“Where Islands Speak Through Art and History – From the Heart of the Azores to the Diaspora”

José Orlando de Noronha da Silveira Bretão

[Born in Sé, Angra do Heroísmo, April 14, 1939 – died ibid., October 24, 1998] Lawyer, cultural promoter, and painter. He completed his secondary education in Angra and graduated in Law from the University of Coimbra. His involvement in the student movement of 1962 led to his arrest by the PIDE (Portuguese secret police) in Caxias. While still in Coimbra, he co-founded the Real República dos Corsários das Ilhas (Royal Republic of the Corsairs of the Islands) and the cultural cooperatives Unitas and Centelha.

Upon returning to Angra, he practiced as a specialist in labor law and, in 1969, became involved in the trade union movement as a legal advisor. He participated in several national and regional meetings, giving presentations on labor law.

Alongside his legal career, he was deeply involved in a wide range of cultural activities. He staged several plays and directed training courses. As a naive painter, he has numerous works in public and private collections. As a researcher of popular culture, he published several works, some of them under the pseudonym Van der Hagen.

He was a member and leader of various cultural, recreational, and sports groups in Terceira. In 1997, he was awarded the Silver Gold Municipal Medal of Merit by the Angra do Heroísmo City Council.

by Carlos Enes (July 1999)

Main Works (1973), Insularity as an Excuse (Van der Hagen), Poems and Cartoons. Angra do Heroísmo, Degrau 16 Collection. (1983), The Dances – Popular Theater on Terceira Island. Angra do Heroísmo, City Council. (1984), Três Tristes Tempos e o Regresso do Melro Preto (Three Sad Times and the Return of the Blackbird) (Folhinhas do esquecimento) (Leaves of Oblivion). Angra do Heroísmo, Ed. Erguilha, Entre Margens/Poesia. (1985), Danças do Entrudo (Carnival Dances) In Martins, F. E. O., Festas Populares dos Açores (Popular Festivals of the Azores). Angra do Heroísmo, Ed. Autonomous Region of the Azores/Casa da Moeda. (1993a), In a Time of Change – being supportive (brief notes on the trade union movement). Angra do Heroísmo, Ed. dos Sindicatos P.T.T.O.S.A.H. e P.I.A.B.A.H. (1993b), Brief news about the “Recreational-Cultural Practice in the Municipality of Angra dos Heroísmo.” In Proceedings of the Congress of the Portuguese Federation of Culture and Recreation Collectivities. (1998), The Entrudo Dances – A People’s Festival. Angra do Heroísmo, Regional Directorate for Cultural Action, 5 vols.