The eclipse, a genealogy lesson, one wedding and four baptisms!

At the weekend we went to a wedding and baptism in Pelo Sinal. Travelling north from Serra Talhada into the hills we drove past the Instituto de Pesquisas Agronômicas (IPA) (1) experimental agricultural station, which has strong research links with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2).

Beyond there, driving was more difficult. It was a tortuous experience, even with our 4x4 truck. During the rainy season the sandy dirt-track is flooded with water and it becomes deeply scarred with mini-gorges and rivulets. As the dirt-track ascends into the hills it gets very rocky and treacherous.

Rocky road at Sitio Serragem (with bull) - view from the truck

We arrived ninety minutes later at Ivonete’s Dad’s farm Sitio Serragem (Sawdust farm). Normally this journey takes only half that time.

To get to Pelo Sinal you have to pass through Extrema - a Pernambucana ‘one horse town’. It is a very small village, of 60 or so inhabitants, with a row of eight to ten one-storey houses set on each of the three sides of a square and an oversized church lording over all on the fourth side. Most of Extrema lies within Pernambuco but the most northerly row of houses straddles the Paraiba border.

Extrema, Pernambuco - showing the church and houses on the North side

Extrema - showing part of the street on the South side of the church

A couple of kilometres farther on is Pelo Sinal. These hill villages definitely create a time-warp. You are immediately set apart in time from the rest of the world. Two tired cowboys on two tired horses drive tired cattle into the square – no it’s not an illusion! That's the reality of this Sertấonese ‘two horse town’!

Meeting, greeting and some pre-wedding drinks

After a few drinks of Pitu and a meal with close family, we move on to one of the six bars in Pelo Sinal, four of which are next door to each other! Pitu, a sugar-cane spirit costs less than 70 pence a litre and a lager-type beer costs 50p or less for a 660 ml bottle! Teachers whisky is a little dearer at less than £6 a litre.

People are very welcoming and curious as to why the Scotsman has ended up in their midst!! They are eager to shake hands and exchange a few words. “Fala Ingles por favor.” (“Speak English please.”). “One – two – three - four - ......” Children gather round in curiosity to look at and prod the white-headed stranger who is either an 'alma' (ghost) or who is descended from another planet of another solar system. We have been to Pelo Sinal many times before but we have never spent more than an hour or two visiting close family. Hence the interest.

Then, the excitement in the centre of the square! “Come, look at the moon. It’s an eclipse!” (in Portuguese). I understood ‘look’, ’moon’, and ‘eclipse’ and went. It was an amazing sight. The southern sky was clear and only started to become hazy during the final stages. Great excitement. Boa amizade! (Good friendship). In one instance native differences melted into insignificance. We were united into the greater family of mankind.

Time passed and we ‘blethered’ (a Scots word for ‘talked’) at length. I discovered that most, if not all' of the people who live here, and in Extrema, are related to each other. To explain, Ivonete’s grandfather Joaquim Dino married again after Ivonete’s grandmother died. Ivonete reckons there are a lot more than 230 people in the living family tree.

So that was a gentle introduction for what was to follow on Sunday. The church wedding of Ivonete's cousin Monica and Deda, who had previously married in a registry office, and the baptism of their three year old son Francimagno. Monica was also godmother to two of the other three babies being baptised.

Deda and Monica's wedding


Monica, Francimagno, Deda, Ivonete and Richard

To be part of this extended family is a rich experience. Perhaps I’ll write more about them later. Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with a photo taken at Extrema recently.

Only one person in the photo, the lady in the top left, is not a family member.

This could be an excellent place for genealogical research – any bidders? Contact me by email (3) if you are interested and I'll do my best to help.

(1) Instituto de Pesquisas Agronômicas (IPA): http://www.ipa.br/

(2) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - Plantas do Nordeste (PNE): http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/scihort/tropamerica/pne.htm

(3) Cut and paste our email address: rismcgill@oi.com.br