Ashley Fagundes Interview
Item
Title
Ashley Fagundes Interview
Creator
Fagundes, Ashley
Contributor
McCoy, Kelley Campos
Language
ENG
Relation
Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute
Date
4/7/2022
Identifier
SCUAD_pbbi_00034
extracted text
Ashley Fagundes: So, my full birth name is Ashley Cecilia Regalo. I'm
now married, so my last name is Fagundes now.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, were you named after anyone, Ashley?
Ashley Fagundes: I was, so my middle name Cecilia is, actually was my
grandmother's name on my mom's side.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, when and where were you born?
Ashley Fagundes: So, I was born here in California um in Merced,
California. So, in the Valley. And I was born in 1982.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So now when did your family immigrate to the
United States?
Ashely Fagundes: So, both of my parents were born here. My grandparents
came over from the Azores when they were around 18 years old. Um so
probably like late ‘40s, maybe between late ‘40s and early ‘50s. My
dad's family is from the island of Saint George and my mom's family is
from the island of Terceira.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And do you know, did both families settle in the
Central Valley?
Ashely Fagundes: They did yeah, actually so my um on my dad's side,
those grandparents, they came to Modesto, California because they
already had an uncle that was living there. And so, they went there
because they had someone that they could live with. And then um for my
mom's side of the family. My grandfather actually settled in Artesia
down South but didn't stay there long. Ended up moving up North to the
Valley, um, in the Snelling like Hopeton area kind of a small town.
So, not sure if people will recognize that, but that's where he ended
up. Again, because more family came and just to stay connected.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Do you know why they left the Azores?
Ashley Fagundes: For more opportunity, better opportunity. Education
was really big on my dad's side of the family, and I think, you know,
just the United States, they knew other family members that were here
that were having much more opportunities even from like a business
standpoint. So just too kind of live a better life and provide a
better life for their Children.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, when they did come to the Central Valley, did
they go into agriculture? What were they doing in terms of work?
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah. So, um my, my dad's family um they actually
would work on dairies and different things like that. My mom's family,
same thing when they first moved here. Eventually, my mom's family
ended up starting um my grandfather started his own dairy with a
cousin and then that separated and was just my grandfather and then
his sons came in on it so they've worked in the, in the dairy
industry, I guess is what you could say as far as agriculture in the
beginning of, of them coming here.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And did anybody stay in agriculture or, or did
they move on to other industries?
Ashley Fagundes: No. Um the, the family dairy on my mom's side, um
stayed in the family up until a few years ago. We still have a lot of
people that still work in agriculture. Um my father actually taught
agriculture in the high schools for over 30 years. My sister works for
a farm credit company. Um we have people that are responsible for
managing different crops and farms so it's definitely agriculture is
still in our life. Um played a big role in my life growing up as well.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, how did it play a big role in your life?
Ashley Fagundes: I think for, for me with my grandpa having the dairy
we were out there a lot. Um because so my, my mom is one of five
children. And so, there's three boys and two daughters and all three
boys and my grandparents lived on the dairy. So, the majority of the
family was out there. So, every weekend, pretty much every holiday,
that's where we all went. So I was, I always like to say I was born
and raised on a dairy even though I really wasn't, but that's where we
spent the majority of our time. And so having that connection also
shaped us growing up. Um my dad taught ag like I mentioned having
that. We were, I don't know, we were very familiar like we got into 4H
at a very young age, we got into FFA in high school, we showed animals
at the fair, at the county fairs and things like that. Um, you know I
was an FFA officer and so it's just always kind of been a part of who
we are, you know.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Well, it sounds like you grew up having very
strong bonds to your extended family like your grandparents. Can, can
you describe that? That that isn't something that a lot of American
kids have, you know, where they have those kinds of relationships. How
did that define you in your childhood growing up?
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah, we um, I'm very fortunate I think for that. My,
my dad's parents passed away when I was very young. Um I wanna say I
was maybe eight years old when my grandfather passed away and my
grandmother had already passed before that. So, my memories of them
are much lesser than the ones I have with my mom's grandparents
because like my mom's dad, my grandfather on that side he didn't pass
away till I was in my late twenties. Okay. So that's like a huge, you
know, I had 20 more years with him. So, we definitely have a lot more
memories, but we were always close to both sides. Um my dad is one of
nine siblings. Um so just first cousin wise I have like over 25 first
cousins. So that right there makes us pretty unique and the majority
of us all grew up in the Merced-Atwater area. So, holidays were huge
um, we are all still very close to which I think is kind of unique,
even though we've all kind of spread out. Some are in different
states, some are in different parts of California. Uh, but we still
try to uphold as many traditions as we can. And, um, we definitely are
a close-knit family and I truly, truly appreciate that. And I think
it's definitely helped me to like respect relationships and like
understand unconditional love and values like that, that you may not
get without having so many people on your team, you know.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Well, let's talk a little bit about values and
tradition and family specifically as it's kind of tied to the Azores
and to being Portuguese. And I imagine with your grandparents, it was
important to them to maintain an Azorean identity even though they
were here in the United States. Can you tell me what it was like
growing up in a Portuguese family? Were you always aware of the fact
that you were Portuguese?
Ashley Fagundes: Well, it was very loud because we are very loud
people. Um no, I, I'm joking. Well, we are loud but, in all honesty,
you know it, it was, it was great. I, I will say my family on both
sides, my, my dad's family, like those grandparents were very musical,
they loved the music part of the culture. Um my mom's side of the
family. That's where I feel like we upheld more of the Portuguese and
Azorean traditions in the sense that we would have matanzas every year
which is like a, a pig killing for lack of better translation. Um, but
our family would have matanzas every year growing up. Every February
we had them out at the dairy. Um we would make sweet bread, we make
filhós, and we make rice pudding we would go to festas, eat sopas
every weekend. I think for and, and they, they kept that going, even
how large our family was. And so, I think it was important to them,
even though they may not have said it out loud or expressed it. But it
was definitely something that if we like they, they wanted all of us
young grandkids in the kitchen learning how to, you know, make the,
the filhós and how to fry it and everything. So, I think it was
important for them to pass down those traditions and it's something
that I'm grateful for because it's some good food if you haven't had
it, I recommend it hahaha.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, was it so, so were the boys and the girls
equally expected to be in the kitchen learning these things or were
there certain things for the, for the grandsons as opposed to the
granddaughters?
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah, I would definitely say they, they, they come
from a much more traditional view. Um, as far as it was definitely the
women in the kitchen. Um, even out with the matanzas the men are in
charge of the actual like taking care of the, the animals right. And
then they use every part of the pig. And so, the, the men basically
dissect the pig. I can't think of a better word to use. And then, um,
all of those things come to the kitchen and different things are made
from there, whether it's linguica or morcela or liver and onions,
whatever it may be. But the women did the cooking of all those things.
Um the I would say maybe the men did the, the outside dirty work and
the boys and then the, the girls were definitely the ones in the
kitchen for sure.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So how about the language? Was it important to
your grandparents and even to your parents that the children know how
to speak Portuguese?
Ashley Fagundes: So interestingly enough, um when my grandfather on my
mom's side moved here, to keep them all straight. Um when they moved
here, they actually didn't teach any of the five children Portuguese.
And my dad's family, they all spoke Portuguese. So, myself, when I was
growing up, my dad didn't want to teach us Portuguese, because when he
started elementary school here, he had a language barrier, and he just
didn't feel it important at that time to teach his daughters the
language. And I remember my mom would always still tell him you should
you're going to regret it. You should teach him. And so now I still
tell him that. See, you should have taught me. So, I would say I
always heard like my grandparents or like my dad's family, they would
speak Portuguese like to their friends or whoever, but within our
household and even like those extended um like family events it, it
was mainly English speaking.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Did you ever learn? The language or do you want to
learn the language?
Ashley Fagundes: I have not learned it. I would love to learn it. I
would love for my son to learn it. Um so we'll see it's on my bucket
list. I hope one day.
Kelley Campos McCoy: I have, I have no doubts. So, now tell me because
you, you've, you've, you've talked about your grandparents and the
importance of maintaining certain traditions with them. Was, was it
also important Ashley to your parents that you retain a strong sense
of Azorean Portuguese identity?
Ashley Fagundes: Yes, definitely. Um growing up where, where the house
that I grew up in is behind one of the Portuguese halls in my hometown
of Atwater and my mom was in charge of like book, renting out the
hall. So, we were always at the Portuguese Hall regardless of if we
just had to unlock the door for a wedding that was going to come in.
But it was basically in our backyard. We, we were always there. Um as
young girls, my sister and I were signed up to dance Portuguese
folklore, which we didn't want to do. We fought my mom about it. I
remember marching in festa parades, and we had to like carry a little
parasol and I, I just, I, I have vague memories of, of those types of
things. My, my parents were, were much wanting us to know that we were
Portuguese. My mom taught me how to make sweet bread. I mean, so
that's definitely something the other thing that was really, really
important for our family. My great grandfather on my mom's mom's side,
um his name was Earl Souza, and he actually started the Hopeton Festa.
Its Saint John's Hopeton Festa. And he started that back in um 1936.
So that's something like that festa we, you did not miss that festa.
Every year, it's always on the same day, June 24th. Um and both sides
of my family were very involved in that. So, growing up, that was
definitely something we knew. We, we called ourselves festa kids at
that festa. We would run around barefoot and um but yeah, it's
definitely something that my parents thought was important, still
think is important and I think I, I think they're proud that they did
it and they should be. And I know my sister and I and my cousins, we
definitely identify, you know, as being Portuguese American.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So why do you think it was so important to your
parents?
Ashley Fagundes: I think it was important to them because the, the
Portuguese culture is very, we're very proud, we're very hard working.
We're very um family oriented, the values of the Portuguese culture is
something I think that, that reflected their values and in turn,
that's what they wanted, their children's values, right? Like, try to
ingrain those types of values within their children. I, I think of
myself today and I, I look at my, my friends and my family and it's
like we're very close knit and I would do anything for them. And, you
know, so those types of things they foll, they follow you through
life, which is a good thing, you know, hopefully I can instill that
into my son and my sister and her kids. And so, it's, I think it goes
beyond just like I want you to know how to make sweet bread versus
like the, this culture is amazing and the, the values that it holds is
something that can't necessarily be taught, you know, just to someone
off the street, you kind of have to like live and breathe it and have
grown up with it.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, you mentioned that you have a son, how old is
he?
Ashely Fagundes: He is six years old.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And it's important to you, as you've said to kind
of steep him in those traditions. How difficult is that? Do you think
he's what gonna be fourth generation American? Is that right? And so
with all of the pressures to assimilate, how do you raise a child to
recognize the value of being part of a community?
Ashely Fagundes: Yeah that’s, that's a good question. And I think it's
hard to answer because he is still young. Um But I will say we're
really blessed on where we live. As far as the Portuguese American
community. You have, you know a Portuguese bakery right up the street
in Hanford. You can go to a different festa every weekend within an
hour, two-hour drive. So, where we live, I think is very welcoming to
the Portuguese American community I think the fact that our family has
stayed so close in which I hope he does the same with his cousins and
aunts and uncles. Um I, I need to be better about, about taking him to
different cultural events and, and stuff like that. Um but it's
definitely something that I wanna make sure he knows what his heritage
is, and I do explain to him because he will help me when I make sweet
bread. Um or if I make sopas like he, so I teach it, but they're still
so little. He's like can I just go play baseball? You know, but I'm
gonna definitely keep trying.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Well, let's talk a little bit about festas now.
So, um you've been involved with them in the past, right? And, and you
were an attendant correct? Can you explain what that is?
Ashley Fagundes: Sure. So, um most festas are um honoring a specific
saint um and every festa has what they call a queen. So, the history
of the festa goes all the way back to Portugal and Queen Isabel and
taking care of the poor. And so, every festa has a queen and then um
typically like a senior queen and a junior queen. And then each queen
has two side maids or attendants. Um again, senior and junior. And
they're a representation of that festa. Every festa has a parade where
the queens come and march and again, family oriented. Every festa kind
of goes to every festa to make the parade and you know, show off the
whatever saint they're representing, the dresses that are made are
very intricate, gorgeous, very detailed. Um so yes, so I served as one
of the side maids for um the Holy Spirit Festa in Atwater and it was a
wonderful experience. I'm, I'm very grateful that I got to do it. Um
But I did that probably in my late teens, might have been my early
twenties, honestly. Um but I grew up going to, like I mentioned, we
did not miss Saint John's in Hopeton, um we would, because we were
dancing in dance groups, we would go perform at different festas. So
it's just always been a part of my growing up my summers from May to
August, you're definitely visiting a few festas.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, what role do festas play in your life now?
Ashley Fagundes: So now we're still go to Saint John's in Hopeton, like
I said, it's just kind of an expected. Um also something kind of
silly, but a girlfriend of mine who's also part Portuguese um her and
I said that we started our own festa. And so, every summer, which we
stopped because of the pandemic. But prior to that, we were 11 years
strong in a row and we would make so sweet bread, everything. Have all
the Portuguese desserts, linguica. And we would just have our own
festa every August. And it got to the point where we had to rent
tables and chairs because we would have so many friends and family
people would hear. Oh, you guys are doing? Oh, can we come? Can I
invite so and so? And of course we're like, yes, absolutely and so,
um, that, uh, our “festa” is something that like my son has become
more accustomed to. Um, I am getting my son involved in, he's gonna
march in his first parade this summer. So hopefully we can continue to
get more and more involved. Um, still try to go back home and, and go
to different ones in Atwater, Merced area as well.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So, I have a couple questions. The first is
how? I didn't know that someone could say, hey, let's have a festa. I
thought it always had to be like, associated with it.
Ashley Fagundes: Is we call it a “festa,” in quotes just because we
cook the food that they would normally serve at a festa, but it's not
a real festa, it's typically a, you're correct. It's associated with
a, um, I guess a particular saint and then that saint is typically,
um, you know, there's it's somewhere where there has to be a church
and they do a mass, and they bless the saint. So, there's much more to
it than just throwing some tables and chairs in your backyard and
calling it that.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Saint Ashley.
Ashley Fagundes: Hahaha maybe.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Um, so can you tell me, you, your little boy is
going to be involved for the first time. What is the difference
between the roles of males and females in the festas?
Ashley Fagundes: So, um like I mentioned before, the, the queens and
side maids, typically female, uh the males do still have a role that
they usually would carry the saint or carry like the sign, the sign
would um state like what festa they were representing. Uh so typically
there are still males um they’ll carry like the Azores flag, the
Portuguese flag, they'll play in the band. There's all kinds of
different roles. I would say the biggest thing is that females are the
queens or the side maids versus like there's not males in that role.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, I, I know already the, the answer to this, but
I'm, I'm gonna ask you anyway, as you look at your little boy, why is
it so important to you personally that he maintains a strong sense of
identity or cultivate a strong sense of identity?
Ashely Fagundes: I think it's important to be proud of who you are. And
I think if you are proud of who you are, it helps you to be confident.
We’re, we're transitioning into this world of, you know, everything is
social media and people want to grow up much faster than they should.
And it's so easy for kids to get picked on or even adults to, to get
picked on. And I just want him to be able to have confidence, have,
you know, I've made so many friends outside of my family and the
school I was going to because I went and got involved in the
Portuguese American community and folklore groups and festas, and I
have people that I'm still friends with today that I never went to
school with them, you know, so for him to have other outlets, I think
is important. But I think if you have a strong background and like
pride in who you are, where, where your roots came from, it's just
gonna help you be more confident in yourself, and I think that that's
something that is needed now and probably gonna be needed as he goes
on because he's only six so.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, you're talking about raising. Has anyone in
your family gone back to the Azores since your grandparents left?
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah. Um actually myself, my sister and my parents, we
went back. Uh but that was in 2001 is when we went. So that's the only
time I've been. I wanna go again. I would love to go again. Just let
all this dust settle and hopefully we'll get back there we talked
about going this summer, but everything is still wishy washy with
requirements and precautions. Um my father-in-law is also
Portuguese and he went back, I think it was in like I'll say the ‘80s
maybe the early ‘90s. Um and, but he, that was the one time that him
and his siblings went back. I have had um other like uncles and aunts.
They have gone also and visited as well. I think everybody; it's we
want to go back because we have another uncle and some cousins that
want to go. So, we're trying to, you know, find a time to do all that
because it's so beautiful over there. And I mean, it's been 21 years
since I've been. So, I want to go back.
Kelley Campos McCoy: It sounds like it made an impression on you. What
was it about being over there that was so meaningful that you want to
go back?
Ashley Fagundes: The thing that I think I, that sticks with me the most
besides obviously how beautiful it is just aesthetically. Beyond that,
um as soon as we landed, you're talking people we've never met before.
That are our cousins, right? And you would think that we had known
them our entire lives. They're welcoming in, you know, you into their
home. Let me give you a tour of the island. I wanna take you to this
place. I wanna take you to this place. And so that sense of family
oriented is just something that again, like we've never met these
people, but they knew we were cousins, you know. And so, it just, it
really made the impression of like how bonded that that really is. Um
and then of course, like I said, it's gorgeous over there, so I would
love to go back and I'm sure it's changed so much since I've been
there. But that sense of family and even when we were there, um, like,
my grandparents’ house was still standing, you know, it's like we got
to go see those types of things, you know. And so, I'm, I'm grateful
that I did because I, I'm, I don't think that they are anymore. Um, so
just something like that. Like, even though that's like a material
thing, it was still, like, so interesting to see and I've always
enjoyed traveling and I've been to many countries and so just seeing
different, like, architecture and, like you know, just the traditions
of like, oh, you can't you know, go to a restaurant between these
hours because they're not serving food, you know, just things like
that. Just the nuances of the culture. I've always found that
interesting, but because it was Azorian and that's, you know, what I
knew of growing up. I think it hit home even stronger.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, it was a hope to, I imagine, eventually take
your son there as well?
Ashley Fagundes: It would be great. Yeah. My husband's never been
either and he's uh you know, Portuguese as well. So, I think it's
definitely a trip that we all want to do. I’d probably wait a couple
of years for my son. Let him be a little bit older. Appreciate it a
little bit more, survive the long flight.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, I have just a couple more questions and it,
and it kind of has to do with um what does being Portuguese mean to
you?
Ashley Fagundes: I think being Portuguese means, like I've mentioned
just family oriented, proud of your culture, loving. Um we're very
vibrant people, I feel. Um uh on my, I was telling a coworker that I
was coming to do this interview and she said, mention your sweet
bread, mention your sweet bread. How everybody, if you make sweet
bread, they, you know, everybody's coming to work that day. So just
like sharing that, you know, that, that that love of the culture that
we have. Um I just think we're very, yeah, just hard working and like
loving people. And so that to me is what being Portuguese is. And I
hope that I reflect that in my professional life, my personal life, I
hope I can instill things like that in my son and other people that I
meet in life.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Well, then I don't think I need to actually ask
the last question because it sounds like you kind of answered it. The
last question I usually ask is, is how somebody feels that being
Portuguese has shaped them, you know as a person? And that's always a
hard question to answer because we don't really think about that. Can
we not be who we are?
Ashley Fagundes: Right.
Kelley Campos McCoy: You know? But it sounds like you, you kind of
already got, got at that.
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah, it's, it's so interesting just, um, working with
Diniz over the last couple of years now on this project and just the
things that you didn't realize, like even um saying Azorean American
versus Portuguese American, like my family is not from Portugal, the
mainland, like they're from the Azores, but we've always said we're
Portuguese, you know, and so just little nuances like that. And um it
is a hard question because you, I don't think that people really
reflect on how has this shaped me, you know, I mean, I, I look back
now and maybe it's now because I'm a mom or whatever it may be. But
and I think about how I fought my mom on being in the, you know,
folklore group and I did not want to dance. And then probably 10 years
later when I was old enough and I was in high school, I joined my own
dance group on my own because I realized how important it was to me
and um you know, started performing more and going to more and more
festas and so it just turned into this, you know, we, we always had
this Portuguese part of us because we were celebrating the matanzas,
and we were doing you know, and the food, but then I embraced it even
more and then to be, you know, side maid and, and all of that kind of
stuff and you don't think about how that shaped you, because in the
moment you're just like well, this is fun and, yeah, and I wanna do
this and now thinking back, I think of all the lifelong friendships
I've made the stories I have to tell and the, you know the festas that
I can take my, my son to, the bull fights any of that type of stuff.
And it's, it's so amazing that I've got to experience all that. Like I
said, we're very blessed with where we live to keep that culture
alive. You don't feel so isolated from it because within a few hour
drive, like I say, you could be at one of those events or with people
of the same background. So, it's, it's definitely been a blessing and
I hope to continue it.
now married, so my last name is Fagundes now.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, were you named after anyone, Ashley?
Ashley Fagundes: I was, so my middle name Cecilia is, actually was my
grandmother's name on my mom's side.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, when and where were you born?
Ashley Fagundes: So, I was born here in California um in Merced,
California. So, in the Valley. And I was born in 1982.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So now when did your family immigrate to the
United States?
Ashely Fagundes: So, both of my parents were born here. My grandparents
came over from the Azores when they were around 18 years old. Um so
probably like late ‘40s, maybe between late ‘40s and early ‘50s. My
dad's family is from the island of Saint George and my mom's family is
from the island of Terceira.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And do you know, did both families settle in the
Central Valley?
Ashely Fagundes: They did yeah, actually so my um on my dad's side,
those grandparents, they came to Modesto, California because they
already had an uncle that was living there. And so, they went there
because they had someone that they could live with. And then um for my
mom's side of the family. My grandfather actually settled in Artesia
down South but didn't stay there long. Ended up moving up North to the
Valley, um, in the Snelling like Hopeton area kind of a small town.
So, not sure if people will recognize that, but that's where he ended
up. Again, because more family came and just to stay connected.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Do you know why they left the Azores?
Ashley Fagundes: For more opportunity, better opportunity. Education
was really big on my dad's side of the family, and I think, you know,
just the United States, they knew other family members that were here
that were having much more opportunities even from like a business
standpoint. So just too kind of live a better life and provide a
better life for their Children.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, when they did come to the Central Valley, did
they go into agriculture? What were they doing in terms of work?
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah. So, um my, my dad's family um they actually
would work on dairies and different things like that. My mom's family,
same thing when they first moved here. Eventually, my mom's family
ended up starting um my grandfather started his own dairy with a
cousin and then that separated and was just my grandfather and then
his sons came in on it so they've worked in the, in the dairy
industry, I guess is what you could say as far as agriculture in the
beginning of, of them coming here.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And did anybody stay in agriculture or, or did
they move on to other industries?
Ashley Fagundes: No. Um the, the family dairy on my mom's side, um
stayed in the family up until a few years ago. We still have a lot of
people that still work in agriculture. Um my father actually taught
agriculture in the high schools for over 30 years. My sister works for
a farm credit company. Um we have people that are responsible for
managing different crops and farms so it's definitely agriculture is
still in our life. Um played a big role in my life growing up as well.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, how did it play a big role in your life?
Ashley Fagundes: I think for, for me with my grandpa having the dairy
we were out there a lot. Um because so my, my mom is one of five
children. And so, there's three boys and two daughters and all three
boys and my grandparents lived on the dairy. So, the majority of the
family was out there. So, every weekend, pretty much every holiday,
that's where we all went. So I was, I always like to say I was born
and raised on a dairy even though I really wasn't, but that's where we
spent the majority of our time. And so having that connection also
shaped us growing up. Um my dad taught ag like I mentioned having
that. We were, I don't know, we were very familiar like we got into 4H
at a very young age, we got into FFA in high school, we showed animals
at the fair, at the county fairs and things like that. Um, you know I
was an FFA officer and so it's just always kind of been a part of who
we are, you know.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Well, it sounds like you grew up having very
strong bonds to your extended family like your grandparents. Can, can
you describe that? That that isn't something that a lot of American
kids have, you know, where they have those kinds of relationships. How
did that define you in your childhood growing up?
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah, we um, I'm very fortunate I think for that. My,
my dad's parents passed away when I was very young. Um I wanna say I
was maybe eight years old when my grandfather passed away and my
grandmother had already passed before that. So, my memories of them
are much lesser than the ones I have with my mom's grandparents
because like my mom's dad, my grandfather on that side he didn't pass
away till I was in my late twenties. Okay. So that's like a huge, you
know, I had 20 more years with him. So, we definitely have a lot more
memories, but we were always close to both sides. Um my dad is one of
nine siblings. Um so just first cousin wise I have like over 25 first
cousins. So that right there makes us pretty unique and the majority
of us all grew up in the Merced-Atwater area. So, holidays were huge
um, we are all still very close to which I think is kind of unique,
even though we've all kind of spread out. Some are in different
states, some are in different parts of California. Uh, but we still
try to uphold as many traditions as we can. And, um, we definitely are
a close-knit family and I truly, truly appreciate that. And I think
it's definitely helped me to like respect relationships and like
understand unconditional love and values like that, that you may not
get without having so many people on your team, you know.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Well, let's talk a little bit about values and
tradition and family specifically as it's kind of tied to the Azores
and to being Portuguese. And I imagine with your grandparents, it was
important to them to maintain an Azorean identity even though they
were here in the United States. Can you tell me what it was like
growing up in a Portuguese family? Were you always aware of the fact
that you were Portuguese?
Ashley Fagundes: Well, it was very loud because we are very loud
people. Um no, I, I'm joking. Well, we are loud but, in all honesty,
you know it, it was, it was great. I, I will say my family on both
sides, my, my dad's family, like those grandparents were very musical,
they loved the music part of the culture. Um my mom's side of the
family. That's where I feel like we upheld more of the Portuguese and
Azorean traditions in the sense that we would have matanzas every year
which is like a, a pig killing for lack of better translation. Um, but
our family would have matanzas every year growing up. Every February
we had them out at the dairy. Um we would make sweet bread, we make
filhós, and we make rice pudding we would go to festas, eat sopas
every weekend. I think for and, and they, they kept that going, even
how large our family was. And so, I think it was important to them,
even though they may not have said it out loud or expressed it. But it
was definitely something that if we like they, they wanted all of us
young grandkids in the kitchen learning how to, you know, make the,
the filhós and how to fry it and everything. So, I think it was
important for them to pass down those traditions and it's something
that I'm grateful for because it's some good food if you haven't had
it, I recommend it hahaha.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, was it so, so were the boys and the girls
equally expected to be in the kitchen learning these things or were
there certain things for the, for the grandsons as opposed to the
granddaughters?
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah, I would definitely say they, they, they come
from a much more traditional view. Um, as far as it was definitely the
women in the kitchen. Um, even out with the matanzas the men are in
charge of the actual like taking care of the, the animals right. And
then they use every part of the pig. And so, the, the men basically
dissect the pig. I can't think of a better word to use. And then, um,
all of those things come to the kitchen and different things are made
from there, whether it's linguica or morcela or liver and onions,
whatever it may be. But the women did the cooking of all those things.
Um the I would say maybe the men did the, the outside dirty work and
the boys and then the, the girls were definitely the ones in the
kitchen for sure.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So how about the language? Was it important to
your grandparents and even to your parents that the children know how
to speak Portuguese?
Ashley Fagundes: So interestingly enough, um when my grandfather on my
mom's side moved here, to keep them all straight. Um when they moved
here, they actually didn't teach any of the five children Portuguese.
And my dad's family, they all spoke Portuguese. So, myself, when I was
growing up, my dad didn't want to teach us Portuguese, because when he
started elementary school here, he had a language barrier, and he just
didn't feel it important at that time to teach his daughters the
language. And I remember my mom would always still tell him you should
you're going to regret it. You should teach him. And so now I still
tell him that. See, you should have taught me. So, I would say I
always heard like my grandparents or like my dad's family, they would
speak Portuguese like to their friends or whoever, but within our
household and even like those extended um like family events it, it
was mainly English speaking.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Did you ever learn? The language or do you want to
learn the language?
Ashley Fagundes: I have not learned it. I would love to learn it. I
would love for my son to learn it. Um so we'll see it's on my bucket
list. I hope one day.
Kelley Campos McCoy: I have, I have no doubts. So, now tell me because
you, you've, you've, you've talked about your grandparents and the
importance of maintaining certain traditions with them. Was, was it
also important Ashley to your parents that you retain a strong sense
of Azorean Portuguese identity?
Ashley Fagundes: Yes, definitely. Um growing up where, where the house
that I grew up in is behind one of the Portuguese halls in my hometown
of Atwater and my mom was in charge of like book, renting out the
hall. So, we were always at the Portuguese Hall regardless of if we
just had to unlock the door for a wedding that was going to come in.
But it was basically in our backyard. We, we were always there. Um as
young girls, my sister and I were signed up to dance Portuguese
folklore, which we didn't want to do. We fought my mom about it. I
remember marching in festa parades, and we had to like carry a little
parasol and I, I just, I, I have vague memories of, of those types of
things. My, my parents were, were much wanting us to know that we were
Portuguese. My mom taught me how to make sweet bread. I mean, so
that's definitely something the other thing that was really, really
important for our family. My great grandfather on my mom's mom's side,
um his name was Earl Souza, and he actually started the Hopeton Festa.
Its Saint John's Hopeton Festa. And he started that back in um 1936.
So that's something like that festa we, you did not miss that festa.
Every year, it's always on the same day, June 24th. Um and both sides
of my family were very involved in that. So, growing up, that was
definitely something we knew. We, we called ourselves festa kids at
that festa. We would run around barefoot and um but yeah, it's
definitely something that my parents thought was important, still
think is important and I think I, I think they're proud that they did
it and they should be. And I know my sister and I and my cousins, we
definitely identify, you know, as being Portuguese American.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So why do you think it was so important to your
parents?
Ashley Fagundes: I think it was important to them because the, the
Portuguese culture is very, we're very proud, we're very hard working.
We're very um family oriented, the values of the Portuguese culture is
something I think that, that reflected their values and in turn,
that's what they wanted, their children's values, right? Like, try to
ingrain those types of values within their children. I, I think of
myself today and I, I look at my, my friends and my family and it's
like we're very close knit and I would do anything for them. And, you
know, so those types of things they foll, they follow you through
life, which is a good thing, you know, hopefully I can instill that
into my son and my sister and her kids. And so, it's, I think it goes
beyond just like I want you to know how to make sweet bread versus
like the, this culture is amazing and the, the values that it holds is
something that can't necessarily be taught, you know, just to someone
off the street, you kind of have to like live and breathe it and have
grown up with it.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, you mentioned that you have a son, how old is
he?
Ashely Fagundes: He is six years old.
Kelley Campos McCoy: And it's important to you, as you've said to kind
of steep him in those traditions. How difficult is that? Do you think
he's what gonna be fourth generation American? Is that right? And so
with all of the pressures to assimilate, how do you raise a child to
recognize the value of being part of a community?
Ashely Fagundes: Yeah that’s, that's a good question. And I think it's
hard to answer because he is still young. Um But I will say we're
really blessed on where we live. As far as the Portuguese American
community. You have, you know a Portuguese bakery right up the street
in Hanford. You can go to a different festa every weekend within an
hour, two-hour drive. So, where we live, I think is very welcoming to
the Portuguese American community I think the fact that our family has
stayed so close in which I hope he does the same with his cousins and
aunts and uncles. Um I, I need to be better about, about taking him to
different cultural events and, and stuff like that. Um but it's
definitely something that I wanna make sure he knows what his heritage
is, and I do explain to him because he will help me when I make sweet
bread. Um or if I make sopas like he, so I teach it, but they're still
so little. He's like can I just go play baseball? You know, but I'm
gonna definitely keep trying.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Well, let's talk a little bit about festas now.
So, um you've been involved with them in the past, right? And, and you
were an attendant correct? Can you explain what that is?
Ashley Fagundes: Sure. So, um most festas are um honoring a specific
saint um and every festa has what they call a queen. So, the history
of the festa goes all the way back to Portugal and Queen Isabel and
taking care of the poor. And so, every festa has a queen and then um
typically like a senior queen and a junior queen. And then each queen
has two side maids or attendants. Um again, senior and junior. And
they're a representation of that festa. Every festa has a parade where
the queens come and march and again, family oriented. Every festa kind
of goes to every festa to make the parade and you know, show off the
whatever saint they're representing, the dresses that are made are
very intricate, gorgeous, very detailed. Um so yes, so I served as one
of the side maids for um the Holy Spirit Festa in Atwater and it was a
wonderful experience. I'm, I'm very grateful that I got to do it. Um
But I did that probably in my late teens, might have been my early
twenties, honestly. Um but I grew up going to, like I mentioned, we
did not miss Saint John's in Hopeton, um we would, because we were
dancing in dance groups, we would go perform at different festas. So
it's just always been a part of my growing up my summers from May to
August, you're definitely visiting a few festas.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, what role do festas play in your life now?
Ashley Fagundes: So now we're still go to Saint John's in Hopeton, like
I said, it's just kind of an expected. Um also something kind of
silly, but a girlfriend of mine who's also part Portuguese um her and
I said that we started our own festa. And so, every summer, which we
stopped because of the pandemic. But prior to that, we were 11 years
strong in a row and we would make so sweet bread, everything. Have all
the Portuguese desserts, linguica. And we would just have our own
festa every August. And it got to the point where we had to rent
tables and chairs because we would have so many friends and family
people would hear. Oh, you guys are doing? Oh, can we come? Can I
invite so and so? And of course we're like, yes, absolutely and so,
um, that, uh, our “festa” is something that like my son has become
more accustomed to. Um, I am getting my son involved in, he's gonna
march in his first parade this summer. So hopefully we can continue to
get more and more involved. Um, still try to go back home and, and go
to different ones in Atwater, Merced area as well.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Okay. So, I have a couple questions. The first is
how? I didn't know that someone could say, hey, let's have a festa. I
thought it always had to be like, associated with it.
Ashley Fagundes: Is we call it a “festa,” in quotes just because we
cook the food that they would normally serve at a festa, but it's not
a real festa, it's typically a, you're correct. It's associated with
a, um, I guess a particular saint and then that saint is typically,
um, you know, there's it's somewhere where there has to be a church
and they do a mass, and they bless the saint. So, there's much more to
it than just throwing some tables and chairs in your backyard and
calling it that.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Saint Ashley.
Ashley Fagundes: Hahaha maybe.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Um, so can you tell me, you, your little boy is
going to be involved for the first time. What is the difference
between the roles of males and females in the festas?
Ashley Fagundes: So, um like I mentioned before, the, the queens and
side maids, typically female, uh the males do still have a role that
they usually would carry the saint or carry like the sign, the sign
would um state like what festa they were representing. Uh so typically
there are still males um they’ll carry like the Azores flag, the
Portuguese flag, they'll play in the band. There's all kinds of
different roles. I would say the biggest thing is that females are the
queens or the side maids versus like there's not males in that role.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, I, I know already the, the answer to this, but
I'm, I'm gonna ask you anyway, as you look at your little boy, why is
it so important to you personally that he maintains a strong sense of
identity or cultivate a strong sense of identity?
Ashely Fagundes: I think it's important to be proud of who you are. And
I think if you are proud of who you are, it helps you to be confident.
We’re, we're transitioning into this world of, you know, everything is
social media and people want to grow up much faster than they should.
And it's so easy for kids to get picked on or even adults to, to get
picked on. And I just want him to be able to have confidence, have,
you know, I've made so many friends outside of my family and the
school I was going to because I went and got involved in the
Portuguese American community and folklore groups and festas, and I
have people that I'm still friends with today that I never went to
school with them, you know, so for him to have other outlets, I think
is important. But I think if you have a strong background and like
pride in who you are, where, where your roots came from, it's just
gonna help you be more confident in yourself, and I think that that's
something that is needed now and probably gonna be needed as he goes
on because he's only six so.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, you're talking about raising. Has anyone in
your family gone back to the Azores since your grandparents left?
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah. Um actually myself, my sister and my parents, we
went back. Uh but that was in 2001 is when we went. So that's the only
time I've been. I wanna go again. I would love to go again. Just let
all this dust settle and hopefully we'll get back there we talked
about going this summer, but everything is still wishy washy with
requirements and precautions. Um my father-in-law is also
Portuguese and he went back, I think it was in like I'll say the ‘80s
maybe the early ‘90s. Um and, but he, that was the one time that him
and his siblings went back. I have had um other like uncles and aunts.
They have gone also and visited as well. I think everybody; it's we
want to go back because we have another uncle and some cousins that
want to go. So, we're trying to, you know, find a time to do all that
because it's so beautiful over there. And I mean, it's been 21 years
since I've been. So, I want to go back.
Kelley Campos McCoy: It sounds like it made an impression on you. What
was it about being over there that was so meaningful that you want to
go back?
Ashley Fagundes: The thing that I think I, that sticks with me the most
besides obviously how beautiful it is just aesthetically. Beyond that,
um as soon as we landed, you're talking people we've never met before.
That are our cousins, right? And you would think that we had known
them our entire lives. They're welcoming in, you know, you into their
home. Let me give you a tour of the island. I wanna take you to this
place. I wanna take you to this place. And so that sense of family
oriented is just something that again, like we've never met these
people, but they knew we were cousins, you know. And so, it just, it
really made the impression of like how bonded that that really is. Um
and then of course, like I said, it's gorgeous over there, so I would
love to go back and I'm sure it's changed so much since I've been
there. But that sense of family and even when we were there, um, like,
my grandparents’ house was still standing, you know, it's like we got
to go see those types of things, you know. And so, I'm, I'm grateful
that I did because I, I'm, I don't think that they are anymore. Um, so
just something like that. Like, even though that's like a material
thing, it was still, like, so interesting to see and I've always
enjoyed traveling and I've been to many countries and so just seeing
different, like, architecture and, like you know, just the traditions
of like, oh, you can't you know, go to a restaurant between these
hours because they're not serving food, you know, just things like
that. Just the nuances of the culture. I've always found that
interesting, but because it was Azorian and that's, you know, what I
knew of growing up. I think it hit home even stronger.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, it was a hope to, I imagine, eventually take
your son there as well?
Ashley Fagundes: It would be great. Yeah. My husband's never been
either and he's uh you know, Portuguese as well. So, I think it's
definitely a trip that we all want to do. I’d probably wait a couple
of years for my son. Let him be a little bit older. Appreciate it a
little bit more, survive the long flight.
Kelley Campos McCoy: So, I have just a couple more questions and it,
and it kind of has to do with um what does being Portuguese mean to
you?
Ashley Fagundes: I think being Portuguese means, like I've mentioned
just family oriented, proud of your culture, loving. Um we're very
vibrant people, I feel. Um uh on my, I was telling a coworker that I
was coming to do this interview and she said, mention your sweet
bread, mention your sweet bread. How everybody, if you make sweet
bread, they, you know, everybody's coming to work that day. So just
like sharing that, you know, that, that that love of the culture that
we have. Um I just think we're very, yeah, just hard working and like
loving people. And so that to me is what being Portuguese is. And I
hope that I reflect that in my professional life, my personal life, I
hope I can instill things like that in my son and other people that I
meet in life.
Kelley Campos McCoy: Well, then I don't think I need to actually ask
the last question because it sounds like you kind of answered it. The
last question I usually ask is, is how somebody feels that being
Portuguese has shaped them, you know as a person? And that's always a
hard question to answer because we don't really think about that. Can
we not be who we are?
Ashley Fagundes: Right.
Kelley Campos McCoy: You know? But it sounds like you, you kind of
already got, got at that.
Ashley Fagundes: Yeah, it's, it's so interesting just, um, working with
Diniz over the last couple of years now on this project and just the
things that you didn't realize, like even um saying Azorean American
versus Portuguese American, like my family is not from Portugal, the
mainland, like they're from the Azores, but we've always said we're
Portuguese, you know, and so just little nuances like that. And um it
is a hard question because you, I don't think that people really
reflect on how has this shaped me, you know, I mean, I, I look back
now and maybe it's now because I'm a mom or whatever it may be. But
and I think about how I fought my mom on being in the, you know,
folklore group and I did not want to dance. And then probably 10 years
later when I was old enough and I was in high school, I joined my own
dance group on my own because I realized how important it was to me
and um you know, started performing more and going to more and more
festas and so it just turned into this, you know, we, we always had
this Portuguese part of us because we were celebrating the matanzas,
and we were doing you know, and the food, but then I embraced it even
more and then to be, you know, side maid and, and all of that kind of
stuff and you don't think about how that shaped you, because in the
moment you're just like well, this is fun and, yeah, and I wanna do
this and now thinking back, I think of all the lifelong friendships
I've made the stories I have to tell and the, you know the festas that
I can take my, my son to, the bull fights any of that type of stuff.
And it's, it's so amazing that I've got to experience all that. Like I
said, we're very blessed with where we live to keep that culture
alive. You don't feel so isolated from it because within a few hour
drive, like I say, you could be at one of those events or with people
of the same background. So, it's, it's definitely been a blessing and
I hope to continue it.