The
Indigenous Peoples
were decisive in the formation of Brazilian culture such as religion (catimbó, tamandaré or
macumba carioca), alimentation (maize, manioc and cajú) and medicine.
Children of Indian women and Portuguese men (Mamelucos) played an important role in the
enlargement of the Brazilian territory.
Between 1532, when Martim Afonso de Souza founded São Vicente, the first European
settlement on the seaboard of today´s state of
São Paulo,
until 1800, the European immigration to Brazil was almost exclusively Portuguese.
More than 700.000 Portuguese immigrants came to settle in their new colony in this time.
Different than the constructive colonization of North America by the Anglo - Saxons,
the lusitanian/iberic settlement in Brazil was a colonization of exploitation
based on slavery, initially with Indians and later with African slaves.
Since mid of the 16th century, due to the extinction of the Indian race,
their inexperience and resistance to work, African slaves slowly began to substitute
the Indian labor force. About 4 million African slaves were imported to Brazil in
this time. They were used to produce sugar, coffee, cotton and other export products.
They belonged to societies of extreme ethnic and linguistic diversity, such as
Congos, Angolans, Benguelas, Cabindans, Nagôs, Bantos and many more.
The African born in Brazil (Creoles) were mixing with other races forming
mestizos of different types, like Mulato (African and European), Caboclo (European and
Indian), Cafuzo (African and Indian) and many others.
They influenced deeply the cultural formation of Brazil regarding religion
(calundo, candomblé, zungu etc) music and dance (capoeira, samba, revira, axé) and
alimentation (coconut milk, dendê etc).
The agricultural crisis (latifundio, feudal system) together with the
industrial revolution in Europe in the 19th century caused lack of ground,
unemployment and extreme poverty for a large part of the rural population
(campesinos). On the other hand, the Brazilian
government promoted the entrance of immigrants into Brazil due to the lack
of labor force caused by the abolishment of slavery in 1888.
Between 1884 and 1939, more than 4 million foreigners emigrated to Brazil.
First arrived the Swiss (2.000) in 1819, who settled in
Rio de Janeiro
(Nova Friburgo), the Germans (171.000), in 1824, who went to Rio Grande do Sul
(Novo Hamburgo, São Leopoldo, Santa Catarina, Blumenau, Joinville and Brusque),
the Spanish (582.000), the Slavics, originally from Ukraine and Poland,
inhabiting Paraná, the Turks and Arabs, who were concentrated in the Amazon,
the Italians (1,4 million) from Venice, Geneva, Calábria, and Lombard,
who in their mayor part came to São Paulo, the Japanese (186.000) and many more.
