From Isolation to Community

Few Remarks on Poles in Brazil as the Land of Multiculturalism

Abstract

The article remains in line with the trend of interdisciplinary research on multiculturalism and community building, as set in the context of ethnic communities in Brazil in general and focused on the activities of the Ethnic Union in the Ijuí region in southern Brazil in specific. Particular attention is paid to the history of the Polish settlement, which allows drawing conclusions with regard to the status of the Polish community in as a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society as that of Brazil. The observations make it possible to conclude that in the process of shaping ethnic communities, the Polish one included, these social groups have come their long way from isolation and closure to openness and cooperation. It is noted that the Church has played a major role in the process of preserving and fostering the national and cultural identities of Polish emigrants, both in the early period of the Polish settlement as much as today. In its current policy, the Brazilian government implements the idea of supporting a multicultural and multiethnic society. Poles in Brazil signal the need for contact with the country of their ancestors, their language and culture, which is the reason why what proves to be extremely valuable includes all kinds of initiatives aimed at preserving national identity, improving the ability to use the Polish language, and building a sense of bond with the Polish culture (past and contemporary).