Decorated With Love It has often been said that the smallest things in life hold the most significant and symbolic value in our hearts. The little ceramic Portuguese Roosters decorated with brilliantly vivid colors are designed so elegantly, as they hold the foundation of my culture and identity rooted deep within my core. Initially, the Portuguese Rooster was given to my grandmother by her mother, who instilled the values of love, life, and determination in her household. After my grandmother left Portugal and made the arduous journey to America with her husband, she brought the precious Portuguese Roosters with her, deciding that she would continue her mother’s tradition of giving the figurines to all family members during special Portuguese occasions. When my grandmother passed the roosters’ meaning to my mother, my mother soon taught me their true significance. The embodiment of Portuguese culture lies within those roosters, who represent love, good fortune, wealth, protection, and light. Furthermore, these ceramics are said to bring hope to the dark and dull times by reminding us of the importance of family and unity. Since the Portuguese Rooster holds morals supported by my family, I will too fulfill my ancestors’ ritual and transmit the values to my future children. The Portuguese Rooster holds a sentimental place in my heart because it symbolizes the virtues of hope, faith, and tradition, that I intend to live my life with, as well as holds treasured memories that ground me and connect me to my Portuguese identity.

– Bella Parson

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant