Figure 1.--These photos were taken in "Bratislava em Cambé", a village 13 km west of Londrina (Paraná State, Brazil). We know their name and the year of birth of the three siblings: Laurinda (born in 1932), Ana (1926) and Ricardo (1934). So we can assume that the photo was taken in early 1940s. They belonged to a third generation Italian emigrant family. The clothing worn by the children seems very plain. In Italy bare feet at the time during an important celebration would have been a sign of greatest poverty, but in that context could have also a cultural connotation. It probably is a relection on the relative success of Itlians in Brazil and America.

The Portuguese did not encounter an advanced Native American civilization. Unable to enslave the Indians, they imported large numbedrs of African slaves. Many other Europeans have emmigrated to Brazil. Other than Poruguese, the largest European immigrant groyp is Italian. Large numbers of Itlians emigrated to Argentina and Brazil in the late 19th century. These two countries offfered cultural similarities (religion and language). Evventually Italian emifration sgifted to the United States because of the greater economic opportunities there. One reader tells us, "Brazil has a large German population, Especially in the southern states Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul thousands of Germans settled there in the 19th century. I have been to the Oktoberfest in Blumenau some years ago, the second largest after Munich. People come from all over Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay to celebrate. The telephone books are full with German names. I noticed that more people spoke German than English with foreigners. Famous German-Brazilians are Oscar Niemeyer, the architect of many government buildings in the capital Brasilia, tennis star Gustavo Kuerten and supermodel Gisele Buendchen, both from Rio Grande do Sul." There is also a Japanese community centered in Sâo Paulo. There was even a group of Confederates that settled in Brazil after the Civil War. There are also Native American groups. One such tribe is Enawene-Nawe.

Native Americans

There was a substantial Native American population in Brazil at the time of the Portugese discovery. They were not the advanced cultures the Spanish found in Mexico and Peru with large quantities of gold and silver. The Portuguese attempted to enslave the Native Americans, but through mistreatmenr and European disease, they died in large numbers. Only primitive tribes deep in the Amazon survived. One such tribe is Enawene-Nawe.

Portuguese

Africans

The Portuguese did not encounter an advanced Native American civilization. Unable to enslave the Indians, they imported large numbedrs of African slaves. Brazil was one of the major destinations for African slavers. The voyages were much shorter than those to the Caribbean and North America. Slavery was not abloished until the late 19th century (1888).

Italians

Many other Europeans have emmigrated to Brazil. Other than Poruguese, the largest European immigrant groyp is Italian. Large numbers of Itlians emigrated to Argentina and Brazil in the late 19th century. These two countries offfered cultural similarities (religion and language). Evventually Italian emifration sgifted to the United States because of the greater economic opportunities there. <>br>

German

One reader tells us, "Brazil has a large German population, Especially in the southern states Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul thousands of Germans settled there in the 19th century. I have been to the Oktoberfest in Blumenau some years ago, the second largest after Munich. People come from all over Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay to celebrate. The telephone books are full with German names. I noticed that more people spoke German than English with foreigners. Famous German-Brazilians are Oscar Niemeyer, the architect of many government buildings in the capital Brasilia, tennis star Gustavo Kuerten and supermodel Gisele Buendchen, both from Rio Grande do Sul."

Japanese

There is also a Japanese community centered in Sâo Paulo.

Americans

There was even a group of Confederates that settled in Brazil after the Civil War. At the time, slavery was still legal in Brazil.

Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
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Created: 9:38 PM 1/13/2008
Last updated: 9:38 PM 1/13/2008