for a Chinese dinner catered by Three Brothers of Pleasant Hill. Joined by family members
and groups of friends, the weary golfers sat down to enjoy the wonderful meal coordinated by Flavia
Greubel and her Social Committee.
When the meal concluded, prizes were awarded to the eager participants. It was especially poignant this
year as the Da Costa Cup was handed out as we had just lost our dear Robbie, who donated the cup last
year to this tournament.
Da Costa Cup Champion – Victor Oliveira
Low Gross Men – Victor Oliveira
Low Gross Women – Ginny Taylor
Callaway Low Net Men – Ryan Franco
Callaway Low Net Women – Marcela Tannenber
Longest Drive Men – Alex Odo
Longest Drive Women – Joanne Segovia
Closest to the Pin
Hole #2 – Alex Odo
Hole #4 – Len Gaan
Hole #10 – Ginny Taylor
Hole #14 – Bob Sequeira
Hole #16 – Lionel Guterres, Jr.
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
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Maria Gomes
Our 2011 Thanksgiving Mass & Luncheon was held on July 16th at Good Shepherd Church, and
there were over 100 people present. This was impressive and reflects the Catholic roots of our
culture. It was my pleasure to welcome and greet those present, as “ … together we can give
thanks to god for the many blessings we have been given: our family, our friends, our catholic
faith, and our rich heritage and culture … ”.
The day began with Event Chairperson Marie
Guterres, Social Chairperson Flavia Greubel, and
their helpers setting up the hall for the
luncheon; at the same time the vocalists John
Madeira, Vilma Remedios, Felice Santos, and
Janiece Duronslet gathered with pianist Maria
Gomes to work on the hymns for mass.
A few minutes before 11 AM our members and friends
began to pour into the church. Shortly after eleven
the welcome was presented, and an acknowledgment
and applause was given to Father Piers Lahey for the
many years he presided at our Thanksgiving Masses.
Father then processed down the aisle to the altar to
begin our liturgy. Our Secretary Luiz Ozorio did the
first reading, and our Treasurer Francis Carion did
the second reading. I then had the privilege of
leading the congregation in our petitions to pray for
all our members: for those present, for those who
were not able to attend, for those with health and
personal challengers, and for our dear departed
family and friends. We also prayed for peace, for our
troops in harms’ way, and that UMA continues to
enrich the lives of our members and friends.
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
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2011 Thanksgiving Mass & Luncheon
After mass we walked over to the
Church Hall to enjoy the
luncheon; the large group
enjoyed the delicious catered hot
lunch which was well selected by
Marie and Flavia. The hum in
the room and the photos we
share here are evidence of the
fun and warm camaraderie
shared by our members.
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
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By Pauline de Assis
The name Noite Macaense says it all – an enchanting, lovely summer night to be enjoyed by all. UMA held its
spectacular dance party for our Northern California members in early August this year (the 6 th), on a warm,
breezy summer evening. The Belmont Senior Community Center was again the venue for this annual
extravaganza event.
Social Director, Flavia Greubel, and the Chairpersons of the event, Raquel Remedios and Johanna Terra, laid the
ground work for this annual festivity. The Social Committee held several meetings to organize the event.
Highest priority among the many items discussed was the food to be served at the dance. Ah, yes, the food, a
most important consideration and it had to be Macanese and home-cooked, not the catered variety! Well, it
didn‟t take very long for the committee consensus to pick the main entrée for dinner, something most, if not all,
of us really enjoy – Tacho! Also, on the menu for the Noite was Minchee and baked ham. So, Flavia with her
usual efficiency, had the meal all planned, and assigned many willing volunteers to cook the various meats,
vegetables, etc. What a deal – when, for those just preparing and cooking their part of the menu, brought such a
bountiful feast before their eyes at the table of plenty, (and more so for the party goers) – simply, ahem, sinful,
wouldn‟t you say!?!
With the dawning of August 6th, many busy hands had prepared or were preparing the food for the night‟s dinner,
while others were scurrying around getting ready for an exciting evening of wine, music and song, and food, of
course. All the worker bees gathered at the center around 3:30 pm to organize, decorate and put the finishing
touches to welcome the members and guests, some 110, who arrived shortly after 5:00 p.m. The bar was open
and snacks had been placed at each table for the guests to drink and nibble as they greeted one another. While
stories and reminisces were exchanged, the band set up their instruments for the long evening ahead.
As the guests continued mingling, Emcee, Ray Xavier, took the mic, and after inviting everyone to be seated,
introduced UMA President, Maria Gomes, who welcomed everyone to the Noite and wished all a good time. Ray
then called out the table numbers and the long queue for dinner began as there was so much food to choose from.
Laid out on the long serving table was Tacho, made up of pigs feet, pele, chicken, lap cheong (Chinese sausage),
cabbage and gravy and, of course, served with the „piece de resistance‟, the Macaense Balichao (shrimp sauce),
to enhance the combination of meats and cabbage making up the Tacho. In addition, there was our trademark
dish, Minchee (made by four different chefs), baked ham and rice. The plates were piled high as the guests came
away from the serving table. As is usual at our events, there was plenty of food and to be sure some people went
back for seconds and thirds.
UMA NEWS BULLETIN – Fall Issue 2011
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Noite Macaense
Rita Beach and her live 3-piece band soon took the evening to new heights as before dinner was not quite over,
their music filled the hall and the party animals were more than ready to rock. Rita has a powerful voice and it
set the tone for people to kick up their heels. From foxtrots, cha-chas, waltzes, jives, etc. there was something for
everyone‟s fancy and, of course, there had to be line dancing. It seems people are really drawn to line dancing
where no partner is needed and everyone dances in unison (at least they all try), so it‟s rather a pretty sight to see
as the group sway back and forth to the beat of the piece.
With many calories gone with each piece of music, the dancers were ready for more food, dessert, that is, so
everyone helped themselves to some delicious chocolate cake, coffee, tea or more wine from the bar. By 9:30 or
so when the band took a break, Emcee Ray took the opportunity to open the raffle. There was quite a selection of
prizes for the lucky raffle winners to choose from. As Ray called out the different colored tickets everyone was
checking their numbers for the particular color called and with cheers from the crowd, the many winners
certainly had a tableful to pick from – lucky people!
And the music played on to the happy feet of the dancers. So much food, so much fun, so much dancing and
camaraderie among friends while the hours flew by. It was hard to call it a day, but the clock does not lie and
soon the last few tunes told the dancers it was to be adios to our wonderful 2011 Noite Macaense – what a truly
grand time it was!
This gala event was so successful but only because of the joint effort of the many friends who pitched in to do the
hard work of planning, organizing, cooking, etc. so that a fabulous time could be had by all. There are too many
names to mention, but many, many thanks Raquel Remedios, Johanna Terra, Virginia Xavier, and Flavia Greubel
– congratulations on a superb job!
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Noite Macaense
(Editor’s Note: Please go to the UMA Website for additional pictures of the event )
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FAMILY PICNIC
Maria F. Gomes
Our Family Picnic at Heather Farms Park in Walnut Creek on August 20th was a delightful success as
evidenced by the happy crowd of 104 adults and children enjoying themselves and the many generous
compliments.
Special thanks go to Co-Chairs Larry Collaço and Joanna Segovia, and the other members of the
Family Picnic Committee: Vic Boisseree, Flavia Greubel and Maria Gomes. Additional thanks go to
Ellen Boisseree, Mel Carion, Barbara Yasue, Lisa McMichael, Chris Gomes, Pauline de Assis, Doreen
McKissack, Miguel Roliz, and Rick Oliveira who helped to make our picnic such a success.
We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day that was perfect for a picnic. Larry started the
Hamburgers going, Miguel worked on the Hot Dogs and Hot Links, Ellen prepared the chicken, and
Flavia and Pauline prepared the trimmings. With the help of Vic and many others present, we soon
had everyone enjoying their lunch. After lunch, thanks to Cecilia Naval, we had our group photo of
most of our people at the picnic.
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Family Picnic
Our “Clown in Full Costume” Mel Carion then delighted the children with her tricks as she handed out
candy and stickers. Needless to say all present enjoyed her wonderful outfit!
Soon the fun races began. Our 2-5 year olds started the events with their foot race, showing us all
how to do it with their excitement and competitive spirits. The winners were Jordan Demee, Kyle Tran,
and Drew Boisseree.
The 6-8 year olds and 9-12 year olds
then competed in their Foot Race,
Egg and Spoon Race, Water Balloon
Toss, and Wheel-barrel Race. The
winners were given points for first,
second, and third places. All the 612 year olds participated and won
points, so each took home a Prize
for their athletic achievements. Our
winners were Brian Gomes, Kaitlyn
Fant, Shaun Fant, Brendan Fant,
Barret McMichael, Tetsu Yasue,
Jessica Larrick, Mason Larrick,
Jaslyn Tran, and Kollin Tran.
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Family Picnic
Following the children’s races, the adults had their turn to earn their points. The participation,
enthusiasm, and competitive spirit of our “Adults” were very impressive. The first three place winners
in the Three Legged Race, Sack Race, and Egg and Spoon Race, who earned points and went home
with a lovely UMA Mug were Jeff Johnsrude, Marc Rico, Joanne Ribeiro, Vic Boisseree, Jr., Pauline de
Assis, Debra Gomes Fant, Eulie Baptista, Ellen Boisseree, and Debbie Demee.
Thanks to Robert Roliz, Jorge Remedios, Daniel Gomes, and Cecilia Naval, we have many color
photos of this fun event on our UMA Website for all to enjoy. Visit our UMA Website, which has a new
face, at http://www.uma-casademacau.com
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