On that day in the year 2000, the hairdresser at the nursing home was unavailable, and Maria do Carmo really needed to wash her hair and get styled. So, she decided to go out to the neighbourhood hairdresser. It was not the first time that Maria do Carmo had been there. However, this time, upon seeing that the hairdresser was an African woman, she grew curious to know where she was from.
As one conversation led to another (you know how it goes...), the surprise came suddenly—completely unexpected, more unexpected than any other surprise.
– From Guinea, she replied.
– And where exactly?
– From a village called Suzana. It’s about 10 km fat from the border with Senegal, in northwest Guinea-Bissau.
– Suzana? But it was in Suzana that my son was stationed and commanded his company…
– But are you from the family of the captain who died in the war, Captain Luís Filipe Rei Vilar?
Maria do Carmo shuddered upon hearing her son’s full name spoken.
– Yes, I’m his mother. He died, yes, in combat in Guinea. On February 18, 1970... But you, so young, how do you know my son’s name?
– Because, in Suzana, we deeply honour his memory!
Maria do Carmo shuddered even more.
– Really? Why?
And the hairdresser began to enthusiastically list the benefits that the captain had brought to the village during his time there with his company. Yes, he and his men had fought to defend the population, the hairdresser assured her, but the most important part was all the social work carried out there by him, particularly in the area of education, through the construction of a school—a small school, 25 x 10 meters. “Fighting, building, and teaching” was his motto!
In Suzana, they called him the Captain of the Blacks! The children were gathered from within a 5 km radius to attend the school, and before being taken home, they shared the soldiers’ meals—their soup. That’s why those children were nicknamed “soupitos.” And they still are today!
The Family’s Surprise
The news came unexpectedly. Regarding Luís Filipe Rei Vilar’s deployment—born in Cascais on November 12, 1941—and, above all, the circumstances of his tragic death, contradictory information had once been released, and the grieving family had preferred to focus on the memory of his excellent academic and military achievements. He had been a brilliant student at the Salesian Technical and Secondary School of Santo António in Estoril; played roller hockey at the Grupo Dramático e Sportivo de Cascais; and distinguished himself at the Military Academy in Lisbon, particularly in equestrian sports, participating in several competitions at the Cascais Hippodrome, now named Manuel Possolo, Luís’ equestrian master.
That information brought back both good and bad memories. Maria do Carmo would later pass away on January 6, 2004. Her sons, Duarte, Manuel, and Miguel, however, were not at peace until they uncovered what had happened and the reason for the Felupes’ reverence for their older brother.
Posthumously, Luís was awarded the Silver Medal of Distinguished Service with Palm (published in the Diário do Governo, The Portuguese Official Journal, on May 11, 1970), which highlighted that “in psychological operations, he acted like a true apostle, earning the respect and admiration of the local populations, who trusted him completely; in operational terms, he stood out for his firm determination to strike the enemy in their strongholds and for the example of his presence in the most dangerous locations.” It was later learned that, in Suzana, after his death, a plaque was placed in his memory, now vanished. The Municipality of Cascais, by unanimous decision on June 5, 1970, named a street “Captain Rei Vilar” in a quarter of Cascais, Bairro Navegador, after on the same day they also honoured another Cascais native, a colleague of his School, Sergeant João Vieira, who was also killed in combat in Angola on August 6, 1965.
The Work in Progress
The hairdresser’s news caused great astonishment and some doubt in the family. However, in April 2016, Miguel, one of the brothers, received a message from an unknown man, Luís Costa, an anthropologist recently back from Guinea, where he had spent four months in Suzana preparing his doctoral thesis. The message read:
“I want to let you know that the memory of your brother, Captain Luís Filipe Rei Vilar, commander of the CCAV 2538 [...] remains alive and highly respected. The people of Suzana speak fondly and nostalgically of your brother and recount his interest and respect for the people of Guinea, especially the Felupes.”
Thus, in January 2017, following this message, the three brothers, Manuel, Duarte, and Miguel, travelled to Guinea.
Manuel wrote on January 30th: “When we arrived in Suzana, what a surprise! Upon arrival, we were greeted by about 200 children singing and dancing, all beautifully groomed, clean, and well-dressed. I couldn’t believe it! The entire village was waiting for us! We stayed in Suzana for 4 days, living with the local population, with the Felupes, the local ethnic group. We visited the site where everything had happened. Some Felupe guides who had joined the company back then are still alive, and their detailed accounts, especially about the circumstances of Luís’ death, were incredibly important for us.”
Among others, Father Zé (José Fumagalli), now 80 years old, who led the Catholic Mission at the time and had known Captain Luís, also confirmed this information.
The local authorities (the Council of Elders) welcomed them warmly, and the Catholic Mission provided basic accommodation, as Suzana remains a poor village lacking resources.
The Kassumai Project
The visit led the Rei Vilar brothers to promise to continue Luís Filipe’s work, particularly in education. This promise gave rise to the Kassumai Project, and in 2020, the Anghilau Association was founded (Anghilau means “child” in Felupe Jola Language).
In the beginning, the project sponsored 35 children and renovated the village’s Kindergarten, which was in a decrepit state. Facilities like a new roof, flooring, furniture, and sanitary conditions were implemented.
On February 18, 2020—50 years after Luís’ death—the “Kindergarten Captain Luís Filipe Rei Vilar” was solemnly inaugurated under his name, a tribute chosen by the Suzana School Directorate. Today, the Kindergarten serves over 70 children, while the Suzana School Cluster educates over 700 pupils.
The second goal in 2021 was the construction a teacher’s residence to retain educators in dignified accommodations. This residence was completed in July 2021 by the Anghilau Association with funds from child sponsorships.
What’s next?
Projects like these are never truly finished. The next goal is to rehabilitate the remaining school buildings, including completing the high school, entirely built by the Suzana community.
In March 2020, the Anghilau Association presented this work to the Cascais Municipality, requesting support for the Cascais-Suzana Project, which was received. Its approval would not only recognize the work done so far but also honour the memory of Captain Luís Filipe Rei Vilar, a son of Cascais, forever present in this town and in the hearts of Suzana’s people.