with tomorrow's edition of The Royal Gazette .

With the approaching 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first workers from Madeira and the Azores in 1849, RG senior writer and photographer Hamish Shorto profiled a cross-section of the community to find out what -- if anything -- being Portuguese-Bermudian means to them in the 1990s.

They discovered that while some Portuguese-Bermudians were content to assimilate into mainstream society at the expense of their own cultural identity, others are proudly determined to maintain that identity and keep their heritage alive.

Also in this issue, Sandra Rouja writes about the search for her own Portuguese roots and Angela Clarence travels to the Azores where she talked to several families about their former home in Bermuda. Maria Berta Machado, the Portuguese vice-consul in Bermuda, is featured in I-Spy; Penny Souza Fowkes shares her collection of Portuguese books; and RG chef Joe Gibbons enjoys Portuguese delights such as octopus stew. Said RG editor Chris Gibbons: "This is an issue we've wanted to do at RG for a long time and I hope it will not only give readers a greater appreciation of the Portuguese community, the contributions they have made to Bermudian society and the issues it faces, but also inspire further cultural awareness in the months leading up to the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first Portuguese workers in Bermuda.

"We are also particularly pleased that many of our valued advertisers have taken the opportunity to adapt their ads to appeal to Portuguese readers.'' See also Portuguese supplement published in The Royal Gazette 29th November, 1979 -- 20 pages.

PORTUGUESE 130 YEARS