Asturian-American Migration Forum

I know little about my grandfathers family in Asturias......he was born in the small village of Arcallana in early 1880's and emigrated first to Cuba in approx. 1900 and then to Tampa in 1904. His mothers name was Juana Carreno, he was orphaned at a very early age. He had a sister, Maria Carreno who emigrated to Tampa approx. 1906.

In 1997 I was in Asturias and drove to Arcallana...it is near Luarca but inland, not on the coast. In the town of Brieves which is very close to Arcallana I located several families with the surname Carreno...this with help from a very nice woman at the local bar/restaurant. However, time was short and I decided not to go knocking on doors and introducing myself...this would have been rude.

Any info would be appreciated....thanks!!!!

Tony said:

"I decided not to go knocking on doors and introducing myself...this would have been rude".

Not at all, Tony. Our own cultural coordenades are very different from Americans. The familiar and ethnic links are very powerfull between Asturians. You can ask someone in an isolated place for a restaurant, and find a person that invites you to eat at home, specially if you look as a desperate foreigner tourist (don't take it literally, is only a joke)

I recommend you to guest in Phone Guide and write them.

Tony,
I'm with Carlos on this. If you had shown up at that little village saying you were the grandson of so-and-so and the grand-nephew of so-and-so, somebody would have taken you immediately to see the nearest relative available. And if there are no relatives around any more, I'm sure some shrivelled-up little ol' lady would have told you just how handsome your grandpa was when he was young and how well he danced, etc.
People in little towns are glad to have company and it's not every day that an "Americano" drops by.

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Estoy con Carlos en esto. Si te hubieras presentado en ese pueblo diciendo que eras el nieto de fulano-de-tal y el sobrino-nieto de fulana-de-tal, alguien te hubiera llevado inmediatamente a ver a tu pariente más próximo disponible. Y si ya no quedan parientes, seguro que alguna ancianita arrugada te hubiera dicho lo guapo que era tu abuelo cuando era joven y lo bien que bailaba, etc.
A la gente de los pueblos les encantan las visitas y no todos los días se presenta un "americano".

Saludos
Terechu

I have to agree with Terechu and Carlos. In 1999, I visited Asturias for the first time with my father (then age 82) and my brother. We drove the the church of Samartin de Laspra (my grandparents were from Salinas and Samartin de Laspra) and talked with two local women who were walking near the church. They informed us that someone who might be my father's first cousin lived in Piedras Blancas. Two days later, we spent over two hours in the Piedras Blancas police station seeking the address of my dad's cousin.

The officer in charge was not originally from Asturias, but he was incredibly kind and helpful. He was able to tell us that he had heard of a possible cousin, but that he did not know exactly where she lived. After two hours of telephone calls, etc. (he was unable to locate the oldest officer on the force, then off duty, who might have know exactly the information that we needed), he directed us to a kiosk about a quarter mile away. We waited in line for someone to make her magazine and newspaper purchases, and then asked woman who worked in the kiosk about my dad's cousin. She informed us that the woman in line ahead of us. who had just walked away, was the cousin's niece, and would certainly know where she lived. We ran after her, and she not only showed us where cousin Maria lived, but waited with us for her to return from her errands.

We had a wonderful visit with Maria who, as it turned out, had been a little annoyed that we had not showed up the day before. She had heard that relatives were looking for her, and had waited all day in her apartment for us to contact her. We came a day late. There is apparently an effective underground system of communication that keeps local people informed of exactly what is going on.

I should point out that Maria had no previous knowledge that we existed, nor did we have any previous knowledge that she existed. It was a happy discovery made possible through the kindness of strangers, but clearly strangers who were part of a local network that exchanged information rapidly and effectively.

Bob Martinez

To Carlos/Terechu (and All Asturianos),

Thanks for your messages of encouragement....you are absolutely right....I should have known better!!! My cultural upbringing was actually more Asturiano than "typical American"----whatever that is. My old neighborhood in Tampa was 90% Asturiano...very little exposure to mainstream American society until I left home for college---whoever heard of an omelette without potatoes in it???

I have experienced Asturiano hospitality many times. Beginning in 1974 I have visited my Grandmother's family in Villanueva de Pereda near Grado on many occasions.

Tampa's sister city is Oviedo. The city hosts a delegation from Tampa every other year in conjunction with La Fiesta de San Mateo in September. We usually have a float in the parade for "Dia de Las Americas"...specifically our Krewe of Santiago. This is a social/charitable organization made up of business and community leaders of Asturiano/Spanish heritage. Your hospitality, both on an organizational and personal level are without parallel!!! Shame on me.

I think my hesitation was rooted more in personal family dynamics...my grandfather had a very difficult childhood...his family was desperately poor. He escaped Spain to avoid the draft...."Me querian mandar a Africa para servir el rey".....unlike my grandmother he had very bad memories of Spain and of his family situation. I guess the emigrants were motivated by different factors...some were going "to" something and others were running "from" something.

Anyway, thanks again for your nice messages.

Tony you should have knocked...

In 1995 I visited Spain for the first time and went to Infiesto, more specifically to Pintueles which was the village of my grandparents. They had immigrated to Cuba in the late 1920's. I showed up in this small town unexpected and searching for roots. There I found several relatives who were warm and receptive to this Americanu.

Part 1
When I first went to visit my Asturian cousins, they told me a story about an Asturian-American aunt of mine who had visited their area of Avilés, but who hadn't stopped to see anyone!

My aunt probably thought she was sneaking in for a peak, but in reality she was terribly obvious because she was driving a huge Buick that she'd brought over with her on a ship!

Years later the whole family still talked about how odd this was.

Part 2
I think there's another side to the issue, though. I'm not sure, but I think it's more Asturian-American culture than Asturian culture. It seems to me that my family was more suspicious or paranoid of others than I am. (I'd like to say "than normal" but once you get to know me you'll know that's not a reliable claim!) Although I feel relatively open to others, one of the tests I took years ago in college said that I'm more wary or suspicious of others than the average! So this emigrant tendency has probably touched me, too.

My latest thinking is that this wariness toward others and this hesitation to drop in on family is part of the exile culture. When someone leaves their family and homeland, they are breaking connection with them, at least on a physical level. This is a huge psychological loss. Furthermore, this breaking connections becomes a pattern in future generations, something Family Systems Theory calls "cut-offs".

Of course, it may be that those who leave already had a family pattern of cut-offs. I know, for example, that grandmother's father wouldn't go to my grandparents' wedding because he was angry with them for planning to leave. That's a cut-off. Well, the truth is that we all use this to survive, and it is a valuable tool. But sometimes we use it so extensively that it gets in the way of healthy family dynamics and personal maturation.

It is not too late to contact your relatives. I went to www.infobel.com and looked up the name Carreno in the town of Arcallana and came up with two people. Please check out this website to see my search results.

I suggest you write or call. I was searching for my family in Spain and wrote about a dozen letters to people in Spain with the name Verdin. I received 4 responses. They were my second cousins. They provided me with much information and I developed wonderful friendships with my newly found Asturian family. Good Luck!

To all respondents, current and future...re....Carreno family in Arcallana.

Thanks for your input....this is all very helpful and very much appreciated.

Tony, I was searching for a website about the Fiesta de San Mateo and Los Dias de America en Asturias and came across your post. I wil be traveling in September to Oviedo with the Sister Cities group. My daughter has been selected as one of the representatives from Tampa. We can't wait!
I too grew up with Asturianos...a couple of blocks from you I think! in West Tampa...to be specific, on Armenia and Cordelia, to be more specific! I have not been to Spain since I was 10 and my dad decided that he wanted to move back. I have uncles, aunts and cousins who have visited here so I am lucky in that respect, but my husband has never been. I hope to find his Tamargo's while we are there.

The discussion about not "knocking on doors" will surely help me in my search for them. I will be there for 2 weeks so if I can be of any help to you while I am there...I am at your disposal.

Cynthia Garcia Tamargo
Tampa, Fl.

Cómo puedo ponerme en contacto con Tony Carreño de Tampa?