On Saturday, April 13, between 10:00AM and 2:00PM, the IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center will be hosting its annual Open House. Everyone is invited to drop by.
In part this event will be an opportunity for members of the community who may be unfamiliar with our Center to visit and learn more. We will have displays regarding the long history both of our organization (established in 1888), and of the Portuguese-American community in Southern Marin. Weather permitting, we will also offer short guided walking tours along Caledonia Street to highlight some of the many locations that have a particular connection to this heritage.
We will also have information available about our annual Festa do Espírito Santo (our Holy Spirit Festival held each year on Pentecost Sunday that falls this year on June 9th) and its many unique symbols and customs (“sopas” anyone?), our popular Continental Portuguese language classes, and Portuguese cuisine.
Apart from our own history, we will have resources available at the Center regarding genealogical research, including the increasingly popular DNA testing. Some of our members who have been working on their own family histories will be present to share practical tips and address any questions.
We hope that anyone with Portuguese roots will consider using this opportunity to learn more about their family histories. Even better yet, why not think about getting a group of family members together for a mini-reunion? We will be happy to provide a table and chairs for your family.
Portuguese Genealogy & DNA Workshops
by Doug da Rocha Holmes
Sausalito, CA Saturday, April 13th, 2019
Cost is $60 for each of the workshops or $100 for both.
Starting at 10AM - ending 6PM with one hour for lunch.
The first workshop for the day will be genealogy. DNA will be the second workshop. You can bring your own family documents which might be used as examples for the workshop or I can just help you with them individually.
All workshop materials will be emailed in advance in PDF format and downloaded so you can study them in advance. This will help to answer many questions and refine your questions you want to save for the event.
Subjects for genealogy:
- Finding the origin of your immigrant ancestor in USA records
- Reading baptism, marriage and death records from Portugal, and less common
- resources to fill out the skeletal information for each ancestor whenever possible.
- Using consanguinity to your advantage
Experience level required: none
DNA subjects:
- Advantages in using DNA to discover more about your ancestors and extend beyond the written documentation
- Types of DNA tests and how to use them as tools
- Haplogroups found in our paternal and maternal line ancestors
- Solving DNA problems and proving ancestral lines
- How to discover if you have any Jewish ancestry with DNA
- Our ancient DNA origins
To reserve your spot, send email for payment instructions: terceira@dholmes.com
More information about the Open House will be forthcoming on our both our website and Facebook page. Please feel free to direct any questions or suggestions about this event to Mike Moyle, the head of our History Committee, at history@idesst.org.
