Children of Empire

The Portuguese Empire was the longest of all European Outremer empires, lasting nearly 6 centuries (1415-2002). 

There are three different dates for the fall of the Empire: 

1. De facto end: 1975, when the Portuguese colonies proclaimed, at the same time, their independence and/or saw it being recognized by Portugal (except Macau).
2. De jure end: 20th of December of 1999, when Macau – the last territory under the Portuguese administration – was returned to the People’s Republic of China.
3. Real de jure end: 2002, when Portugal recognized the sovereignty of East-Timor, upon its liberation from the Indonesian occupation. 

Yet the most painful of all was the de facto end, in 1975. 

The decolonization process was poorly done (among many things: the rights of the citizens that lived in African territories, and considered themselves Portuguese, were not clear in the decolonization agreement; Portugal failed to offer collaterals against the properties that its citizens owned in African [so after the decolonisation many lost all their possessions and returned to Portugal empty handed]; and they passed on the government of the territories to unprepared people, without setting up a transitional government, ignoring thus the consequences of such a reckless act). 

Portugal let down the Children of its empire. 

The soldiers that fought in the overseas war

These children of the empire fought to defend their nation’s imperialistic sovereignty; came back defeated, with psychological and physical scars and, what did Portugal do? It didn’t give them any support; it didn’t recognise their job, their sacrifices, their patriotic duty; it didn’t even compensate them as it has been promising for years – they will die and still not see a dime.

The African assimilated

These children of the empire that were forced to sing the Portuguese national anthem (many without even having visited Portugal, ever), the anthem of the “Mocidade Portuguesa” (the Portuguese Youth – a fascist youth association, to which all had to belong), any anthem that Portugal would come up with; that were forced to know the rivers, the railway tracks, roads and all the Royal Dynasties of Portugal (by heart); that were “encouraged” to lead a more European life-style, since it was more civilised...when arriving to Portugal, after the decolonisation, had to go through a naturalisation process even though they had documents stating that they had been Portuguese all their lives. 

The Portuguese who lived in Africa

These children of the empire lost everything they had built in the African territories, and by decree of the vengeful new African leaders they had to leave the countries (where many had grown up in) in 24 hours, being allowed to carry only 20kgs of all their possessions – this operation was called 24/20. Upon their arrival to Portugal they were labelled as “Os Retornados” (the returning ones), and classified as second class citizens. 

Interestingly enough they (along with the assimilated) were the ones who cleaned and developed Portugal (for when they arrived there, Portugal was a pitiful country whose capital was surrounded by slums – which didn’t exist in their African nations prior to 1975 – and didn’t have high buildings, which existed already, for example, in Mozambique).

The Children of the children of the empire

They grew up listening to how despicable Portugal was in 1975-1977; how in Africa Coca-cola existed for ages (Mozambicans were called “The Coca-colas”), and Portugal ignored what it was all about (note: it only had Coca-cola in 1984); and how socialism had ruined the work of their parents in the African territories “Yes, they deserved their independence; but not like it was done!”...

These kids have a mix of love and hate for Portugal. Love because they know nothing else but their own country; and hate because of what it did to their parents. 

The Portuguese way of dealing with the decolonisation

Anyone questioning it is a fascist. Not to teach it in our schools, thus proving to not have pride in its History. To Hope that everyone will obliterate it as time goes by. 

However the Children of the Empire will never let the Portuguese dark page of history die. They will pass it on to their children, the children of their children and the children of their children’s children.

Heroes of Sea, Noble People!

Lyrics & translation

For further reading on this subject please beam over to LS' blog: Here.

The Seven Sleepers & a bit more...

This article is a gift to my dear Burcu.

She requested that I’d address this theme, and I would like to thank her for having given me the opportunity to learn about this amazing event.

The Seven Sleepers is a legend mentioned in the Roman Martyrology (Roman Catholic List of the Saints recognised by the church) and in the Qu'ran.

In the Roman Martyrology

It is under the date of 27th of July as "Commemoration of the Seven Holy Sleepers of Ephesus, who, it is recounted, after undergoing martyrdom, rest in peace, waiting the day of resurrection."

In the Qu'ran

It is spoken of in the Surah (= chapter) Al-Kahf ("The Cave", 18) verse 9-11.

=The Legend=

Christian Version

Around 250 A.D., during the persecutions of the Roman Emperor Decius, seven young men (Maximilien, Constantine, Martinien, Denis, Jean, Sarapion and Malch) were accused of being Christians. They were offered time to recant their faith, however they chose to give away their worldly possessions to the poor and retire to a cave, in the mountains, so that they could pray to the Lord. Meanwhile they fell asleep.

Decius realised that the young men wouldn't recant (thus bluntly renouncing paganism); therefore he ordered that the mouth of the cave were sealed.

Time goes by.

In the period of 379-395, during the reign of Theodosius, the owner of the land where the cave stood decided to open its sealed mouth (since it would be a good place to confine the cattle in) and found the sleepers inside. They woke up thinking that only a day had gone by.

One of the seven men went back to Ephesus (whose archaeological site is located 3 km south of Selçuk, Turkey) to buy some food, and he was astonished at the sight of buildings with crosses attached. The townspeople were astounded when the young man tried to buy food with old coins (from the reign of Decius).

The Bishop was summoned to interview the sleepers, who told him about their story. Once the miraculous tale spread out, they died praising the Lord.

Muslim Version

Maximilien, Constantine, Martinien, Denis, Jean, Sarapion and Malch wanted to talk about the truth and call to Allah's religion. However the Emperor wanted them to be pagans, and oppressed them; therefore they preferred to distance themselves from their society and dwell in a cave. Allah made them sleep so that they'd "surrender to fate and peace, because Allah, arranges everything for the benefit of the believers" (Surah Al-Kahf, Qu'ran 11-12).

The Qu'ran states that the time spent in the cave was 300 years (during which the calendar of their people was changed from solar to lunar. As a result of this, the period of the seven young men's sleep increased to 309 years [lunar]). When they woke up, (along with their dog) they hadn't realised that they had slept for centuries and believed to have slept only for a few hours.

Then, they sent one of them to acquire some food and the coins used to buy it were out of circulation which drew the attention of the townspeople. After the story was widely spread, the sleepers deceased.

= =

This legend speaks of a miracle.

I am a true believer in miracles, in Divine manifestations, in anything coming from the outer world. Still, I couldn’t help but to wonder what might have been God’s purpose in performing this wonder...

It is widely known that people find it easier to believe in what they see (I call it the “Thomas Syndrome”); especially whenever their faith seems to weaken. So, in times of religious persecution, it would be considered natural that the spirit of the believers would begin to question whether so much suffering us worthwhile (particularly when they look at non-believers and realise how “fortunate” they are). Then something utterly unexplainable happens: a miracle.

Now the weakened spirit is renewed & invigorated; it believes even more firmly than before; and the non-believers (the ones that are supposed to) start believing just like that...

If God Wanted, the whole world could believe in and serve Him in a snap of fingers...but obviously that is not what He Wants.

What do you think God wants?

Image: Seven Sleepers, a Russian Icon from the 19th Century

Musical Video: Atanasio Hatchuen

Last week, we listened to Brocxa-Kussundé; this week we will listen to Gumbé (the genre that usually defines the music of Guinea-Bissau).

However, the word Gumbé means a cylinder (sikó) full of water topped by a calabash (see picture below: the instrument right in the middle of the group - yellow), that was reintroduced in Africa around 1800, when a group of slaves was released in Jamaica, and then transported to Sierra Leon in a boat. 

According to Professor Lucy Duran, musicologist at the University of London, Gumbé was the first African folk music.

Several ethnicities within Guinea-Bissau (including the ones of Muslim tradition - Mandinga, Fula etc) use it as a unifying factor - since it is a rythm common to all of them. 

However, the word Gumbé means a cylinder (sikó) full of water topped by a calabash (see picture below: the instrument right in the middle of the group - yellow), that was reintroduced in Africa around 1800, when a group of slaves was released in Jamaica, and then transported to Sierra Leon in a boat. 

According to Professor Lucy Duran, musicologist at the University of London, Gumbé was the first African folk music.

Several ethnicities within Guinea-Bissau (including the ones of Muslim tradition - Mandinga, Fula etc) use it as a unifying factor - since it is a rythm common to all of them. 

But enough of conversation...let's visualise and listen to the video below: it is by Atanasio Hatchuen (a Guinean singer) and it is entitled "Camba Mar". 

The rythm of this video is contagious (it got me dancing, as I prepared this post), and the women in it can shake it!

Have a Blessed Weekend!

Bending the Protocol

...Yes, I know it is not politically correct to openly criticise the Islamic Fundamentalists (except when they bomb the western world)...however there is a thing or two I’d like to share...yes, sir...I understand...I will take it into consideration...thank you... 

I often watch the Doha Debates (on BBC World); because I am very much interested in knowing the opinion of the Muslim world on current issues.

The show is well set up, the questions brought to the table are good...the TV programme endeavours to reveal how open the Muslim world, in the Middle East, is to debate and willing to critique itself. However, it seems to me that the conversations always converge to the same idea: trash the Western Life-Style.

So far so good. I mean we know that we are not perfect, and we welcome criticism. However when the ones criticising us are those who benefit from our system and life-style; we can’t stop but wondering “Why don’t you go and live in the Muslim World, then?”

The Doha Debates always invites Muslim women (with squeaky voices) to defend the radical points of Islam (Note: former Christian women, converted to Islam & living either in England or the US); and complain of how unfair, hypocritical, immoral westerners are; and how much the Muslims have been humiliated by them. Then they pick on the Palestinian issue to attack Israel, even if the topic at hand is not the Israeli-Arab conflict. So, where did the willingness to self-critique go?

Moderate Muslims (often the ones living in Western countries), always defend that the present Islamist politics is belligerent and goes against the very definition of Islam (peace); and that Muslims around the world should join hands and turn things around – now, this argument (the right one, in my opinion) scares the few (yet more sounding) Islamic radicals in the room, and around the world...it is as if their culture is being threatened. But is it, in sooth? I’d say that the moderates are proposing an enriching change (so that we can all live in peace).

The problem is, the radicals are always extremely well prepared with sound (yet insane) arguments to sustain their thesis; whereas the moderates (although with reason on their side) fail to transmit the right words that stick to people’s minds.

Radicals accuse us of having humiliating them, and use it as an excuse for trashing our life-style; bombing our cities; threatening our peace; injecting fear and paranoia into our societies; and gagging westerners (i.e. journalists, artists & thinkers). 

I could expand on this, but since this is not a political thesis; I’ll address just one more crucial element...

Should the radical Islamic world really speak of humiliation? Because when I hear that word, I think of:

1. Black people: slavery, cultural assimilation, discrimination, racism & disrespect (for example, in Sudan; a black African country; the Muslims want to see it “Zorka free” meaning “free of Negro Africans”. Result: the present genocide occurring there).
2. Jewish people: slavery, expulsion from their own land, persecution, forced conversions, discrimination, racism, Holocaust, disrespect.
3. North American Indians: misappropriation, cultural assimilation, ostracism, discrimination, disrespect. 
4. East Indians: racism, disrespect, despisal.
5. Latin American Indians: forced conversions, discrimination, disrespect, forced acquisition of Western diseases.

Do we see these people using their stark history as an excuse to blow themselves up & terrorise others? No.

So I suggest the following: get over it, stop being belligerent, stop disrespecting your women, implement democracy and develop your nations (on every level). 

And to think that, in school, we were taught that the Arabs were great conquerors, honourable adversaries; artists; fair, proud people, and intellectuals whose legacy is very much present in the Portuguese culture. However even the brave Arabs, of the past, would vomit before the mass victimisation that has become the Muslim world. 

Image: Consolation by Alajos Györgyl 

Lusosphere: Guinea-Bissau

Analepsis...

In 1441, Prince Harry sends Nuno Tristão, and Antão Gonçalves, to explore Western Africa.

Five years later the fate of a nation is drawn...

1446: Nuno Tristão discovers Guiné. Diogo Gomes and Cadamosto begin to explore the big rivers in that region.

Cacheu was the first population that the Portuguese created.

1800: England has a strong influence in the region and, it tries to claim Bolama Island; Buba and all the costal territory that is in front of Guinea. However, in 1870, through negotiations presided by the then President of the United States, Ulysses Grant; England drops its ambitions.

1886: The border between the Portuguese Guinea and the French East Africa is delineated. The population remains unsubmissive, which generates several long military campaigns.

1925-1940: Construction of infrastructures in the country (roads, bridges) and the development of the commercial activities.

1941: Bissau becomes the capital of the nation (preceded by Bolama).

1950: of the 512,255 residents only 8, 330 are considered civilised (2,273 whites; 4,568 mulattoes; 1,478 blacks and 11 Indians); of these 3,624 is illiterate (541 whites; 2,311 mulattoes and 772 blacks).

1956: The PAIGC (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) is born. The fight for Independence begins.

1960: Amílcar Cabral (the leader of the PAIGC) denounces the Portuguese colonialist policies (on an International level) and seeks for support.

1961-1973: The bloodiest conflict of the entire "Oultremer War".

1974: Portugal, after a year, finally acknowledges the independence of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (on the 10th of September 1974).

The language spoken in this country is the Kriole of Bissau (Bissau Kriol, also spoken in Senegal). 80% of its lexic derives from the Portuguese.

The Kriol is the mother language of about 160,000 people in Guinea; whereas it is the second language of more than 600,000 citizens.

13% of its population speaks Portuguese.

Unlike the music of other former colonies (Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, Brazil), the music from Guinea did not suffer much influence from Portugal.

The musical genre that identifies itself more with Guinea-Bissau is the Gumbé (an urban genre that is used to define all music produced in this country).

However, there are other genres that are more traditional, such as: Tinga, Brocxa, Kussundé, Djambadon and Kunderé (which I will try to introduce you to during this month. I used the verb "try" because, unfortunately, there is not a lot of cultural material from Guinea Bissau on the web).

Let start this cultural journey by visualising a video, in which an unknown traditional group interprets a fusion of Brocxa and Kussundé.

Enjoy it!

Next Stop: Angola