Nova Scotia

Community Organizations: Portuguese Social Club of Nova Scotia

POPULATION: 1,002,586

STATISTICS FOR THE PORTUGUESE IN NOVA SCOTIA:

AS MOTHER
TONGUE		AS MOST
SPOKEN		KNOWLEDGE OF
THE LANGUAGE		BORN IN
PORTUGAL		ETHNIC
ORIGIN
520
0.05% of population		195
0.02% of population		910
0.1% of population		220
0.02% of population		3,580
0.4% of population
Source: Statistics Canada

GREATER HALIFAX

POPULATION: 417,000

STATISTICS FOR THE PORTUGUESE IN GREATER HALIFAX:

AS MOTHER
TONGUE		AS MOST
SPOKEN		KNOWLEDGE OF
THE LANGUAGE		BORN IN
PORTUGAL		ETHNIC
ORIGIN
385
0.1% of population		150
0.01% of population		675
0.2% of population		180
0.04% of population		2,335
0.6% of population
Source: Statistics Canada

IT ALL STARTED HERE

Audio Version:

It all started in Nova Scotia when, on May 13, 1953 the steamship Saturnia arrived in Halifax, at Pier 21, with the first sizeable contingent of Portuguese immigrants to Canada. Some say that it was a group of 69 men, others have written that they were 85, while others claim uncertainty and keep the number in the ballpark of eighty. Later that month, another 7 men arrived aboard of the Vulcania and then another 103 men arrived on the Nea Hellas. Some stayed in the Atlantic provinces while the majority moved west, to either Ontario or Quebec.

While we could not find any records with the complete list of passengers who arrived in Halifax on the Saturnia on that fateful day, we have come to know some of the names of those who were part of this group:

  • Antonio do Couto
  • Antonio Sousa
  • Manuel da Silva
  • Luis Moura
  • Eduardo Mendonça
  • Sabino Gonçalves Portugal
  • Antonio de Sousa
  • Afonso Tavares
  • Alberto Moreira
  • Alvaro Ferreira
  • Armando Vieira
  • Bruno Martins
  • Carlos Augusto da Silva
  • Eurico da Silva
  • Ferreira da Costa
  • Francisco Carreiro
  • Gilharma Cabral
  • Graciano Da Silva
  • Jaime Barbosa,
  • Joao Martins
  • Jose B Defrias
  • Jose Botelho da Silva
  • Jose Martins
  • Manuel Arruda
  • Manuel Pavao,
  • Manuel de Sousa
  • Manuel Trindade
  • Manuel Vieira
  • Pacifico Pinho
  • Ricardo da Costa
  • Vasco Moreira

Soon, travel by ship was replaced by airplane. As the community grew in Canada, Nova Scotia stopped becoming a destination for the Portuguese who arrived in the country. However, those who remained in the Province began to call upon family members and friends to join them. As a result, a small community began to form here and, later, to spread onto neighbouring New Brunswick.

A boat is docked in Halifax (photo credit: pixabay.com)

While the new Luso-Canadians gathered regularly at each others’ homes and at local venues, it wasn’t until the year 2000 that a Portuguese community organization was formed. The Portuguese Social Club of Nova Scotia enjoyed a formidable period that was filled with interest and vitality. This resulted in the purchase of a large building to house the association. Later, as the club began to struggle, it moved to a smaller location. Although the move intended to maintain the association active, these efforts did not prove successful.

In 2019, before the pandemic hit, the organization closed its doors for good. Up until recently, its Facebook page was still up, but it has recently also been taken down and, with it, the last searchable remnant of an association that most probably will never be revived.

There is a beginning, and then there’s an end. The Portuguese community of Nova Scotia is a true witness of that phenomenon. The cradle of our expansion across Canada is now a stronghold of our presence solely in the realms of History.

References:

Pier21.ca, accessed on May 31, 2022

Fernando Candido 2005, accessed May 31, 2022, http://fernandocandido.com/

If you notice errors or misrepresentations in the article, please e-mail contact@lusocanada.com
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