Newfoundland & Labrador
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADORS’ POPULATION: 521,542
STATISTICS FOR THE PORTUGUESE IN NEWFOUNDLAND:
| AS MOTHER TONGUE | AS MOST SPOKEN | KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE | BORN IN PORTUGAL | ETHNIC ORIGIN |
| 165 0.03% of population | 50 0.01% of population | 395 0.1% of population | 140 0.03% of population | 1,215 0.2% of population |
A STORY THAT SPANS OVER CENTURIES
Audio Version:
For those who have done even minimal research into Portugal’s relationship with Newfoundland and Labrador, it is no secret that there is no certainty around who first ‘discovered’ this new land. However, there is strong evidence to suggest that the Portuguese can legitimately claim that they were the first Europeans to arrive here after the Vikings, even before the celebrated arrival of John Cabot.
The evidence is not clear, but many historians believe that the Portuguese began to fish off the coast of Newfoundland in the late 15th Century. There is, however, strong evidence that João Fernandes Lavrador, a farmer who resided in the Azorean island of Terceira, visited here possibly even before Cabot arrived. This is backed by terms utilized in maps of the era in which Newfoundland and Labrador were referred to as Terra del Rey de Portugal. Such term is used in the Alberto Cantino map from 1502, the earliest map depicting this Canadian Province and on display at the Biblioteca Estense in Modena, Italy. In 1534, a map drawn by Giovanni Benedetto for Arthur de Cossé, called Lavvrao (later Lavrador) to the area that is now know as Labrador.
In the year 1500, Gaspar Corte-Real and his brother Miguel, both also from Terceira, reached what some historians believe was Newfoundland while others suggest that he also visited Greenland during the same voyage. He called the lands that he visited Terra Verde. Gaspar Corte-Real returned in 1501 with three caravels. It is claimed that he captured 60 indigenous people as slaves but it seems that only the captives reached Portugal and that Corte-Real never made it back, drowning in the ocean with his crew. Strong evidence of his lasting presence here was later recorded by Dutchman Gerardus Mercator who, in 1569, marked the area as Terra Corte Realis.
Some historians believe that Portugal attempted to found a colony here in 1520 after it send João Alvares Fagundes, a native of Viana do Castelo, to explore the area. It is possible that he made it as far as the Gulf of St. Lawrence but there is no consensus by scholars when it comes to how far west he made it. There is further suggestion that a small colony was formed at Ingonish, in Cape Breton, or Mira Bay, also in Cape Breton. However, there is no clear evidence to support this theory.
The reality is that the Portuguese presence in Newfoundland dates back for more than 500 years. The evidence is not only recorded in the History books or in the maps of the era, but also on the several names of towns and locations with Portuguese influence. Places such as Portugal Cove, Bay of Fundy (baía funda), Bay de Verde, Fogo, Terra Nova, Aquaforte, and Labrador, among others, are evidence.
Portuguese fishermen continued to make regular visits to the coast of Newfoundland to take advantage of its vast array of fish, and in particular the indispensable cod that is routinely used in the Portuguese cuisine. In fact, Newfoundland has also been called “Terra do Bacalhau” (land of codfish) in the past. This regular presence allowed the fishermen to create strong bonds with the local population as they docked to stock their boats with groceries and other essential goods. Newfoundlanders came to view these fishermen as kind and friendly, which further created solid mutual respect.
Evidence of this long-standing relationship are two incidences during the middle of the last century. The first occurred in 1955 when the Roman Catholic Cathedral in St. John’s observed its 100th year anniversary and was also elevated to Basilica. The contingent of Portuguese fishermen that participated was formed of anywhere from 4 to 5 thousand men who paraded the streets of St. John’s with a special offering that is still on display in the Basilica: nine statues in the form of Our Lady of Fatima. In 1965, the statue of Gaspar Corte Real was unveiled on Prince Philip Drive, St. John’s, next to the Confederation Building. In recent times, there has been discussion around removal of the statue due to the alleged mistreatment of Indigenous peoples by Gaspar Corte Real.
The murals of Duckworth Street, St. John’s, depicting scenes from Portuguese towns is another memorial of our presence in Newfoundland and Labrador. Also in St. John’s, one can find the unmarked grave of White Fleet fisherman, Dionisio Esteves, located in Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery. Dionisio Esteves got caught between his dory and the side of the fishing vessel and was unable to survive his injuries.
The White Fleet became theme for many folktales and from May to October of each year graced the waters off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. Named for its tall white sails, the shipping vessels carried hundreds of fishermen who ventured onto the water in their tiny dories to catch fish for many straight hours each day. It was extremely hard work, but part of a ritual that was centuries old.
(click to watch White Fleet documentary)
According to the 2016 Census, there are 1,215 people living in Newfoundland and Labrador who consider Portugal their ethnic background and 165 who continue to use Portuguese as one of their languages for communication.
REFERENCES
Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador, 2020
Newfoundland’s Grand Banks, Bill Crant, 2000
Archivalmoments.ca, 2019
Library of Congress, Ottawa, Government of Canada
| If you notice errors or misrepresentations in the article, please e-mail contact@lusocanada.com |
| Help us write History. Contribute your story, memory or experience related to this Portuguese community by sending an email to contact@lusocanada.com |