| Born in 1658, As Nenashka Maria Bragazzi, my family hails from Cicely, Italy. My parents spoke fluent Italian as well as English. My Father, Vincenzo and his father before him were physicians. Being from an Italian, Catholic family, I assumed my fate was sealed: • Be a dutiful daughter • Obey all rules, laws and guidelines •Honor the church and state Marriage and children. As my father was a prominent physician and my mother, Lucia a house maiden, and raising my four brothers, my life was very different from most young girls. Our family lived in a very elegant home, but was acknowledged as an upper-class merchant family. Women could not own land or a business. Women needed to cover their hair and honor the church and state. In the 1670’s my father defied the traditions of our country. He allowed me to accompany him on many of his medical appointments as I was his only daughter and I adored my father greatly. We were very close. I had 4 brothers whom my mother coddled, hence; I became the favorite child of my father, and was constantly dismissed by my mother. I continually had to defend my self emotionally and physically to survive family situations. Our family raised and ate our chickens and baked a lot of our own goods. We would barter services for exchange of food and supplies. I learned many skills from my father as I grew into a young woman. I became very knowledgeable and proficient in my fathers field of medicine and healing. This was not accepted in my country at this time. My father knew this, so we had to be very careful and discreet. My skills had to be kept a secret as women were not allowed to have such a prominent career. I was quite a rebellious, assertive young woman and always was creative in my ventures. My mother always thought I was wasting my time and should find a good husband, as most young girls by the age of 17 were already promised in marriage. My mother always told me I was troublesome. In the 16oo’s, witchery was becoming an excuse for women to be burned at the stake who were sharing in any type of healing skills or unexplainable actions, and as people who normally had died or been disabled were amazingly being cured. By 1675, many women had been burned as witches for this and many different reasons. My father lived in fear that the Governor would see my proficient healing skills as witchery and he finally found a way to keep me safe. My father learned of a program where if you could find safe passage and immigrate to the Americas that the family arranging passage would be given 50 acres of land at no cost. The family that arranged my transport was very irreputable in nature and was notorious for arranging questionable transport. They only wanted the land that was to be given for this service and had no concern of how or if their immigrant arrived at their destination. My father had no idea what would or could have happened next. My father felt he didn’t have any other options and made the heart wrenching decision. After I turned 18, in 1675 I would be sent away and separated from my family. The family who arranged my passage told the Captain of this ship of my dilemma and background. I was brought aboard the immigrant ship where most of the crew and passengers were very ill. The crew of this ship was very leery of a young woman with medical skills being granted passage on the ship. But some were very happy for many reasons as I could help them from being so ill. After they witnessed my healing skills they made me their ship surgeon. They didn’t have to observe or honor the same laws that our country did regarding women. As I had never been on a ship before, much less in the ocean I was very scared and I missed my family horribly. I didn’t know what was to happen to me. I just kept thinking that my father knew what was best for me and I would never second guess my father. I tried to help all the people I could and I helped many with their special needs. One of the women I had befriended and trusted was pregnant and became ill. I had told her of my family issues and my dilemma. We became very close. I helped deliver her baby and with the horribly hard labor and lack of good nourishment, her baby was still-born. In her hysterical and angry state she started yelling “YOU REALLY ARE A WITCH…YOU KILLED MY BABY”. I felt betrayed by her as we were very close, and I helped her all I could. The Captain felt he had no other choice but to have me removed from the ship, as he was the father of my friend’s still-born child. I remember thinking no one knew where I was, nor could anyone help me. I fell asleep that very night and was awoken by the Captain stating he would be putting me off the ship immediately, with a small wooden boat and some food and gear. He said this was better than exiling me to the waters and the creatures therein. I was crying and so scared because I believed this was the end of my life and I would never see my family again. How was I to survive? The next days of my life are a blur as I was cold, hungry and so scared. I remember being brought upon another ship half-dead and with severe cuts to my chest, like it had been torn up. The crew of this ship was all trying to take care of me and I could hardly speak. I kept hearing about the horrible marks and bites on my body. I was sure I was dying. After a while longer I regained some of my strength and had a horrible scar along the front of my chest. I realized at that time that a “PIRATE “crew had taken pity on me and nursed me back to health. I had heard so many stories about “PIRATES” that I started thinking my life really was over. The First Mate "Bonny Ann Campbell” had drawn on my chest with black ink to cover the scars. She was very good to me and was sensitive to my needs. When I was able to speak clearly and tolerate my own pain, she started telling me the story of my rescue. (Not a capture)…the details became clearer as to what and where I had been. The charming Captain, (who shall be nameless) of the Pirate Ship explained that he ordered his crew to save me from being killed by a Barracuda while in this small boat I had been exiled to. I realized I had been bit and my chest chewed up by a Barracuda, but my life was spared. I had this horrible gash and makeshift stitches on my chest. A pirate called “Fu Ling U” made sure I had plenty of nourishment to help regain my strength. “FreshMeat was a pirate who always made sure my bandages were especially tight around my chest so I didn’t bleed out. :"TUG" (a true scallywag) protected me with his flintlock pistol so there were no attacks against me, as women were not typically allowed on these types of ships. (This fact became untrue as I met this crew) Then the Littlest Pirate "Boo" would always try to comfort me and gave me lots of hugs & kisses to make it better. I had nothing to offer these Pirates, as I was frail, weak, injured and so scared. I was positive that in the end I would die anyway… one way or the other. It took months for my wounds to heal. I had started befriending other pirates and noticed that they were a very close knit family of men and women. Pirates all of them! There were women on this ship; they were called “Wenches” and as I grew stronger and was able to assist them with their needs and wants, I knew I had something to barter with to insure safe passage and their trust. These women were all strong in conviction and will. “Treasure” is a woman of sensitivity and great love. “Lady Barbary” is truly artistic and a pirate with deep thought. “The Duchess” is a high-spirited, manipulative & deceitful woman. She and her Kin are nay' to be trusted. Then there is “Lil Redd”…what a spitfire, but loyal to a fault. “Irish Rose” is a wench and is a nurturing and loving mother of our cabin boy “BOO”. “Sandy Bottom” a most colorful and giddy pirate sista! , and let’s not forget “Gold Nuggett”, The Crew's key holder an absolute angel on this Pirate Crew. The wench “_____” holds a very important position of serving the curious... liquid lavations or is it! (GROG) to our crew daily (A class act...she is). There are many newly inducted and intriguing crew members on this ship and believe me, once I get the scoop on them, I will be speaking on them soon enough. I also must mention our land- luvin pirate crew-mates when we are on shore. The charming “PyrateIce”, “Madd Dog” and “The Oyster”. They keep watch for us always. A motley crew fer sure. I have grown to love and respect all my Pirate Sista’s and Brethren. _________________________________________________________ ___ Within this Crew I will always work hard and use every skill I can muster and make every effort to repay the debt of my life to all of this Crew. They all welcomed me as their newest Pirate Wench. “Black Widow” who had befriended me first and put her faith in me, stepped forward and chose my pirate name to be “Lady BaraKuda”, as I had survived an attack from one of the oceans more deadly beasts and survived; and always carry myself with such strength and determination in all that I do. After many months and gaining the trust and respect of this Crew, I went from a young woman with prominent nursing skills in my homeland, to the loving and loyal... QuarterMaster of the “Black Diamond Pirates” I knew that after, my life being raised in a mans world, with unfair laws, I had found a family I would be loving and loyal to forever. I found and grew to love all of My Pirate family dearly. I knew I was their chosen family also, and was destined to always be a prominent member and leader of: “The Black Diamond Pirates” Sadly I knew I could never return to my homeland with my birth family and with my newly chosen and destined life… Finally my life is secure and happy as I am “Lady BaraKuda”, the QuarterMaster on “The Black Diamond Pirate Crew”. Don’t worry daddy, I’ll be just fine. “I am a Pirate now”! Glad you are here…But beware of my bite! Nenashka Maria…Loving QuarterMaster…LadyBaraKuda www.theblackdiamondpirates.com |
| LadyBaraKuda... |
