A Portuguese Guyanese is a Guyanese whose ancestors came from Portugal or a Portuguese who has
Guyanese citizenship.
Demographics
People of Portuguese descent were mainly introduced to Guyana as indentured laborers to make up for the exodus of former slaves who left the sugar plantations upon emancipation. The first groups arrived in 1835 until 1882, most having arrived by the 1860s. Most Portuguese trace their ancestry to the North Atlantic island of
Madeira
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, song_type = Regional anthem
, image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg
, map_alt=Location of Madeira
, map_caption=Location of Madeira
, subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
,
which already had a long history of sugar production, but was beset with economic depression and political issues.
Those who stayed on after their indenture made up a Guyanese middle class, and were an important part of the commercial sector.
The rum industry was predominantly owned by Portuguese Guyanese.
Portuguese of Guyana support Roman Catholic churches, schools, and maintain their language through periodicals such as Voz Portuguez, O Lusitano, Chronica Seminal and The Watchman.
In 1906, the first Portuguese Guyanese ran for public office. There is a 'Portuguese Arrival Day' on May 3 to mark the first arrival to Guyana.
Some have advanced the idea that the Portuguese presence in
the Guianas
The Guianas, sometimes called by the Spanish loan-word ''Guayanas'' (''Las Guayanas''), is a region in north-eastern South America which includes the following three territories:
* French Guiana, an overseas department and region of France
* ...
predates 1834. Portuguese
Sephardic
Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), ...
Jews had settled in neighbouring
Dutch Guiana in the 17th century before the Dutch arrived.
Portuguese Jewish communities also exist in
Aruba
Aruba ( , , ), officially the Country of Aruba ( nl, Land Aruba; pap, Pais Aruba) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands physically located in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea, about north of the Venezuela peninsula of ...
,
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...
, and
Curaçao
Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...
. Some of the Portuguese in Guyana may have their origins in these Dutch-speaking Portuguese groups. They were known as the "Curaçao Portuguese" within the larger Portuguese community.
The number of Portuguese Guyanese (4.3% of the population in 1891) has been declining constantly over the decades. Many Portuguese Guyanese have since emigrated onward
and now live in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, other parts of the Caribbean and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
The general success of this group also led to animosity such as the 1856 ‘Angel Gabriel’ Riots in which Portuguese shops were looted and damaged.
Even though being of European ancestry, they are viewed as a distinct from British Europeans for their language, religion, and former-indentured status.
Notable Portuguese Guyanese
*
Ivor Mendonca
Leon Ivor Mendonca (13 July 1934 – 14 June 2014) was a West Indian cricketer who played in two Test matches in 1962.
Career
A wicket-keeper and useful batsman, he played for British Guiana from 1958–59 to 1961–62. On his first-class debu ...
- Cricketer for the
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
*
Peter D'Aguiar
Peter Stanislaus D'Aguiar ( 1912 – 30 March 1989) was a Guyanese businessman, conservative politician, and minister of finance from 1964 to 1967.
Business career
In 1934, following the death of his father, D'Aguiar became the managing director ...
- Businessman and politician
*
Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne Anthony De Rosario OOnt (born May 15, 1978) is a Canadian former professional soccer player, who played as a forward or as an attacking midfielder. De Rosario last played for the Mississauga MetroStars of the Major Arena Soccer League. ...
- former professional soccer player
*
Mary Noel Menezes
Sister Mary Noel Menezes OR (14 July 1930 – 31 August 2022) was a Guyanese Roman Catholic nun and historian. She was involved with the University of Guyana from 1967 to her death in 2022, as a lecturer, head of department, full professor, and ...
- Roman Catholic nun and historian
*
Olga Lopes-Seale
Dame Olga Lopes-Seale DA MBE, (26 December 1918 – 4 February 2011) was a Guyanese-born Barbados-based social and community worker, radio broadcaster and singer.
Life
Born in Guyana as Olga Lopes, she was borne to Portuguese Guyanese indent ...
- Guyanese-Barbadian radio personality
*
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira ( ; born April 11, 1980), nicknamed "Tex", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anahei ...
- former professional baseball player
See also
*
Catholic Church in Guyana
The Catholic Church in Guyana is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. Bishops in Guyana are members of Antilles Episcopal Conference. Like most other nations that form the AEC, the Apostolic d ...
Further reading
* "The Colony Of British Guyana and Its Labouring Population" by H. V. P Bronkhurst.
References
{{Portuguese diaspora
Ethnic groups in Guyana
European Guyanese
History of Guyana
Portuguese Caribbean
Portuguese diaspora in South America