Column: Famous ‘Cup Match Is Your Heritage’
[Opinion column written by Chris Famous]
Originally I was going to sit and write a piece about Cup Match history and the usual banter that is part of Bermudian culture during this time of year. I was going to write about the vast differences between those that support the colours of red and blue and those who support the colours of blue and bluer.
I was going to write about the chances of Somerset winning three Cup Matches at home or the odds of St. George’s going back down the road with our trophy heading back home to where it belongs.
Then something happened that changed my mind from all of that.
Over the last week there has been a vileness that has surfaced or should I say has resurfaced that speaks to a colour issue that supersedes red and blue vs blue and bluer. Something that has focused on one individual yet is reflective of our society on a whole.
Disgusting Video
At first I thought it was one sick individual with his asinine video yet it has manifested far beyond social media and into the minds of the masses.
There are those in our community who seemingly have a real problem with the choice of who Somerset Cricket Club [ SCC] have chosen as their skipper. Had their issue been based on his lack of commitment over the years I could not fault them.
Had their angst been about his lack of cricket skills I would be right there with them…well maybe not as it is SCC.
Yet no one is faulting him for either of those issues as he has been exemplary in those regards.
Their sole issue is that Jordan DeSilva’s paternal heritage is of Azorean Decent.
Yes in the year 2016 there are those who have an issue with someone of Portuguese descent captaining a Cup Match team.
This coming less than 2 weeks after Bermudians of every stripe were donning red Jerseys to proudly show their support for Portugal in the Euro 2016 football final which, ironically a black African by the name of Eder scored the winning goal for Portugal against the favoured French side.
Was anyone questioning why Portugal’s or France’s teams were half black?
I do not know young Jordan DeSilva from a hill of beans, yet I have known his father for over 25 years as he works at BELCO, albeit in a different department. I have watched this man, a self-confessed sports fanatic, proudly speak of his son getting into the Cup Match team years ago.
A pride no different than what any black father has expressed whenever his son has been selected to play for their respective teams. A pride expressed as proudly by the mothers of these young men over the last 100 + years that Cup Match has existed.
A Cup Match event that has seen a number of white players over the last century. Amongst them the legendary national team players Barry Decouto and Darren Lewis
So what really is the issue here? White people are not supposed to play cricket or are they to play cricket but not be a Cup Match captain?
Let me help out those who are a bit ignorant of facts, Captain DeSilva’s mother is a not only a proud mother. But she is a proud black mother. Yes that is correct his mother is a black woman. So now what?
Now that we know he is half black does that make a difference to those who had a problem? Are they now only half angry?
Do we have a problem with the selection of Mr. Pitcher as St. George’s captain. Because the last I looked St. David’s Islanders were of mixed race as well. For that fact most anyone who comes from Bailey’s Bay is of mixed race as well. Are we going to complain about that as well?
To those who have a problem with young Jordan as captain did you have a problem with him as a Cup Match player all these years?
200 years after emancipation we as black people have not freed our minds to see that “black” comes in 100 different shades. We proudly accept Bob Marley, Halle Barry and Barack Obama, all of whom have white parents, yet some of us complained about this selection?
He is as black as anyone of us and as Portuguese as anyone who is of Azorean decent.
My beautiful Bermudian people this is the year 2016, look around us, mixed races relationships are on the rise and subsequently mixed race children are on the rise.
Anyone of mixed race in Bermuda is a descendant of the formerly enslaved Africans who fought and died for our freedom and then went on to start Cup Match over 100 years again.
So again, I ask who is anyone to say this hard working young man or any other mixed race or full white should not play in Cup Match?
To Jordan DeSilva do what you have to do papa. Cup Match is your heritage as much as any black person in this island.
As Collie Buddz says “blind to the haters”
PS: If you win the toss you should go into bat first…
- Chris Famous can be contacted via email at Carib_pro@yahoo.com or Twitter at @ryderz777
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This is a great column. However i would like to correct Mr Famous on one thing. Mr Eder is Portugese. He moved from Guinea Bisseau when he was TWO. You see Chris in most countries if you have lived there a few years you can expect a route to citizenship.
Do you know the circumstances regarding eder?
Guinea was once a pourtugese colony and their countrys natual languaue is pourtugese. They have an immigration agreement in place with Portugal
Who dislikes facts?
Angry OBAers
Correction, people are not identified by where they are born, they are identified by ethnicity, like Europeans are indentified by their place of origin no matter where they are born.
If you have a German Sheapard that was born in Germany and it came to Bermuda and had puppies does that eliminate the original heritage of the dog and her litter?
Even though Eder has Portuguese citizenship, even if he was born on Mars you can look at him and see he is African.
No matter where you come from, as long as you’re a Black Man you’re an African.
Peter Tosh
irregardless of where he is from, he is a PORTUGUESE CITIZEN, and we are proud of who he is, he is not a looked at as a portuguese by “status” as if a difference exists like some places we know. . .
Actually he is looked at as someone with pourtugese status. The action to play for pourtugal was a career choice for him. Its helped him well. He didnt do a thing at swansea this season so having a decent euro campaign will help him during free agency.
Also.
Eder himself states in a four four two article that he is African and considers Portugal to be his adopted homeland. He also went on to say that he has expereinced his fair share of racism playing for braga as the fans are highly expectant and will quickly turn on under performing players.
Well, why don’t we see Black Portuguese coming to Bermuda to work, Mmmmmmm.
And the reason some Bermudians feel that way is because there was a time in Bermuda(maybe still happening) when Portuguese girls where shunned by there families when they were in relationships with Black Bermudians.
Mmmmmmmmmm
I will agree with you that Eder is considered Portuguese but not your reasoning why he is considered a citizen of Portugal. Guinea-Bissau is a former colony of Portugal and the country recognizes citizens of there former colonies as eligible to apply for Portuguese status. This is a way of Portugal making amends for what was done in the past. Although people who are citizens of past colonies are eligible for status application they are not entitled to status. Status is still a privilege in Portugal as it is in most countries. Considering this fact hopefully you and others who think like you can admit you are wrong to EXPECT a route to citizenship just because you’ve lived in the country for a number of years. No one should feel entitled and expect to be a citizen of a country that they’ve only moved to in the past decade or two. There are procedures in MOST countries that always need to be followed and any who follows those procedures should EXPECT there is a possibility they will be denied. If you had educated yourself about the pathways in most other countries many of them strongly suggest that even if you have lived in their country for a number of years and are applying for citizenship not to get rid of your home or other assets in your country until given final approval since you are not promised by any means citizenship. There are even laws of application in much of them that say you must provide an address you can go back to in your home country and proof of means to get back just in case you are denied before the process of looking at your application can start. Let’s not go by what Fahy has told us all because it’s a load of crock. In NO country is it considered a human right to give citizenship to a non-citizen residing in the country regardless of how long they have resided in that country.
And Bermudians have a sense of entitlement…
Maybe that’s because there are laws in place that entitle them to rights in there own country. Those same laws exist for citizens of most other countries making them feel just as entitled in their own home as they should.
I was being sarcastic
Apologies for jumping to conclusions.
I’m so used to hearing and seeing that statement non-sarcastically said.
Bermuda has got to be the only place where a government minister would tell the citizens of his country that they should not feel entitled to the rights afforded to them. Especially one born in another country where even a foreign spouse of a citizen of that country is not guaranteed to be allowed to reside with their family in the country and could possibly be told not to enter the country with their spouse until the part of the application process which could take years is approved. The minister should thank is lucky stars that Bermuda’s laws have allowed his foreign wife to reside and work within less than a year of setting foot in the country. It would not be so easy in the country where the minister was originally from.
What a xenophobic, narrow minded, bigoted response. This is the type of thinking that will keep Bermuda backwards. There are so many things inherently wrong and unfactual in your post that I don’t even know where to begin so I won’t bother. Time to crawl back under your rock
The real reason you wont bother is because you have absolutely nothing to back up your argument about my post.
Xenophobic & entitled are two words the likes of you throw around out of context all the time.
My post is factual and I know it is because I’ve been through it. You come in on a visitor’s visa with a return ticket or else you don’t even make it through customs to collect your baggage. You’re not allowed to work in the country even if you are helping a friend paint a fence for free. You pay taxes all the while your application is being processed year, two years or whatever it takes for immigration to check you out but you are not allowed benefits. You get caught working, your spouse becomes unemployed and can’t support you, you get cancer or any other serious illness and many more stipulations you are forced to leave the country no matter if your spouse and children are settled in there. While your application is going through you’re not a PR you are a extended visitor and get treated like one. In Bermuda all a foreign spouse needs to reside is a marriage certificate and to work it takes a month at max to get a permit. Facts are not a fear of foreigners they are just facts so there’s no way they are xenophobic. Pick up a dictionary and find out what words really mean before you use them or else you just make yourself look ignorant.
EDERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
GREAT article…this needed to be said, some of the
comments are as you say disgusting, It was almost
like some were saying white people should not even be
going cup match…and maybe it was just some who
started this whole sick conversation…but the fact
that anyone felt their ass should go on facebook and
talk radio and even question Jordan is
shocking enough,..I mean you had political and union
people talking about why even is HSBC sponsoring,asking like
shouldn’t the clubs just do it themselves, and crap like that,
and questioning as u say whether Jordan’s being black … and then I think one union person tried to say no one was speakin out against Jordan. SAD BERMUDA, there are some SAD individuals on this island who felt that was appropriate
Great column Chris!
Thank you all for your comments. It really saddened/angered me to see that video and to hear people on the talk shows Sunday morning.
Most/many of us complain when blacks do not get a job they are qualified for due to skin tone.
Likewise many dark skin blacks like myself have experienced colourism, which hurts more than racism as it comes from your own people.
So when one goes through these things over the course of a lifetime it should be next to impossible for us to inflict the same damage on someone else by denying them what they are qualified for based on skin tone alone.
I think above all else, knowing his Dad for over 25 years and seeing his pride in his son I felt it as a father and could not let this slide…
Nice artical brother Cris.but there are haters among the black community also..God forbid that we get a white gombey or a leader of the plp that is white
Thank you Chris, these are the types of conversations that need to be engaged in before we can become an Independent Country as a one people, unfortunately we have a long way to go hopefully the younger generation will solve this for us, actually i know they can as older folks fade away into memory things will change in Bermuda.
Again thanks for writing this article.
A very important message which needed to be published. Thanks!
Thanks Chris Famous. Love your article and thanks for breaking it down for those who hate and explaining the “mixed” generation to those who believe that you never ever judge someone by the colour of their skin. Jordan has stayed true to SCC since the day he started playing cricket and and has earned the right to lead with the support of his previous captains along side him. Let’s go Somerset, I feel a THREEPEAT coming on. Happy Cup match Bermuda!
Spot on Famous! As a person with a very mixed race heritage- I’m glad to read that you can see things from both sides of the fence for a change!
Good stuff
Thanks Chris and very well said.The whole family appreciates everyones support and we look forward to Cup Match every year as ALL Bermudians should. Hope everyone has a safe and happy Cup Match.
what a shocking revelation – that there are people out there who are as racist and bigoted as that – great article
Their football team… and blacks face crazy amounts or racism in Portugal… In Europe period… so don’t act like blacks don’t have a reason to hold a grudge… we still ain’t free!!
In 1966 the portuguese world cup team had many African players including the great EUSEBIO. Since then many great African players have been part of Portugal’s football league as well as the national team.
Many great honors were bestowed on Eusebio, it did not matter where he had come from or what he looked like. The same thing has been done to other players, many of whom may not have been portuguese at birth but have chosen (by choice or circumstance) to become Portuguese.
Look at the Portuguese olympic team next month – you’ll see the same.
Look how PEPE proudly sings portugal’s national anthem. . .
NONE OF THESE ATHLETES ARE LOOKED AT AS “STATUS” CITIZENS – THEIR SIMPLY PORTUGUESE!
I believe Chris Famous is saying the same thing – look beyond race or ethnicity – WE ARE ALL PROUD BERMUDIANS, WITH A VERY RICH HERITAGE.
Good luck Jordan DeSilva – GOOOOO SOMERSET!
What the hell does this have to do with anything? Europeans are racist! You can log on to twitter right now and see hundreds of racist comments directed at black football players! You can google and see the hundreds of instances in which black football players have been harassed and had racial epithets hurled at them. It’s disgusting that you Bermudians are so proud to be black yet eagerly and emphatically support these racist European football teams. You’re also crazy if you think they consider those black players as one of their own because they DON’T!
Hundreds out of a European population of 500 million huh?
Stereotyping is bad? Right?
You’re right, it’s probably THOUSANDS-HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS! If you think Europeans, white Europeans, aren’t racist then I got a bridge in Maine to sell you. Truth hurts doesn’t it? It’s not even a stereotype just a fact of life. Did you do the education yet? Probably not because that truth hurts as I said. Maybe I should provide you with some links.
You Bermudians are some backwards people who follow trends and so since football is popular here because people long ago liked it you all follow them despite the fact that some of those white Europeans you cheer for would call you the n-word without hesitation. FACT!
The definition of a racist is someone who stereotypes people based on their ethnic origin.
Look in the mirror.
“Europeans are racist”.
Oh the irony.
I’m afraid you don’t understand what irony means.
How does holding a grudge help bra?
calling out bigotry and pure stupidity is not easy when the racist comments are coming from people I once respected. good to see famous has it right this time
That being said.. let the guy play cup match… but don’t apologize for being pro black!!!
LET him play? How about he earned the right to play because he is talented. What needs ‘letting’ is letting go of animosity, and accepting of diversity. Here’s to supporting all sportsmen and women for their talents, not their race or culture. Safe and friendly Cup Match to all.
good article Mr. Famous. I have not seen any video but did hear there was word spreading that Mr. DeSilva should not be the captain. Sad, sad, sad when people could say such foolishness.
Do us proud as usual Mr. DeSilva. Go Somerset.
BTW! Jordan’s mother is black! Put that in pipes and smoke that!
Doesn’t make a difference if she is or not.
If she wasn’t black does that make the criticism of his appointment anymore valid?
He’s Bermudian and has dedicated his cricket career to SCC. His color or his parents’ color shouldn’t come into play at any point.
Especially since there are some that constantly decry the lack of integration in Bermuda sports. This is one of the real reasons for that phenomenon (and yes I know, from firsthand experience).
Bus’ em up Jordan!!!! Make it shree!!! See you at the field!!!
Do well and be well Jordan!! Three is a wonderful number!! See you at the field!!
Just part of the xenophobic “real Bermudians” mindset that has permeated parts of our island for years. Hopefully one day we will stop looking at each other as the enemy. That goes for everyone
Jordan we are all so proud of you. You have earned this title of Captain of Somerset team. You have many friends/family/team mates behind you and we know you will walk on that pitch with great honor and know your great grandfather Joe De Silva, grandfather Frankie De Silva, Uncle Junior De Silva, Uncle Frankie (Captain Hook) Corday are smiling down on you and saying that one day I knew one of our family members would walk proudly on to the pitch and represent our team THE SOMERSET TEAM. To all the players of THE SOMERSET TEAM we wish you the very best.
So THAT’S the type of people that support somerset?
To Meh, Please explain what you mean “Thats the type that support Somerset”
Told as it should be told, well done Chris.
Your Sousa Estate mate.
This was so dumb, littered with errors and broad proclamations. Everyone from Bailey’s Bay is of mixed race? Everyone from St.Davids is mixed race? You realize it’s 2016 and 1950 right?
Who are these people who have issue with this guy? If you’re complaining about some video he wasn’t the only one mocked but then again writing about those other players doesn’t incite people the same way writing some nonsense about race does. You are perpetuating the one drop rule which was and is a racist principle. He is not black. He is not white. He is biracial.
On behalf of the Sandy’s community, we stand by our captain as he has been and always be a member of the West side family. Anyone who has a problem with him can kindly go live out on North Rock because we have his back 1000%.
Have a safe and enjoyable holiday bermuda!
Chris, Will Bernews allow people to reply to you.? This story is a distraction . Jordan DeSilva is a non issue, The real issue is that Blacks play the game, but Whites own the game. Blacks don’t make money from Cup Match. We will drink and eat more chicken and alcohol than anyone, but we don’t control these produce. I don’t support alcohol, because of how it has destroyed our families . Cup Match is a party that we pay for .Whites got paid to free their slaves, LOOKS LIKE WE ARE STILL PAYING THAT BILL. That’s Cup Match.
You’re just a racist.
Why do white people like you call everyone who points out racism a racist? What’s the logic behind this? I get it you have nothing else to say so you keep repeating that like a broken record. What a pity.
Interesting that our Premier is a Bermudian Portuguese who also is throwing out the first ball to start,,,,,Cup Match…..hip hip hooooray,Bermuda is growing up.
Well I didn’t see that coming but Mr Famous I correct bat every poi the has made Cup Matchis for all of us. When his issue originally arose it was the Somerset members who complained hand the President shot them down and rightly so Jordan has every right to captain Somerset he has paid his dues and earned that right why should the clor of his kin disqualify him given he isn’t the fist Caucasian to playin Cup Match
. What I found more disturbing was the comment made on radio and I quote “we can’t have anything just for us” Well what “us” was the moderator referring to? As Mr Famous stated Cup Match is for all of us and always has been. When will this gnorant backward way f thinking end so we can sincerely move on and address the race issue so we can sincerely enjoy and Celebrate as One Bermuda
great column