Heritage | Macanese families encounter ‘lost memories’

Jorge Forjaz

Portuguese historian and genealogist Jorge Forjaz joined Thai musician Pathorn Sequeira on Saturday for a seminar about Macanese families, with a particular focus on Thailand. Mr Forjaz told The Times ahead of the event that many Macanese family members are now trying to retain memories and learn more about their past.
As he prepares a new edition of his book “Macanese Families,” to be published next year, Mr Forjaz met member of the Macanese diaspora Pathorn Sequeira, who he describes as “a prominent figure in the Thai music scene.” Mr Sequeira teaches music at the University of Bangkok and is also the director of the King’s private jazz orchestra.
Mr Forjaz recalled that over many centuries, foreigners had settled in Macau and later followed different paths, departing for various countries.
“The Sequeira family is from Macau. They went to Bangkok by the end of the 19th century. [Pathorn’s] great-grandfather curiously played a musical instrument, and when he arrived in Bangkok, he promoted a reunion with friends and expats,” the Portuguese historian recalled, adding that “they organized a small music group, which they called the Bangkok Philharmonic (…)
that’s how the orchestra was born.”
“[Pathorn Sequeira’s] father was the first director of the King’s private orchestra. They didn’t remain in contact with Macau back then. So it’s interesting to now see [Pathorn] returning to his origins and [embracing] his family’s roots here,” he added.
Furthermore, he stressed that some Macanese do not know much about their past, explaining, “Sometimes, Macanese people only know that foreign name, and don’t know much about their history. So then comes a genealogist from the Azores (Portugal) like me and it’s an interesting phenomenon… this encounter with lost memories,” he said.
The seminar “Macanese Families – the case study of Thailand” also looked into the historian’s research for the new edition of “Macanese Families,” a book comprising 3,300 pages in three volumes.
Mr Forjaz will be in Macau for a month to conduct research, with the support of Albergue SCM, IPOR and the Macanese Communities Council. The new edition also has the support of the Macau Foundation.
Mr Forjaz said that he aims to have the book  published next year and to have presented it during the Macanese Communities Meeting.