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