Esta vai ser a minha terra.

Refere-se à África do Sul, a Durban. Aquilo sim, que era o mundo. Na Madeira, na Fajã, o trabalho era duro e a vida difícil. A chegada à África do Sul foi um  sonho. Aquela era uma cidade com mar e amigos.

- Não vou voltar à Madeira! 

Maria tinha 16 anos. Já estava casada com um rapaz que não conhecia. Assim: ele – vamos chamar-lhe M. – veio à Madeira com intenção de casar. Um primo provocou o encontro, trocaram olhares, receberam a bênção do pai, apertaram a mão e casaram na Igreja de S. Pedro – que o tempo não era de festas.

Fala, ri, chora, canta. Teve uma vida de trabalho, mas uma vida feliz.

A África do Sul foi a sua vida. Hoje, tem pena de ter voltado, de ter vendido tudo, de ter perdido aquela terra, aquelas gentes, aquela vida. Afinal, as áfricas não são todas iguais....

Maria trouxe-nos passaportes. Estão ali os seus caminhos, afinal.

This is where I want to live

 It meant South Africa, Durban. She had finally seen the world. Back in Madeira, in the country side life was hard and miserable. Arriving to South Africa was a dream came true. She encountered old friends and relatives.

-          I am not ever going back to Madeira!

Maria was 16 years old. She had just married to a young boy she had met once. He had come to Madeira to look for a bride. A cousin arranged the meeting. After a quick glimpse,  he talked to the girl’s father,  gave a hand shake to seal the matter and the young couple married at S. Peter’s church in Funchal – a family dinner was more than enough.

She is a cheerful lady. She laughs at lot, she sings and occasionally she drops a tear ( when painful memories get in the way). She has worked hard but she enjoys life.

She regrets having returned to Madeira. The family had to sell everything they owned … and part of her was left there. South Africa was a good place to live in.

Maria showed us some old photos and her passports… so as to show us the endeavours of (her) life.