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Socio-economic and religious troubles in Madeira were among the reasons that prompted many Madeirans to leave their home-land in search of a new life. A serious slump in the wine industry, Madeira's economic mainstay, occurred in 1830s and 1840s.

In 1838, a Scottish physician and Protestant minister on his way to China stopped on one of the islands to recover from a sudden illness. Upon recuperating, he stayed, converting hundreds of islanders to Protestantism. These dedicated converts (numbering about 1,000) become alienated from the rest of the population, the vast majority of which were Catholics. This led to persecution in what was t raditionally a Roman Catholic island.

Peasant farmers and landowners alike, many reduced to poverty by the troubles, left Madeira and Portugal in droves. So did young men fleeing mandatory military service in Portuguese colonies, like Angola and Mozambique in Africa.
Consequently two separate groups of Madeirans arrived in Trinidad off the northern coast of South America in 1846, one Roman Catholic, the other Protestant.
The first batch of Madeiran immigrants, comprising 219 Roman Catholics, arrived in Trinidad aboard the Senator on May 9, 1846, as indentured workers. On September 16 that year, 197 of their Protestant compatriots came, most as refugees rather than indentured workers. Nearly 600 more Protestant Madeirans arrived in Trinidad before the end of the year. They got some assistance from the Scottish Presbyterian community in Port of Spain.

In November 1847, 267 more Madeirans came to Trinidad aboard the Dalhousie. Between 1846 and 1847 about 1,300 more arrived. By 1853, thousands had crossed the Atlantic, some going to British West Indian colonies and some to North America.

Most of the Catholic Madeirans were poor. The Presbyterians, on the other hand, represented a cross-section of people of various means.
Under the original agreement between Britain and Portugal, the Catholic Madeirans were meant to go to Cocoa and Coffee plantations in the hills, where conditions were cooler and less taxing. Sugar planters, however, who had helped finance their immigration, demanded they should work with them. Many were sent to sugar estates. Within eight months, 91 of 200 Madeirans on the sugar estates had died of fevers and dysentery. Many then left for the Cocoa and Coffee estates. A few remained on the sugar plantations, where wages were higher.

After three years in this new location, the exiles found that they were unable to adjust to the tropical climate and the plantation working conditions
Some of the Madeirans left agriculture altogether to become servants, gardeners, barbers, seamstresses and eventually others became wine- makers and bakers; while those with small savings went into small- scale shop keeping. The first Portuguese shop opened in 1846, but others soon followed all over the island. A few remained in agriculture and eventually became proprietors themselves.

In the end, it was decided that the Madeirans would not provide the solution to the Labor shortage in agriculture. Planters turned to the East. The first Indians had come a year before the Madeirans. After the Madeirans came the Chinese. In time Madeirans and Chinese were looked upon as Trinidad's storekeepers.

The plight of the Protestant exiles received wide publicity in the United States where people in the vicinity of Springfield, Illinois encouraged and assisted them in relocating to their mid-western, prairie community. The first of these immigrants arrived in 1849 and 1855. Approximately 400 settled in Springfield, the capital of Illinois and the country seat of Sangamon County; a similar sized group settled near Jacksonville, the county sear of the neighboring Morgan County. Although evidence of their Portuguese cultural heritage is not very strong today, there are still family names such as Gonçalves, Fernandes, and Gouveia, indicating Portuguese ancestry. There are also geographical place names such as Portuguese Hill and Trinidad School commemorating this group's long and determined journey to find a permanent home.

By 1950 there were only 62 Madeiran-born Portuguese in Trinidad, today there are no more than 25. Descendants of Portuguese immigrants from Madeira have played important roles in almost every sphere of life in Trinidad. Just four names will have to suffice: Albert Maria Gomes, politician and cultural activist; Alfred H Mendes, writer, who published novels called Pitch Lake and Black Fauns; Joseph Bento Fernandes, rum distiller and hotel proprietor; and Mathew Renold Gonsalves, shirt and garment manufacturing and horse breeder.

Little is known about our great grandfather, Emanuel Gonsalves, except for the fact that he was a very private man who lived and kept mostly to himself. It is said that he never attended church services with the rest of the family, however he was charitable and honest in his dealings with people. Strangely, the natives sometimes referred to him as "the Jew". This was frowned upon by the family at the time.

He fathered many children, one being my paternal grandfather and the other my maternal grandmother; these children had different mothers. This very interesting scenario was a little known fact until we were adults and became curious about the family roots; my parents did not know about this relationship until much later in their lives. Unfortunately it was customary back at that time, when one enquired about ancestry or cultural heritage, the standard response would be "leave well alone"; this resulted in a lot of ignorance regarding family members and culture.








Joseph Gonsalves

My grandfather Gonsalves, was a very hard working merchant engaged in a variety of business ventures. He owned the largest bakery on the island of St. Vincent and supplied bread to almost all of the islanders. It must also be noted that at this time there was no government welfare on the island so the business people did what they could to help the community. Grandfather set up a bread line at his bakery so that every morning the poor, blind and handicapped could come to get free loaves of bread.
Another one of his ventures was one of the first soft-drink bottling companies on St. Vincent. It was said that operating the machines at the soft-drink bottling plant was like going into combat, the operators had to wear protective goggles and gloves because the bottles sometimes exploded.








He also owned a winery. The grapes used for making wine were grown in the Rebecca Dry River and were known as sea grapes. The grapes were harvested by the Mount Bentick natives. My uncle Freddie Gonsalves still owns and operates a winery in Kingstown, St.Vincent.

The ovens in the bakery were heated with wood which was brought in by boats from the Grenadines and was usually stored on the beach prior to delivery to the bakery. In 1935 there was a large uprising against British rule on the island, and the rioters used some of this wood as weapons to damage several business places in the capital of Kingstown. The only business that was spared was my grandfathers. It turned out that some of his bakers had been leaders of the uprising, so that when the British Navy arrived to restore order, the head baker was sent to jail for his part in the insurrections. Grandfather appealed to the British for his pardon and was able to use his influence to obtain his release.

SECRETS FROM A FORGOTTEN PAST

Portugal, the oldest and most south-western country of Europe; her borders unchanged for 800 years, with a history full and rich with Jewish culture, history and martyrs; whose nobles and peasants alike are "tainted" with Jewish blood. A country where Jews dominated life and excelled in all spheres, whether commerce, academics or intellectually; (a time) when the Spanish and others complained that one could not conduct business anywhere in Europe, or the new world, unless you had a "Portuguese" partner. Portuguese being synonymous with Jewish! Portugal tried hard to become "Judenrein" (free of Jews) 500 years ago. A chilling prelude to what lay ahead with Nazi Germany.

For me, with a Portuguese heritage this is especially poignant, as my own origins, history and culture have been effectively obliterated. It was quite recently that I discovered I was not unique. There are many others like me with secrets hidden in a forgotten past, born out of a people that have disappeared. It is estimated that in Brazil alone there are between 15 and 30 million Portuguese Jews and possibly up to half of the population in Portugal!
These secrets were nearly exposed during the 1930's in Portugal when a light in the form of a Marrano renaissance flickered and died before it could take flame. Until now, buried under the ashes of fear, humiliation and shame.
A remnant of the vibrant Jewish past remains, in part due to a little boy born in Amarante, a town outside Oporto. He was 10 years old in 1897, when his grandfather told him "we are Jews" and taught him the secret prayer said by "Crypto" Jews (secret) on entering a church; "I come here to worship neither wood nor stone, I come only to worship you, Highest Lord, who it is that governs us" from "Crypto Jews of Portugal" by David Augusto Canelo 2nd Ed.1990. The little boy's name was Artur Carlos de Barros Basto, and although he was baptized and brought up as a Catholic, as many other "anusim" (forced to convert) retained their Judaism in their hearts.

He converted to Orthodox Judaism when he was 33 years old. Many families of Portugal maintained traditions and Jewish practices throughout the ages. Some with no knowledge where it originate; as with my own family who are all Catholic but retain many Jewish traditions that have been passed down without explanation. My Aunt Angela (Angie) was thought odd when we were young. "Odd", because once a year she would disappear by going to the countryside for an entire day and night on "antepura" (Day of Atonement). Following this she would have a feast at her home where she would distribute food and money to the poor people she invited annually to her home; this was her way of giving thanks for whatever good fortune she had received during the past year.

Although Artur Carlos de Barros Basto hardly gets a mention in the Encyclopaedia Judaica, he is a hero and modern day martyr for Portuguese Judaism. He has become known as the "Portuguese Dreyfus" amongst those who know his life story. He studied and qualified as an engineer, became a professional soldier, was decorated after World War I for bravery by the British and the Portuguese and promoted to Captain. Subsequently, he was dismissed from the army when it was discovered that he was a Jew. He coped with his humiliation as best he could because unlike Dreyfus, there was no world indignation or outcry to help him vindicate himself. He fought the battle against prejudice alone.

By the end of the 19th century Historians believed that Portugal had achieved her goal. The Inquisition, which lasted 300 years in that country had managed to rid Portugal of all her Jews. However, the Government had not foreseen the resulting economic decline. They thought that the forced conversions and persecutions had made 4,000 years of history, culture and religion disappear, and felt it was necessary to "invite the Jews" back into the country in order to try and reverse the economic decline that had culminated with being "Judenrein". A few came from Morocco, Tangiers and Gibraltar being granted recognition in 1892.

Permission was granted for a synagogue to be built but was not allowed to face the street. Even today, the Shaare Tikva (Gates of Hope) is easily missed behind high walls and gates within a courtyard at Rua Alexandre Herculano, Lisboa. It is against this background of religious "tolerance" that Captain de Barros Basto established a small synagogue in Oporto. He also started a weekly newspaper, writing under his Hebrew name of Abraham Ben Rosh while also visiting remote areas, often in full military regalia. He did this to reassure this stifled segment of the "secret communities" of the Government's acceptance of their true religion. Many of these trips were made with two medical Doctors accompanying him to perform circumcisions when required. Circumcision being an integral part of Judaism was outlawed by the Inquisition, and many, in fear of their lives had to forgo this ritual. This fear continued up until this period...

The synagogue in Oporto grew from one room into a beautiful building donated by Ellie Kadoorie, himself from a "Sephardi" family (Jews from Spain and Portugal/the Iberian Peninsula) with business interests in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The "Kadoorie" synagogue was built on a plot donated by Baron Edmond de Rothchild of Paris, while in Braganca, another synagogue with its own Rabbi was started, called "Gates of Redemption."

The Captain, married with a family at this stage, established a Yeshiva (religious school) in Oporto, which in the 9 years of existence managed to educate 90 students in Hebrew, French, Portuguese, Jewish religious history and studies. These activities did not go unnoticed by Salazar, believed to be of Marrano heritage himself, and his government who were not impressed with the situation. An estimated 10,000 families across Portugal, previously professing to be Catholic, were now admitting to having lived secret or double lives up to then, and were in fact secret Jews. Trumped up charges were brought against the Captain and within 24 hours he was court- martialed, stripped of his rank and ordered to close the Yeshiva. He was devastated but remained a devoutly religious man, often praying alone in the Kadoorie synagogue, until his death in 1961.

The Marrano renaissance, still in its infancy died when once more fear was ignited amongst the Jews of Portugal. The fragile communities remembered that not so long ago, until well into the 19th century, you could be burned alive at the "Auto-da-Fe" (Act of Faith) on the mere suspicion of practicing Judaism. With the advance of Nazism and with it, anti-Semitism, they could probably visualize once more looking at a map of Portugal, the three main centers of the Inquisition forming the "heart" of the country: Lisbon, Coimbra, Evora. The heart that destroyed her own children and could easily have done so again...


Yet, the miracle of Portuguese Judaism continues, especially in the community of Belmonte. A town in northeast Portugal. Previously known as "Crypto"(secret) Jews, they have recently, in December 1996, proudly rejoined mainstream Orthodox Judaism. After 500 years of secrecy and fear. Living and hiding in this charming town high in the "Serra da Estrela" (mountain of stars) they managed with faith and perseverance to maintain their religion. As often stated, they were Jews in all but name and Christians in nothing but form. Sons of this community had attended the Yeshiva of Captain de Barros Basto in the 1930's.







Notes:

When Captain Barros was buried in Amarante, near his grandfather, the state of Israel offered to bury him in an honored spot alongside other great figures in Jewish history, but he had left instructions, he wanted to be near his loved ones.

A special thanks to, Mario Soares, President of Portugal who made a public apology to the Jewish community of Portugal on the 17th March 1989 for the horror and tragedy of the past. He linked the decline of Portugal directly to the "expulsion" of the country's Jewish citizens. (The Expulsion in Portugal never took place. Instead the citizens were converted and baptized en Masse and by force. Although we cannot forget or change the past, there is hope for a future together, for the people who share the noble lineage of King David, once more...

I am proud once more to say: " I am of Portuguese Jewish origin."

Saudade has many meanings

Longing
Loneliness
Sadness
Melancholy
Ache
Soulfulness
It is "suffered" by most Portuguese...

Names by which Jews were known

Nuevos Christianos - New Christians
Anusim - Hebrew meaning for "forced" and is applied to "forced convert."
Muraim - Arabic for hypocrites
Meshumadim - Hebrew for "those who have gone over to the other side"
Crypto Jews - Secret Jews Marrano - Swine or pig - Spanish term not used in Portugal

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