Each day, a page. Each page, a moon. Each moon, Álamo.
An Álamo Oliveira Photo Album
Souvenir snapshots by John J. and Katharine F. Baker
Text by Katharine F. Baker
June 2004 ~ Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira
Álamo Oliveira
Katharine F. Baker’s first photo of Álamo, performing in the Azores’ Direção das Comunidades ensemble, singing and dancing its way down Rua da Sé in central Angra during Sanjoaninas 2004. After their number, a few of us at a parade watch-party on a balcony repeatedly shouted Álamo’s name in unison until he turned to respond.
June 2004 ~ Angra do Heroísmo
Álamo, Marcolino Candeias flanked by daughter Maïté and wife Deka Purim, Diniz Borges. On the final Saturday of Sanjoaninas, many downtown side streets were closed so tables and chairs could be set up outside for extra patrons at cafés. This photo memorializes when Katharine joined the project of translating Álamo’s novel Já Não Gosto de Chocolates with Diniz.
April 2005 ~ Berkeley, California
Álamo, Diniz, conference organizer Deolinda Adão, Terceiran actors Maria do Carmo Amaral, Judite Parreira, and Filomena Ferreira, et al. After the 2nd Luso-American conference A Vez e a Voz da Mulher Portuguesa na Diáspora at the University of California, nine participants went to San Francisco to see the musical Lennon in its pre-Broadway tryout. They took Bay Area Rapid Transit to the city, but since Álamo was unfamiliar with the automated ticketing system, Katharine (a native Berkeleyan who knew the drill) provided step-by-step instructions for him to buy and use his own round-trip BART card.
March 2006 ~ Angra do Heroísmo
Álamo (2nd from left); photographers Joi Cletison from Brazil) and Teresa Ascensao from Toronto (5th and 4th from right, respectively), among others.
Five days after Carnaval, Álamo was a judge for the exhibition Gestos e Gentes do Carnaval Terceirense (a picture-taking marathon by photographers from the overseas Lusophone world) sponsored by Comunidades, held at the Palácio dos Capitães-Generais.
October 2009 ~ Ponta Delgada, São Miguel
Rita Dias (Comunidades Director), Álamo
Colloquium Escritas Dispersas ~ Convergência de Afectos, for writers, translators, publishers and scholars invited by Comunidades, hosted by Álamo at the University of the Azores.
October 2009 ~ Ponta Delgada
Diniz Borges, José Luís da Silva, Rita Dias, Décio Oliveira, Lara Gularte, João Luís de Medeiros, Tony Goulart at the Colloquium Escritas Dispersas ~ Convergência de Afectos: Álamo snapped a souvenir portrait of the Comunidades director with California participants.
October 2009 ~ Furnas, São Miguel
In the foreground, counterclockwise from left: João Luís de Medeiros, Caetano Valadão Serpa, Olegário Paz, Hélia & Eduíno de Jesus, Vasco, Álamo, Diniz, Ivo Machado, Katharine, Judite Jorge, Fernando Aires, Daniel de Sá (partially hidden)Colloquium Escritas Dispersas ~ Convergência de Afectos. Lunch at O Miroma, featuring cozido (local specialty: large clay potfuls of stew slow-cooked underground in fumaroles).
November 2010 ~ Manassas, Virginia
From right to left: Vasco Pereira da Costa with his wife Isabel and his sister Ana Maria, Álamo, Onésimo Almeida. Dinner of the Associação de Professores de Português dos Estados Unidos e Canadá colloquium.
November 2010 ~ Washington, D.C.
John, Álamo
Signing the Portuguese embassy’s guestbook at a reception for APPEUC participants.
November 2010 ~ Washington, D.C.
Álamo insisted his picture be taken in front of the White House — Hail to the Chief!
November 2010 ~ Manassas
Diniz, Katharine, Álamo, Vasco
Leaving the APPEUC conference headquarters hotel after breakfast.
March 2013 ~ Maia, São Miguel
Cover slide for Katharine’s presentation in Portuguese of the translation of two of Álamo’s poems at the 19th AICL colloquium.
July 2013 ~ Indianapolis
Cover slide for Katharine’s presentation in English comparing the novels I No Longer Like Chocolates and Land of Milk and Money at the Exploring the Portuguese Diaspora conference.
April 2014 ~ Porto Formoso, São Miguel
Cover slide for Katharine’s presentation in Portuguese comparing I No Longer Like Chocolates and Land of Milk and Money at the 21st AICL colloquium.
April 2014 ~ Ponta Delgada
Front table: José Carlos Frias (proprietor of Livraria SolMar), Urbano & São Bettencourt, Helena Chrystello, Vamberto Freitas, Álamo. Next table: Katharine and visiting California friends Betty Bispo, Jonas Waxman
Dinner at the SolMar shopping center, before a presentation of Álamo’s latest novel.
April 2014 ~ Ponta Delgada
Urbano, Álamo, Vamberto
Presentation of Álamo’s novel Marta de Jesus (a verdadeira) at Livraria SolMar
May 2014 ~ Angra do Heroísmo
John, Álamo
Álamo really DOES like chocolate! Mousse for dessert at a restaurant on Rua do Galo.
September 2015 ~ Santa Cruz, Graciosa
Katharine, Álamo
Dinner at Quinta das Grotas on the last night of the 24th AICL colloquium.
September 2015 ~ Angra do Heroísmo
Álamo, John
Pumpkin soup as the first course for lunch at the Casa do Jardim restaurant in the Jardim Duque da Terceira botanical garden.
October 2016 ~ Angra do Heroísmo
Álamo, Katharine
Lunch at the Verde Maçã restaurant on Rua Direita downtown.
October 2018 ~ Madalena, Pico
Eduardo Bettencourt Pinto, Urbano, Geraldo & Adriana Menezes (Brazil), Vilca Marlene Merízio (Brazil), Norberto Ávila, Helena Chrystello, Álamo
Dining at the AL Nova Vista hotel during the 30th AICL colloquium
Filamentos thanks translator Katharine F. Baker and Dr. John J. Baker for this wonderful trip down the Álamo memory lane.
Filamentos (artes e letras) 