Patricia Corbera <papagaia2@sbcglobal.net> wrote: So Dear Luis K W, what do you think the reason/s may have been? Possibly the desire to assimilate into "a moda Americana,?" Are you saying that our Portuguese cousins, that remained in Portugal are more involved/interested in learning about their ancestors? Pat Corbera Luis K W <luis_k_w@clix.pt> wrote: Hi Pat, (I always love to read your beautiful descriptions!) I don't think that people was afraid of reprisals during the Salazar's rule over Portugal. Well... you maybe right! Those emigrants surely wouldn't like people to think they were suporters of that government... and they would probably be afraid argue, and say they were against it (because they would want to go back home, freely, one day). Anyway. This behaviour started with emigrants (that went to the States) long before Salazar's governments. Luis K W Lisboa-Portugal ---------- > From: Patricia Corbera > Luis, > > The question that you posed is one that I have been asking for years, and still can not come up with an exact answer. > > It's possible, that during the Salazar dictatorship, many of our ancestors just existed, fearful of reprisals from the government if they became too out spoken or asked too many questions. That life style became a way of life when they migrated to foreign lands. Plus just surviving in a new land, proved difficult, learning a new language and new ways, no time to concern themselves with who their ancestors were, for they knew they were Portuguese, and that's all they needed to know. > I recall questioning my mom about how she and dad shared the same surname, before they were married. She simply said that they were related, but didn't know how. She went on to say that their existence depended on working, and raising their children to be responsible adults, and not to worry about who their ancestors were. Genealogy was something the rich did, and they were not rich, plus it wouldn't put food on the table or clothes on the backs of their children, and that all their fellow Portuguese friends who had migrated were in the same situation. To keep their Portuguese traditions alive they resided in Portuguese communities, holding dear the thoughts of their mother land, while making a new life for their families. > My parents were proud of being Portuguese, and instilled that in their children. We were born Americans, but our roots were Portuguese. You may ask if that be the case, then why don't I speak or write Portuguese? Let's just blame it on my poor brain not being able to handle a second language. ;-)) But it certainly does not mean that I am less proud of being Portuguese. > People who hide the fact that they are Portuguese, truly do not know what they are missing. After my parents died, for some unknown reason I felt the need to learn about my ancestors... Why me, and not my siblings, that's another question that I do not have an answer for. I just know that something deep inside me, needed to find out. Absent of the hardships that my parents and maternal grandparents were faced with, I have the desire and means to continue on this journey of discovery. > > Pat Silva Corbera ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx