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    Portuguese Community of San Diego
    Portuguese Community of San Diego
    Portuguese Community of San Diego
    Ebook210 pages57 minutes

    Portuguese Community of San Diego

    By The Portuguese Historical Center and Donna Alves-Calhoun

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    About this ebook

    In a century’s time, Portuguese explorers had discovered two-thirds of the world. In 1542, Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho uncovered the west coast of America when he sailed into a large bay sheltered by a beautiful peninsula that would someday be known as Point Loma. By the 20th century, a small group of Portuguese immigrants had settled in the La Playa area in pursuit of a life on the sea. They brought their unique traditions and folklore customs, built churches and halls, and celebrated with Holy Spirit Festas in the streets of their new homeland. Today 19,717 make up San Diego’s Portuguese community, where many of them still live in Point Loma.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9781439638163
    Portuguese Community of San Diego
    Author

    The Portuguese Historical Center

    The Portuguese Historical Center was established in 1977 by Basilio Frietas to preserve and capture Portuguese history for future generations to come. Displaying priceless artifacts and archiving old photographs ensures San Diego�s Portuguese community will always be remembered. Author Donna Calhoun is a second-generation native to Point Loma. Graduating from Point Loma High school in 1981, she went on to receive her associate�s degree in graphic arts at Platt College. Currently she is a director at the Portuguese Historical Center where she is assisting to archive the community�s history.

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      Portuguese Community of San Diego - The Portuguese Historical Center

      Center.

      INTRODUCTION

      During the 14th century, Portuguese navigators dominated the world in sea exploration while charting courses and achieving unprecedented maritime discoveries. This became known as Portugal’s Golden Age. European kings and queens commissioned many Portuguese explorers, such as Bartolomeus Dias, Vasco de Gama, and of course João Rodrigues Cabrilho, to declare territory in the New World for their kingdoms. In 1542, when Cabrilho landed at Ballast Point and discovered a picturesque bay surrounded by a grand peninsula, he had unknowingly uncovered a gold mine that would some day be renamed San Diego. It was commonly assumed that the Portuguese immigrated to the United States only to become prosperous before retreating back to their nation. That reflection promptly changed as they experienced a taste of great independence along with an improved quality of life. From that point on, the Portuguese resolved that America would become their new motherland.

      Those who were fishing on the East Coast merged with those coming from the Azorean and Madeira Islands to continue their trade on the West Coast. Early fishing was courageously done by a simple hook and a line with live bait for chum. In 1910, a group of 15 families, along with a man named Frank Silva, a native of Cabo Verde, assembled at a home in La Playa to give thanks and praise to the Holy Spirit and celebrate Pentecost Sunday as they had done in their homeland. It is a tradition that allegedly traces back to the 1500s during the reign of Queen Isabel, married to King Dinis of Portugal, who was known for her humanity and immense faith in the Holy Spirit. It is here where San Diego’s Feast of the Divine Holy Spirit began; an Old World tradition was re-created, and Rose Silva became their first queen. In 1910, the first Festa Do Divinio Espirito Santo was commemorated in San Diego. Because the Holy Spirit was the center of this blessed ceremony, the families felt it would be fitting to purchase the first sterling silver crown, which came with a scepter and adorned a dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit. The crown has a double importance; it first gives absolute dominion and reverence to the Holy Spirit and also gives honor to the royalty of Queen Isabel of Portugal, who decreed that Pentecost Sunday should be observed in honor of the Holy Spirit and should be associated with helping the poor. This celebration of Pentecost Sunday continued until 1915, when the community grew too large to house all who wanted to participate.

      A desire to maintain this newly improvised folklore caused these families to acquire a piece of land on Addison Street, which would become a permanent residence for future festas and has survived to the present. In 1922, a man named M. O. Medina became president of the festa, and with immense humanity, kindness, and strength, a community came together and built a chapel, or capela, to house the newly purchased crown, or coroa, where it could be displayed and offerings could be made during prayer. Under the direction of three Portuguese men—John Lucas, a mason; Frank Brown, a painter; and Joseph Athaide, a carpenter—along with a fisherman from each Portuguese vessel, they assembled other influential people and constructed the chapel, which still remains in existence today.

      Soon after, it was apparent that a larger facility to house the community’s growing population was inevitable, and M. O. Medina made it his quest to travel up the coast to rustic areas and unpaved roads where Portuguese immigrants resided in the hopes of donations for the Portuguese Hall. It was not long before several prominent citizens donated sizeable amounts, and thereafter the passion burned into the entire community. The local fishermen donated 50¢ per ton from their pay: half for the building of the hall and half for their new church, St. Agnes. San Diego became known as the tuna capital of the world from the early 1930s up until the late 1970s. Well over 40,000 inhabitants became personnel of the new tuna industry, and 80 percent of families in the United States were serving tuna. San Diego’s tuna industry was ranked third in the city’s economy.

      The Portuguese community reached out into the city and grew graciously along with it. In 1935, the world’s fair came to San Diego for a second time, and Balboa Park hosted the grand exposition. Many citizens came to participate in the fair and view the stunning building that housed Portugal’s exhibit. The House of Pacific Relations was founded in 1935, and international cottages were formed to showcase different ethnic backgrounds and customs. Portugal became a charter member and occupied one of the original cottages for many years. Several dairy farms also developed in Mission Valley, and some Portuguese citizens joined in that venture as well.

      In 1941, the community had grown considerably, as had the fishing fleet. Larger and more efficient vessels were being constructed, and greater demands on and separation of the families were expected. The weather could be very hazardous, putting great strains on the boats as well. San Diego tuna boats were taken shortly after Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. The government ordered the fleet to leave fishing grounds and head for port. Ten vessels entered the Panama Canal Zone, and the U.S. Navy acquired the use of these boats. In 1942, the U.S. Navy decided that the bigger tuna boats in the community would be very beneficial in their fight during World War II. The local fleet became the Yard Patrol, fondly called YPs or Yippie Boats. Playing an important part in the war, YPs were responsible for transferring food, troops, and supplies in the South Pacific. In 1946, the surviving majority of the boats were transformed back to fishing boats and former owners were allowed to purchase them back. At this time, large corporations bought out the

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