JOSÉ DA CONCEIÇÃO, CLANDESTINE ADVENTURES
When he strides
forward you immediately notice his imposing figure: tall with broad, powerful shoulders, sturdy
hands, and a gravity in his inquiring gaze that draws you and the world ever closer
for serious consideration. A brown Fedora,
Indiana Jones style, sits level on the head of this adventurous man who jumped
ship 4 times before the age of 20, walked and hitch-hiked from Newfoundland to
Montreal with fifty cents in his pocket in the icy month of November, and
dodged Canadian Immigration, American Border Patrol, and Portugal’s feared
PIDE, the state security police under the Salazar dictatorship. That’s only part of the story José da
Conceição tells in "Clandestino."
forward you immediately notice his imposing figure: tall with broad, powerful shoulders, sturdy
hands, and a gravity in his inquiring gaze that draws you and the world ever closer
for serious consideration. A brown Fedora,
Indiana Jones style, sits level on the head of this adventurous man who jumped
ship 4 times before the age of 20, walked and hitch-hiked from Newfoundland to
Montreal with fifty cents in his pocket in the icy month of November, and
dodged Canadian Immigration, American Border Patrol, and Portugal’s feared
PIDE, the state security police under the Salazar dictatorship. That’s only part of the story José da
Conceição tells in "Clandestino."
He was born near Lisbon in 1948, a few streets from the docks on
Portugal’s Tagus River where as a young boy he decided his life would be a
fabulous adventure. He was not mistaken.
His father, absent for six months each year on cod-fishing expeditions,
would send post cards with drawings of far away places, sparking his son’s
imagination and appetite for discovery. American
Far West movies and promises of riches further enhanced his dreams. For most of his adult life he has lived, worked,
and raised a family in the Montreal area.
He is the author of two volumes of popular poetry (Brumas da Memória-2003 and O Despertar
da Saudade-2009). More recently, José
da Conceição has written "Clandestino," a fascinating
memoir-autobiography that spans the period from early youth to his arrival in
Canada after Portugal’s Carnation Revolution.
Portugal’s Tagus River where as a young boy he decided his life would be a
fabulous adventure. He was not mistaken.
His father, absent for six months each year on cod-fishing expeditions,
would send post cards with drawings of far away places, sparking his son’s
imagination and appetite for discovery. American
Far West movies and promises of riches further enhanced his dreams. For most of his adult life he has lived, worked,
and raised a family in the Montreal area.
He is the author of two volumes of popular poetry (Brumas da Memória-2003 and O Despertar
da Saudade-2009). More recently, José
da Conceição has written "Clandestino," a fascinating
memoir-autobiography that spans the period from early youth to his arrival in
Canada after Portugal’s Carnation Revolution.
"…Neste livro falo do amor pela vida que pulsa em cada ser humano,
porque sei que vale a pena viver…" (In this book, I talk about the love of life
that throbs in every living person, because I know it is worth living…)
porque sei que vale a pena viver…" (In this book, I talk about the love of life
that throbs in every living person, because I know it is worth living…)
"Clandestino" is a unique and engaging narrative about a young man’s indomitable will
to pursue his destiny. It is a potent coming
of age story from adolescence to adulthood with adventures spanning three
continents, from the freezing waters and icebergs of the Sea of Labrador to the
bush and tropical forests in Guinea-Bissau during Portugal’s colonial wars in Africa. Defiance of the limitations imposed by
authority is one of the recurring motifs in the book’s engaging episodes. Young José refuses to wash the soiled
underwear of White Fleet fishing captains, eventually abandons his ship in St.
John’s, Newfoundland, and later disobeys a military superior in order to save a
fellow soldier during an attack.
to pursue his destiny. It is a potent coming
of age story from adolescence to adulthood with adventures spanning three
continents, from the freezing waters and icebergs of the Sea of Labrador to the
bush and tropical forests in Guinea-Bissau during Portugal’s colonial wars in Africa. Defiance of the limitations imposed by
authority is one of the recurring motifs in the book’s engaging episodes. Young José refuses to wash the soiled
underwear of White Fleet fishing captains, eventually abandons his ship in St.
John’s, Newfoundland, and later disobeys a military superior in order to save a
fellow soldier during an attack.
"I’ve always revolted against barriers that have limited my
liberty," the author explains with regards to his multiple attempts to jump
ship. "I had no money to discover the
world. How else could I do it?" There is no vanity or self-aggrandizing in
the portrait "Clandestino" offers of a
boy from a modest background taking destiny into his own hands. Highly accessible reading, it is a singular
story of will, optimism, and courage joined to a heart-full message about
surviving in the world.
liberty," the author explains with regards to his multiple attempts to jump
ship. "I had no money to discover the
world. How else could I do it?" There is no vanity or self-aggrandizing in
the portrait "Clandestino" offers of a
boy from a modest background taking destiny into his own hands. Highly accessible reading, it is a singular
story of will, optimism, and courage joined to a heart-full message about
surviving in the world.
Despite having received only a limited formal education, José da
Conceição is passionately engaged in finding the right words to faithfully express
the essence of his emotions and life experiences. His writing reveals a refreshing charm and
directness.
Conceição is passionately engaged in finding the right words to faithfully express
the essence of his emotions and life experiences. His writing reveals a refreshing charm and
directness.
"What made you want to tell your story now?" I ask.
"I wanted my children and grandchildren to know who I am, where I
came from, and what I’ve done.
Nostalgia provokes me to write.
Some memories are so strong that I am unable to resist trying to write
about them." Luckily, he has recorded
them for readers in "Clandestino."
came from, and what I’ve done.
Nostalgia provokes me to write.
Some memories are so strong that I am unable to resist trying to write
about them." Luckily, he has recorded
them for readers in "Clandestino."
"While writing the book, it was painful to return to those years of
living illegally, the fear and uncertainty, but for me, suffering has created
these stories. I’m proud of having
written them down."
living illegally, the fear and uncertainty, but for me, suffering has created
these stories. I’m proud of having
written them down."
I ask him about a poem in Brumas
da Memória entitled Gronelândia.
After a brief pause and a long breath he recites the verse by heart
in a richly timbered and musical voice.
He wrote it more than 50 years ago, at age 19, on the Aida Peixoto, a
trawler cod fishing the Labrador Sea. Gronelândia evokes a nearly sacred admiration
of the natural world. He comments on
this power frequently, a source for him of solitary and primal connection,
particularly in the overwhelming and often austere Canadian landscapes. On that same voyage he
would watch a fellow crewman yanked to his death by the mechanized cables that
lower the fishing nets into the freezing waters. Still engraved in his memory is the crew’s
solemn procession to bury the young man among the graves of other Portuguese
fishermen in the cemetery of a Greenland inlet village.
Several days later, José da Conceição would desert the
Aida Peixoto in St. John’s, Newfoundland and begin his trek across Canada.
da Memória entitled Gronelândia.
After a brief pause and a long breath he recites the verse by heart
in a richly timbered and musical voice.
He wrote it more than 50 years ago, at age 19, on the Aida Peixoto, a
trawler cod fishing the Labrador Sea. Gronelândia evokes a nearly sacred admiration
of the natural world. He comments on
this power frequently, a source for him of solitary and primal connection,
particularly in the overwhelming and often austere Canadian landscapes. On that same voyage he
would watch a fellow crewman yanked to his death by the mechanized cables that
lower the fishing nets into the freezing waters. Still engraved in his memory is the crew’s
solemn procession to bury the young man among the graves of other Portuguese
fishermen in the cemetery of a Greenland inlet village.
Several days later, José da Conceição would desert the
Aida Peixoto in St. John’s, Newfoundland and begin his trek across Canada.
Another remarkable episode from Clandestino
recounts his father abandoning his own ship in St. John’s and traveling to
Montreal in search of his son who he has not heard from in four years. The scene when father and son are reunited
and celebrate tearfully over a sumptuous Portuguese meal creates a nearly
biblical impression.
recounts his father abandoning his own ship in St. John’s and traveling to
Montreal in search of his son who he has not heard from in four years. The scene when father and son are reunited
and celebrate tearfully over a sumptuous Portuguese meal creates a nearly
biblical impression.
Twice a week, José da Conceição meets with a group
of Portuguese friends in a Montreal café.
"To remain in contact with my culture and language," he explains. He writes articles for a local Portuguese
newspaper and composes poems regularly.
Despite his
youthful insistence on leaving Portugal and risking his life to succeed in America, he is profoundly attached to
the country where he was born.
of Portuguese friends in a Montreal café.
"To remain in contact with my culture and language," he explains. He writes articles for a local Portuguese
newspaper and composes poems regularly.
Despite his
youthful insistence on leaving Portugal and risking his life to succeed in America, he is profoundly attached to
the country where he was born.
"Immigration cuts the relationship to your native country, but I
always identify with being Portuguese.
There was no liberty under the Salazar regime, but that wasn’t why I
left. It was because I am an adventurer
and wanted to see the world. It is
important for my children and grandchildren to know about their Portuguese
heritage even if their first language is French. You need to know where you come from. How your blood is connected to a specific
place. I don’t understand people who
completely forget their roots."
always identify with being Portuguese.
There was no liberty under the Salazar regime, but that wasn’t why I
left. It was because I am an adventurer
and wanted to see the world. It is
important for my children and grandchildren to know about their Portuguese
heritage even if their first language is French. You need to know where you come from. How your blood is connected to a specific
place. I don’t understand people who
completely forget their roots."
He pulls a collection of papers from the inside pocket of his winter
coat and reads the opening lines of Navegar,
a recent poem:
coat and reads the opening lines of Navegar,
a recent poem:
Lancei um barquinha no Tejo I launched a small boat on the
Tagus
Tagus
Em direção ao alto mar Heading for the high seas
E nas altas ondas me vejo I see myself on the great waves
Barra fora a navegar Sailing away beyond the breakwater
This simple, popular verse that evokes youthful curiosity and a longing
for other worlds could be the lyrics of a traditional folk song. Rather, they are the carefully noted words of
a seventy-two year old man pondering the sense of his life.
for other worlds could be the lyrics of a traditional folk song. Rather, they are the carefully noted words of
a seventy-two year old man pondering the sense of his life.
"It’s important for us to become the author of our own stories,"
Jose da Conceição notes
on the rear book-cover of Clandestino.
He admits to having a lucky star to guide him
and the fortune to receive assistance from good people when necessary. Clandestino
describes a number of such encounters. I
ask him if he believes things happen by chance or because of a certain fate.
Jose da Conceição notes
on the rear book-cover of Clandestino.
He admits to having a lucky star to guide him
and the fortune to receive assistance from good people when necessary. Clandestino
describes a number of such encounters. I
ask him if he believes things happen by chance or because of a certain fate.
"We are born with specific destinies," he answers. "It’s up to each person to discover what that
means. I have tried to live my life
fully." He pauses and fixes me with
those serious yet generous eyes. "I am still
on the adventure of my life. Still searching
and asking questions."
means. I have tried to live my life
fully." He pauses and fixes me with
those serious yet generous eyes. "I am still
on the adventure of my life. Still searching
and asking questions."
Clandestino, in Portuguese by José da
Conceição, is available at Voz de Portugal: jornal@avozdeportugal.com
Richard
Simas, 2020
Conceição, is available at Voz de Portugal: jornal@avozdeportugal.com
Richard
Simas, 2020
