Every Day Is Special: Portuguese

Showing posts with label Portuguese. Show all posts

August 25 – First Europeans in Japan?

Posted on August 25, 2020

On this date in 1543, at least two Portuguese men landed on the island of Tanagashima. The trader and explorer António Mota and Francisco Zeimoto are considered the first Europeans known to have set foot on Japanese soil.

Mota and Zeimoto had been traveling in a Chinese junk (ship), along with about 100 East Asians, when they were swept off course in a bad storm.

We know very little about Mota's and Zeimoto's interaction with the land or people of Japan; all we do know tis hat the Portuguese men introduced handheld guns to Japanese people - and history shows us that Japan saw mass production of firearms in the following decades!

The Chinese junk was soon repaired, and Mota and Zeimoto sailed off to the rest of their lives. We don't know a thing about "the rest of their lives," either.

Here is the recording of Mota's demonstration of a gun, by an unknown Japanese artist:

Also on this date:

Anniversary of the beginning of the Belgian Revolution

Anniversary of the liberation of Paris

Anniversary of the Great Moon Hoax

Composer Leonard Bernstein's birthday

Constitution Day in Paraguay

Free Entrance Days at National Parks

National Second-hand Wardrobe Day

Dia de Soldado in Brazil

Independence Day in Uruguay

Anniversary of the first human-made object to enter interstellar space

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

August 30 – Popular Constitution Day in East Timor

Posted on August 30, 2016

Why is an island that is about the size of Maryland divided into two nations?

History. Religion. Language.

The Southeastern Asian island of Timor was settled by both Dutch and Portuguese colonizers. The two European nations squabbled over control of the island until a treaty signed in 1859 divided the island into Dutch Timor and Portuguese Timor.

Of course, the Asian descendants of the peoples who lived on the island long before Europeans arrived wanted to be independent. After World War II, the Dutch portion of the island and thousands of other nearby islands gained independence as Indonesia. It wasn't until 1975 that residents of Portuguese Timor declared their independence from Portugal.

Just nine days after this declaration, East Timor was invaded and occupied by Indonesia! After years of violence, the United Nations finally stepped in and helped hammer out a peace agreement. Indonesia gave up its claim for the other half of the island, and East Timor (also known as Timor-Leste) became the first new nation of the 21^st Century!

(By the way, in case you were wondering about the religious differences, Indonesia is predominantly Muslim, and East Timor is predominantly Catholic.)

Check out East Timor:

Mt. Ramelau (aka Tatamailau) is the highest mountain on the island.

Dili is the capital and largest city in East Timor.

The smaller islands that are part of East Timor include Atauro Island...

...and Jaco Island.

There is a little divot, called an exclave, on the Indonesian half of Timor that belongs to East Timor. This portion, pictured in red below, includes the city of Pante Makasar.

Here are some more photos of East Timor. Loads of beautiful beaches, interesting and complex culture...

For more on East Timor, check out this earlier post.

Also on this date:

Rose Festival in St. Lucia

Constitution Day in the Turks and Caicos

International Whale Shark Day

Oceanographer Sylvia Earle's birthday

National Toasted Marshmallow Day

Frankenstein author Mary Shelley's birthday

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

June 12 – Dia dos Namorados

Posted on June 12, 2016

If I told you that “Dia dos Namorados” in Portuguese for “Lovers' Day,” would you have a guess about where this holiday is celebrated?

Not in Portugal, actually. Today is Saint Anthony (of Padua)'s Day Eve in Portugal, a religious holiday before tomorrow's religious holiday (Saint Anthony's Day itself).

No, Dia dos Namorados is celebrated today in Brazil!

Brazil is the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world, because this South American country was a colony of Portugal. Today romantic couples give each other gifts such as chocolates and flowers, cards and poetry. They often do romantic activities such as go dancing or out to dinner. They might decorate the home with hearts and flowers. And communities often host festivities such as parades, carnivals, dances, and folk music celebrations.

In other words, today is the Brazilian equivalent of Valentine's Day!

Interestingly enough, many Portuguese-speaking nations in Africa use the term “Dia dos Namorados” for February 14 (Valentine's Day). But that is about the time that Brazil is having huge street parties, night after night, in their famous Carnival...so it's no wonder that they don't want to clutter the calendar with another sort of holiday.