L-R: Eric Tillett and John Barboza of Our Lady of Angels Catholic Association, Fairhaven Select Board member Charlie Murphy, State Rep. Bill Straus, Fairhaven SB member Leon Correy, Fairhaven Town Administrator Angie Lopes Ellison, Fairhaven SB member Keith Silvia, Fairhaven SB chairperson Stasia Powers, Lagoa Friendship Pact Committee chairperson Kyle Bueno, and Fairhaven SB member Bob Espindola gather together for a group shot after the speechmaking at the 500th anniversary celebration of Fairhaven’s sister city Lagoa, in the Azores, Portugal, at Fairhaven Town Hall on 7/25/22. Photo by Glenn C. Silva for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
By Beth David, Editor
Music, food and culture awaited those who showed up at Fairhaven town hall on Monday, 7/25/22, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Fairhaven’s sister city, Lagoa, in the Azores, Portugal. Fairhaven and Lagoa have been sister cities since 2017. The two municipalities engage in a variety of activities to create a deeper understanding of each area’s lives and traditions, and foster contacts that can contribute to tourism, cultural, and economic development.
On Monday, it was all about Lagoa, celebrating the municipality’s 500th anniversary. A photography exhibit lined the hallway and foyer at Town Hall in Fairhaven, tracing Lagoa’s history all the way back to 1522. Displays included before and after pictures of many buildings that were renovated, and photos of the town at various points in its history.
Kyle Bueno, the chairperson of the Lagoa Friendship Pact Committee, emceed the event, which included several speakers from this side of the ocean.
Town Administrator Angie Lopes Ellison began her speech in Portuguese. She said the committee did a “phenomenal job” and called it a “wonderful relationship” that the two towns have.
Select Board Chairperson Stasia Powers noted the hard work and lots of planning the event required by committee members.
She said the relationship will “help to enrich our community,” and will help the people in the community recognize their heritage.
L-R: Cristina Pinto accepts the offer of a cookie made by MJ Carvalho during the a celebration of the 500th anniversary of the town of Lagoa in the Azores, Fairhaven’s sister city, at Fairhaven Town Hall on 7/25/22. Photo by Glenn C. Silva for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
She said Lagoa is beautiful community and she was excited to learn more about it.
Charles Murphy, the Select Board’s representative on the Lagoa Committee, said the relationship mutually enriches our communities.
State Rep. Bill Straus said the event gives us an opportunity to reflect on our own history. He said he was a bit jealous, because although his relatives made a similar journey in the late 1800s, he does not have a specific place where they came from, just a general area.
He said he wanted to recognize the great job town officials are doing to maintain the pact.
John Barboza from the Our Lady of Angels Catholic Association also said a few words, noting the OLOA feast each September is the only Portuguese event in Fairhaven.
“It’s an honor for me to be here tonight,” said Mr. Barboza.
MJ Carvalho, a member of the Lagoa Committee, told the crowd that Lagoa is famous for its Nativity figures. Ceramics in the Azores dates back to the 1500s. The workers would take the discarded clay home and make small figures for their Nativity scenes.
“It seems people from there are born with big hearts,” said Ms. Carvalho, adding that there are different parts of the Azores that are all different, and “all paradise.”
Mr. Bueno capped off the speechmaking by saying that, although his only Portuguese words are food words, he has a “much deeper connection.”
Kyle Bueno, Fairhaven School Committee member and chairperson of the Lagoa Friendship Pact Committee, emcees at Fairhaven Town Hall at the 500th anniversary celebration of Fairhaven’s sister city Lagoa, Azores, Portugal at Fairhaven Town Hall on 7/25/22. Photo by Beth David.
His mother is from a small village on St. Michael. She was one of nine in a family of potato farmers. They still farm potatoes, said Mr. Bueno, noting he has visited his cousins there.
“I’ve seen the hard work and the kindness that is within that village,” said Mr. Bueno, adding his mother came here for the same reasons all immigrants come to the US. “They came here for opportunity, they came here for freedom. They came here just to live a better life.”
But they also brought something with them.
“And what they brought from there are values of hard work, compassion, faith, pride, inclusion for all to know and embrace the Portuguese culture,” said Mr. Bueno.
He said his mother could never imagine her son would be the first in the family to earn a Master’s Degree and serve as an elected official on the School Committee. That is what a lot of people to emigrate from other countries and the island come to the US for, better opportunities.
“And to bring that culture and to start new and to embrace what’s best about the Portuguese culture,” said Mr. Bueno.
After the speechmaking, Ms. Carvalho offered homemade cookies to the crowd, and people studied the displays.
Steven and Cristina Pinto, of Fairhaven, checked out the displays together.
Ms. Pinto, who is from the Azores, said it was a wonderful partnership.
“So it really makes me feel proud and want to participate,” she said.
Fairhaven Select Board Chairperson Stasia Powers says a few words at Fairhaven Town Hall at the 500th anniversary celebration of Fairhaven’s sister city Lagoa, Azores, Portugal at Fairhaven Town Hall on 7/25/22. Photo by Beth David.
Mr. Pinto said any promotion of the Portuguese culture, “I think is wonderful.”
Ms. Pinto said it was a good display.
“Too many memories,” said Ms. Pinto looking at pictures of houses and streets. “It really calls to my heart.”
“It’s beautiful,” said Mr. Pinto.
Filomena Tripp was born in Lagoa, and she agreed it was a good display.
“I love it. I do,” she said.
She even saw the street named after her. She and her husband James went in 2011.
“No words can explain how beautiful it is,” he said.
Unfortunately, no officials from Lagoa were able to attend, although the Mayor Cristina Calisto visit Fairhaven Town Hall a couple of weeks ago to begin the celebration.
The “Photographic Memories of Lagoa” display will be in town hall until August 8. It is part of an eight-month commemoration in the US and Canada.
The event was recorded by Fairhaven Community TV and will be available on demand at www.FairhavenTV.com
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- Fairhaven Select Board member Charles Murphy takes a picture of the photography exhibit before the program starts for the 500th anniversary celebration of Fairhaven’s sister city Lagoa, Azores, Portugal at Fairhaven Town Hall on 7/25/22, while Kyle Bueno (rear) looks on, and James and Filomena Tripp check out the photos. Photo by Beth David.
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- Ceramics from Lagoa are part of the display at Fairhaven Town Hall at the 500th anniversary celebration of Fairhaven’s sister city Lagoa, Azores, Portugal at Fairhaven Town Hall on 7/25/22. Photo by Beth David.
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- James and Filomena Tripp pose for the local free sheet during the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the town of Lagoa in the Azores, Fairhaven’s sister city, at Fairhaven Town Hall on 7/25/22. Photo by Glenn C. Silva for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
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- L-R seated: Isabella Tavares, Joe Tavares (the younger) on the accordion; Standing, Joe Tavares (the elder), Patricia Tavares, Paulo Da Silva, who are part of the folk group of the Azorean Culture Society from Fall River, Mass., perform at the 500th anniversary celebration of Fairhaven’s sister city Lagoa, Azores, at .Fairhaven Town Hall on 7/25/22. Photo by Glenn C. Silva for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
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