The earliest news about the departure of some couples to Brazil is provided by Gaspar Frutuoso, the first historian of Micael (1522-1591).
In 1677, the islands of Faial and Pico suffered strong earthquakes that destroyed some parishes, leaving the respective populations in misery and disgrace. Faced with this alarming situation, dozens of families left their homeland and embarked for Brazil in search of a better life. The emigrants settled mainly in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, where large colonies were formed during the 18th century.
In 1700 the emigration stream to Brazil became quite strong. Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul were the favourite places for Azorean immigrants. Large colonies of Azoreans were formed in these regions, whose typical language and way of speaking influenced the Portuguese of Brazil.
In 1800, emigration to Brazil reached great numbers, but not everything was a “bed of roses”. Poor working conditions were very common and many emigrants left tied to a pre-established contract of at least five years, and many of these contracts were illegal and were in fact a way to disguise situations of exploitation as well as slavery, namely white slavery.
In the second half of the 19th century the desire to emigrate to Brazil began to be replaced by the desire to emigrate to the United States of America.
Due to the Azorean presence in Brazil, there are institutions related to the Azorean culture, such as the Casas dos Açores (Azorean Houses), as well as celebrations of the Azorean culture, such as the Holy Spirit festivities.
Last modified: 15 de November, 2021
