UM BOMBOTEIRO - LUIS DA MOTA

Luis da Mota é (ainda) bomboteiro, filho de bomboteiro:

- o meu pai morreu a bordo do vapor do Cabo. Foi o coração. Estava a fazer negócio e deu-lhe um ataque, Eu e o meu irmão fomos tirar a licença.

Tem 83 anos, usa uma barreta preta, como nos outros tempos, vive na Rua de Santa Maria e continua a amar o mar, que lhe traz (ainda também) o pão de cada dia. Ele e mais uns ainda tentam vender os seus produtos na Pontinha, apesar de continuar a dizer

- quando há navio, vamos ao mar.

Traz uma ampliação de um retrato antigo de canoas e bombote

- os marítimos,

e vai narrando a arte , apontando para a imagem, como se voltasse atrás, a um tempo de durezas e alegrias, de negócios e de ingleses. Conta das canoas, das licenças, dos vimes que iam comprar à Camacha, das bonecas, dos barris, dos bordados

- que as nossas mulheres bordavam,

no intervalo das vidas.

Fala da forma como faziam subir a mercadoria, entre a canoa e o vapor, quando não era um vapor do Cabo, porque a esses podiam ir a bordo. Fala das vezes em que a mercadoria era recebida e

- não arriavam o dinheiro.

Fala pouco e precisa das fotografias para apoiar o seu discurso: 

- A mergulhança era isto: os pequenos saltavam das canoas. Eram  8 ou 9 canoas da mergulhança. Isto era daquele tempo do Venena.  Era dinheiro que entrava no país, de graça. O dinheiro era para os 3 do barco O cabo do mar deu cabo dessa mergulhança. Era reles, esse cabo do mar. Era o Alemão. Alguns ainda estão vivos. Ainda conheço alguns. Andam na zona velha. Param ali. Há um que trabalha com a gente, o Jana.

Fica depois calado, quando lhe perguntamos de outras coisas, como era a vida, se havia outros negócios, embrulhados nas toalhas que vinham de volta.

Que a vida era melhor, naquele tempo:

- às vezes, fazia-se mais de cinco contos e cinco  contos dava para as compras , para pagar a casa. Agora não dá para nada.

Como não tem mar para olhar, olha para os retratos que nos trouxe. Diz que serviram de reclame na Expo. E isso foi bom. Já ninguém se lembra deles….

Luis da Mota: a bumboat’s salesman

Luis da Mota was ( and still is) a bumboat’s salesman like his father was:

-          My father died on board a vessel. He had a heart attack. He was doing business and had a stroke, so me and my brother we decided to take a license.

He is 83 years old. He wears a black hat and he still lives in Rua de Santa Maria. He loves the sea and most of all he is thankful for having been able to make a life out of it. He, and some other guys sell their products at Pontinha whenever a vessel anchors at Funchal and although they have a small shop at the harbour they still say:

-          When a vessel comes in, we go to sea.

He brought along a painting of old bumboats and men selling their products

-          All men of sea,

And he pointed to the picture and going back on time he told  about good and bad moments, of business, of the English. He remembered the boats, the licenses, the wickerwork bought in Camacha, the dolls, the wine barrels, the embroidery,

-          Our wives stayed at home and made embroidery,

in their spare time.

He explained how the merchandize was lifted up on board. They were only allowed to go on board in the vessels that were destined to Cape Town. And he recalled the occasions when they kept the goods

-          And did not pay back.

He did not talk much and he needed the photos to organize his speech:

-          Young boys jumped from the little canoes into the water. Normally there were 8 to 9 canoes. One of them was called Venena. This was a way of earning money, for free. The money was divided between the men. The sea captain put an end to this activity. He was very strict. His nickname was “the German”. Some of these boys are still alive. I still know some of them. They come frequently to the old part of the town. They hang out there. One of them, works with us, his name is Jana.

Then he stopped. We asked him about living conditions and if there were other types of business … if smuggling was frequent…

And he answered that life was better back then:

-          Sometimes, we earned around 5 contos and the money was enough to pay the rent and go to the supermarket. Nowadays is not enough.

He focused on the photos he had brought to show us. They were used as a promotion during the Expo. It was a good thing to do. Now, nobody remembers these men any more…..