Linda,
I think that's lovely to carry on the name for grandmother. It's those little
touches like that which are handed down generation to generation that keeps
your Portuguese family identity alive (no matter how diluted it can become over
the generations).
It reminds me of the "tradition" I have started in our family. When I was born
I was supposed to be named Francisca Maciel (Ferreira) after my grandfathers
mother. My grandfather was "adopted" by his mothers brother when he came from
Pico to the States and grew up with the surname of Ferreira. However, he was
born Estacio Vieira Maciel.
Anyway, all my life my grandfather used to tell me how I should have been named
Francisca Maciel. It was a real sticky point with him. I was the first grand
daughter for him and he really felt strongly about my being named after his
mother. My mother saw the movie "Laura" just prior to me being born and that
changed that.
Growing up my grandfather latched on to me as his little "Portagee". I was the
only one in my family of 3 brothers and one sister that "looked Portuguese". My
mother is Irish and everyone inherited her pale skin and light eyes except me.
Whenever any big event like a wedding would be taking place my
grandfather would take me to buy my dress and I always ended up wearing some
wild looking green and red combination dress. I looked like a walking
Portuguese flag usually and hated it then, but looking back I cherish the way
he paraded me around. I cherish the way he always called me his little Portagee.
When I grew up and my first daughter was born I named her Patricia Maciel. We
have never called her Patricia (her fathers choice) and she uses the name
Maciel as her first name. I remember the first time I saw my grandfather after
Maciel was born. He was BEAMING from ear to ear. He kept saying how happy he
was that I named her Maciel. He was so proud and dragged out all his old family
photos to show to me and explain who was who etc etc. It was one of the
happiest and proudest times I had ever witnessed in his life. In fact to this
day it brings tears to my eyes to think that just a simple act of honoring his
family meant so much to him.
My grandfather is many years dead now and my daughter Maciel is grown. When my
daughter Maciel had her first child she named her Isabella Maciel. In fact, my
other daughter, Claire, has also named her first daughter Cheyenne Maciel.
Each of my daughters have told their daughters that at least one of their
future grandchildren has to carry the name Maciel as a part of their birth name
in honor of my grandfather and our Azorian roots. I am proud of my daughters
for understanding why. It's a little tradition that I wil pass on to my
grandchildren now when I tell them the stories of how their great great
grandfather loved his birth mother that he left behind on the little island of
Pico to start a new life in America.
Now if I could only get someone to use the name Francisca. Nobody seems too
fond of that name :) !!!
I am really heartwarmed this morning over your use of the name Vavo!
Good for you!
Laura
--------------------------
Date: Mon, Oct 20 2008 12:11 pm
From: "Linda Norton"
I'm going to be a grandmother! I have told my son and daughter-in-law that I
want to be called Vavo. My mother who came to this country from Sao Miguel
wanted to be an American all the way and had sworn to be Nana and Grandpa to
my children. I loved calling my grandmother Vavo. It was never Avu.
Unfortunately both my grandfather's were deceased so I never had the
privilege of using Avo or Vavu. My husband who is Irish/French says it
doesn't matter, but he thought Vavu was odd. He's not use to it. My sons
never heard of it because my grandmother passed away when I was twelve and
they were never around family enough to hear a lot of Portuguese except when
they went to visit over there. They were only use to Tia and Tio.
At least I know there won't be a conflict between both grandparents now.
Linda Borges (Furtado) Norton
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