Asian Lives in Portugal

We invited Jayma from the Philippines, Kamal from Nepal, Kim from Vietnam, Sammi from China, and Reina & Tatsuo from Japan to share their stories through the objects and photographs they hold dear. Our approach was grounded in participation rather than extraction: Jayma, Kamal, Kim, Sammi, Reina & Tatsuo were not “subjects” but co-authors of their own narratives, co-deciding what to show, what to withhold, and how to be seen.

While migration provides the thread connecting these stories, it is never the whole fabric. Each story is equally about family, work, love, intimate aspirations, and the everyday texture of life. Each object or memory, such as Jayma’s bilao (a bamboo tray that gathers her three-generation family across continents), Kamal’s dhaka topi (Nepal’s iconic hat), Sammi’s protective talismans and multiple visa applications, Kim’s hair garment and handwritten notes or Reina and Tatsuo’s many moments of serendipity in finding incredible traces of Portuguese presence in faraway Japan, carry immense affection and intimate meaning that words alone cannot express.

Importantly, the individuals portrayed are not intended to represent entire communities or countries. Their stories are singular, situated, and often contingent. Yet together, they form a mosaic that hints at the diversity and complexity of Asian lives in Portugal today.