quinta-feira, 31 de janeiro de 2013

Entre a Madeira e a Madeira [ as áfricas]




O protagonista de hoje embarca no navio Angola, no dia 28 de dezembro de 1960. Tem 18 anos, uma carta de chamada para Moçambique e um mundo de possibilidades pela frente. Durante 18 dias, o mar, S. Tomé e os tubarões, Luanda, Lobito, Moçâmedes e umas bananas enormes, Capetown [Capitão,no dizer dos madeirenses que com ele embarcaram no navio]

O que o seu mundo mudou, desde então: foi funcionário do Governo do Distrito de Lourenço Marques (ai a baía do Espírito Santo!  E o porto... o nosso estava em obras, o navio ainda ficava lá fora...); trabalhou com os indianos quando “rebentou a Índia” , foi à tropa, esteve em Tete, leu tudo o que havia para ler “no período mais «útil» da sua vida, foi apanhado pelas cheias, foi escuteiro e fez teatro, foi locutor da Rádio Clube, escreveu poemas, artigos de jornal, constroi a sua casa naquele lugar de sonho, enamora-se, casa, tem filhos, sofre a angústia da doença de uma filha, foge para a África do Sul, conhece a vida de um campo de refugiados, vai trabalhar para uma fábrica de tijolos em Belfast e regressa à ilha. Sem nada.

Depois, foi começar. Outra vez. Reconstruir a vida. Encontrar trabalho. Refazer casa. ..

Chama-se Gualberto Teixeira e contou-nos a sua vida. Trouxe-nos documentos importantíssimos para a construção da “outra” história das gentes da nossa terra.

ALGUNS NÚMEROS:

- ordenado de um furriel: 5.100$00 (25 euros e 50 cêntimos)

- emprestimo para a casa: 600$00 (3 euros)

- 1Kg de carne da melhor: 9$00 (menos de 5 cêntimos)

- 1Kg de camarão grande: 12$50 (pouco mais de 6 cêntimos)

- 1l de gasolina: 4$00(2 cêntimos)


 
Today’s main character went on board the ship Angola on the 28th November 1960. He was 18 years old and was carrying a letter of introduction to help him settle down in Mozambique and a bag full of dreams.  During the sea travel that lasted 18 days his young boy’s eyes met the deep sea, sharks, and endless ports: S. Tomé, Luanda, Lobito, Moçamedes and Capetown [pronounced Capitão by the Madeirans].

And what a roller coaster life has turned out: He started as official of the Civil Government in Lourenço Marques (you can’t imagine how beautiful the bay of Espírito Santo was! And the harbour: huge, busy, modern … Funchal harbour was being enlarged when he left the island …) ; he was responsible for the registration of the Indian population when the “India thing” arose;  then he joined the army and in Tete he read everything he could  in order to pass the time( the most profitable time of his life, he said smiling); he joined the Scouts, entered theater plays and soon after started working at the Radio Clube. He also wrote articles and poems in the local papers. At the same he had found a place to build his house; fell in love and got married. Years later he and his wife had to go to South Africa because their little daughter was seriously ill. Things were getting hard in Mozambique (but no one could ever imagine what was to follow).  While in South Africa the couple stayed in a refugee camp and could not turn back. Although the rest of the family was still in Africa, the only solution was to go to Belfast where a job in a factory had been procured. Two years later they were landing in Madeira: empty pockets.  Safe and sound.  And ready to start from scratch!!

His name is Gualberto Teixeira. We have had an interesting talk … hard to put in words as you can all imagine … he brought us documents … precious sources that will help us to understand this important period of our history.
 

We share some (curious) figures:

- sergeant’s salary: 5.100$00 (25 euros and 50 cêntimos)

-  loan to have a house built: 600$00 (3 euros)

- 1Kg of best quality beef: 9$00 (less than 5 cêntimos)

- 1Kg of shrimps: 12$50 (a little more than 6 cêntimos)

- 1l of petrol: 4$00(2 cêntimos)

 

Sem comentários:

Enviar um comentário