The Portuguese Immigrant: Atlantic Heritage Story
The Portuguese Immigrant: Atlantic Heritage Story is a narrative non-fiction book about the author’s family history—particularly the lives of their paternal ancestors from Sao Miguel Island in Portugal. The story begins with their great-grandparents before shifting focus to their paternal grandparents and their unconditional love for each other. Their relationship overcame many obstacles of the time and they were physically separated for nearly three years after leaving the homeland. They became immigrants in Canada—a place where the author found themselves born and raised, being something that they are grateful for yet fascinated to reflect on the history of how it happened.Weaving a wonderful tale of the struggles and triumphs as well as the rich Portuguese culture of their ancestry, the book follows their grandfather, Vovô, who was the impetus for life in the New World. Embarking on the journey of lifetime, they carried out a mission guided by true love to carve out a fighting chance for the future of his family.
The author speaks on various characteristics embodied and behavioural traits that have shaped their sense of self today while forging a deep connection with their ancestors. Understanding more about themselves than anticipated along the way to show that it really is all in the family. The history that behooves us has been set out for those with the privilege to continue down the path—a sentiment that the author draws out with great detail. Their descriptions of events set the scene to take the reader back in time.
Book Information
Release Date: January 18, 2022
Publisher: Independent
Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1777996611; 197 pages; $18.99; eBook $4.99; FREE on Kindle Unlimited
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3IsJSSC
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3NUhMAB
Family is a wonderful thing. Ancestry delineates heritage, but our companions, those individuals we hold dear to our hearts, can feel closer than blood. Sometimes, that’s all the family we need. Sharing a connection with those that surround us can be enough to keep us content without ever questioning where we came from. Other times, you don’t care enough to ask until it’s too late. That’s what happened to me.
It wasn’t until my grandparents passed away when I became more intrigued about their history. I knew of their Portuguese roots, but my understanding barely scratched the surface. Over the following years, I enquired to collect their information and dug into my family archives using the resources at my disposal: photos, documents, databases, historical media, DNA testing, and interviews with my elder, living relatives. By attaching those pieces of an intricate puzzle, I was able to reconstruct a true-life story.
In a short time, I essentially took on genealogy as a hobby. Becoming a family historian took much time, patience, and fact-finding. Part of me felt like Indiana Jones, investigating buried artifacts that could have very well fallen into obscurity, if not for me. It’s funny how history can be forgotten just like that. I had a self-directed obligation to preserve my discoveries. That hunt for information became something of an obsession. The deeper I looked, the more I needed to know. The more I learned, the deeper I connected with my ancestors. What I amassed was deeply profound and poetic, befitting a narrative book: a love story of epic proportions.
My inspiration stemmed from a brave and resilient man. He was my paternal grandfather, Vovô, Manuel de Lima Meireles. Born and raised in the Azores, he forged a chapter that would redefine the future of his namesakes, being a pioneer to break ground in a foreign land and leading his family to a new country upon emigrating to Canada. Faith was his strongest asset to get there. Devoted to his wife and children, he managed to overcome every obstacle along the way. His hard work eventually paid off to see much love, laughter, and memories.
I fondly remember him as a warm-hearted man who shared much wisdom. Without him, I would not be who I am today, nor would I be afforded the birthright of being a Canadian national, undoubtedly the greatest gift that his legacy has bestowed to my generation.
I acknowledge that my privilege stands on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. They called this land home before the arrival of the settlers, and in many cases, still call it home. I recognize the enduring presence and resilience of Indigenous Peoples that have cared for this amazing land before Vovô had the honour to call it home too.
I wish I could ask him about all the struggles and hardships he faced, but those details will forever be esoteric and contribute to the venerable status that he signifies in my family. He will live forever in my heart, and his biography is the subject of this book. The following is what life was like for the exceptional Portuguese man; this is Vovô’s Atlantic Heritage Story.
His latest book is the narrative nonfiction, The Portuguese Immigrant: Atlantic Heritage Story.
You can connect with him at Instagram at www.instagram.com/lusoloonie.
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