Introduction

Islands of Memory: People, Places, and Traditions is a new and ongoing series of writings by Gualter Furtado, one of the Azores’ leading economists and intellectuals. Through his reflections, readers will be invited to rediscover the flavors, customs, and resilience of Azorean life — from its kitchens and festas to its villages and people. Published in Novidades from Bruma Publications at the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) at Fresno State, this series aims not only to preserve memory but also to raise greater awareness of the Azorean people, traditions, and culture among the diaspora and the wider world. It is both a celebration and a bridge, carrying the richness of the islands into the 21st century. We thank Dr. Gualter Furtado for his collaboration.

The tradition has been fulfilled! – Procession for the Sick in Furnas.

Last Sunday, April 27, 2025, the first Sunday after Easter, the procession for the sick took place in Vale das Furnas, also known as the first Dominga. This procession, which has a long tradition in Furnas, is closely linked to the first Vicar of Furnas, the poet Father José Jacinto Botelho, and aims to bring the Blessed Sacrament and a word of comfort to the sick in the parish, most of whom are bedridden and dependent. This procession travels through the streets of Vale das Furnas, which are decorated with flower carpets, in the past made exclusively from thousands of azaleas of various colors and cryptomeria greenery. Some of these carpets were true works of art, such as the flower carpets of the late José Ângelo, right next to Três Bicas. Yesterday, the tradition was upheld, and it was possible to see some of these carpets, heirs to those of old, such as that of my godson Carlos on Rua de Sant’Ana, but now made from painted wood shavings. However, in one case, or another, some azaleas continue to be used, but on a scale that has nothing to do with the past. The climate is changing and affecting the flowering of azaleas. Then there are people from Furnas, like me, who prefer to see flowers mainly in their natural habitat, resorting to other natural alternatives, such as jarros, which belong to the Araceae family. Although they may not have the same impact as azaleas, they are also beautiful and more abundant.

The procession included the faithful, the parish priest of Furnas, the Harmónica Furnense, the first Dominga of the Vertentes family from Rua do Outeiro, and representatives of some institutions, visiting 15 patients.

This procession usually attracts many outsiders to the Furnas Valley, in addition to the hundreds and hundreds of tourists who visit the Furnas Valley to enjoy its natural beauty: parks, lagoons, calderas, pools, and gastronomic specialties, which is positive, but it poses an exceptional challenge to the people of Furnas who are committed to creating and building the flower carpets for the procession to pass over, as some individuals, either out of ignorance or lack of respect for others, insist on parking their vehicles badly, including those who ostentatiously drive over the flower carpets, even before the procession passes. Yesterday, it seemed to me that thanks to the work of the police, the situation had improved, but there are still incidents that, if it weren’t for our resilience, would undermine our desire to preserve this tradition and faith. It wasn’t the rain that dampened our unwavering desire to create the flower and wood chip carpets, and it was worth it, because the procession eventually went out to visit our sick, which is the main purpose of this religious event.

Now, there remains a problem in Furnas, which is traffic disorder and a lack of parking, and this issue tends to worsen.

Gualter Furtado

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.