Portuguese New Zealander
Encyclopedia
Portuguese New Zealanders are either Portuguese
who migrated to New Zealand
, or New Zealanders of Portuguese descent. According to the latest 2006 New Zealand census, 195 residents of the country declared Portugal
to be the place of their birth, and it is estimated that Portuguese migrants and their descendants number approximately 650, down from 900 in 2006, and 1000 in 1996. On the 22nd of April 2010, Portuguese New Zealanders where recognized by the Office of Ethnic Affairs
as an official community of New Zealand, having tied the 70th ribbon to Parliament’s mooring stone on the Parliament House Galleria. Portugal holds two honorary consulates in New Zealand, one in Wellington and the other in Auckland, both of which operate through the Portuguese consulate-general in Sydney, Australia
.
As well as having been recognized as an official community, the Portuguese in New Zealand hold several annual meetings and celebrations such as Portugal Day
, and are organized through friendship associations.
between Portugal and England
. Portuguese were recorded amongst New Zealand's early colonists, one Ngāti Kahungunu
family has a Portuguese whaler in its whakapapa (genealogical chart), Auckland singer Bill Worsfold claims to be the descendant of this whaler, and wrote a ballad about his tough life and arrival in New Zealand. Other arrivals included António Rodrigues who migrated from the island of Madeira with his wife in the 19th Century and eventually settled in Akaroa
where he built the "Madeira Pub Hotel", which is still in activity. Another early settler was Francisco Rodrigues Figueira
, also from Madeira who owned a prison labour gum-digger's camp in west Auckland in the late 19th century. Known as "Don Buck", Figueira was a colourful and violent character and he is remembered in such west Auckland placenames as Don Buck Road, Don Buck Primary School, and Don Buck Corner Reserve. In the mid-20th century, Portuguese migration to New Zealand nearly stagnated with only 12 Portugal-born migrants being registed in the 1951 census, but the Portuguese diaspora gained a new momentum in the 1960s, and later after the Carnation Revolution
when the number of Portuguese migrants to New Zealand rose even further.
Portuguese-born Dutch photographer, Fernando Pereira
, was the only victim of the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior
in the port of Auckland. On the 10th of July, 1985, two French
DGSE agents bombed the Rainbow Warrior
, Greenpeace's
flagship, which was scheduled to depart New Zealand to disrupt nuclear testing in French Polynesia
. This was to date the only foreign attack on New Zealand's soil.
Today, the Portuguese are part of an even larger Portuguese-speaking
community in New Zealand, that also includes Brazil
ians, East Timor
ese and Macanese
.
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
who migrated to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, or New Zealanders of Portuguese descent. According to the latest 2006 New Zealand census, 195 residents of the country declared Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
to be the place of their birth, and it is estimated that Portuguese migrants and their descendants number approximately 650, down from 900 in 2006, and 1000 in 1996. On the 22nd of April 2010, Portuguese New Zealanders where recognized by the Office of Ethnic Affairs
Department of Internal Affairs (New Zealand)
The New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs is a state sector organisation whose roles include the issue of passports; administering citizenship grant applications, and lottery grant applications; enforcement of censorship and gambling law; registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil...
as an official community of New Zealand, having tied the 70th ribbon to Parliament’s mooring stone on the Parliament House Galleria. Portugal holds two honorary consulates in New Zealand, one in Wellington and the other in Auckland, both of which operate through the Portuguese consulate-general in Sydney, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
As well as having been recognized as an official community, the Portuguese in New Zealand hold several annual meetings and celebrations such as Portugal Day
Portugal Day
Portugal Day, officially , is Portugal's National Day celebrated annually on June 10. Although officially observed only in Portugal, Portuguese citizens and emigrants throughout the world celebrate this holiday...
, and are organized through friendship associations.
History
In the 19th and early 20th centuries there were more Portuguese than Spaniards in New Zealand. This was probably a reflection in part of the close commercial linksAnglo-Portuguese Alliance
The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance, ratified at the Treaty of Windsor in 1386, between England and Portugal is claimed to be the oldest alliance in the world which is still in force — with the earliest treaty dating back to the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373.This alliance, which goes back to the...
between Portugal and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Portuguese were recorded amongst New Zealand's early colonists, one Ngāti Kahungunu
Ngati Kahungunu
Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi located along the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The iwi is traditionally centred in the Hawke’s Bay and Tararua and Wairārapa regions....
family has a Portuguese whaler in its whakapapa (genealogical chart), Auckland singer Bill Worsfold claims to be the descendant of this whaler, and wrote a ballad about his tough life and arrival in New Zealand. Other arrivals included António Rodrigues who migrated from the island of Madeira with his wife in the 19th Century and eventually settled in Akaroa
Akaroa
Akaroa is a village on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, situated within a harbour of the same name—the name Akaroa is Kāi Tahu Māori for 'Long Harbour'.- Overview :...
where he built the "Madeira Pub Hotel", which is still in activity. Another early settler was Francisco Rodrigues Figueira
Don Buck
Don Buck was a Portuguese immigrant in New Zealand in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He was known for working newly released prisoners as gum diggers and trading the gum for a profit...
, also from Madeira who owned a prison labour gum-digger's camp in west Auckland in the late 19th century. Known as "Don Buck", Figueira was a colourful and violent character and he is remembered in such west Auckland placenames as Don Buck Road, Don Buck Primary School, and Don Buck Corner Reserve. In the mid-20th century, Portuguese migration to New Zealand nearly stagnated with only 12 Portugal-born migrants being registed in the 1951 census, but the Portuguese diaspora gained a new momentum in the 1960s, and later after the Carnation Revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
when the number of Portuguese migrants to New Zealand rose even further.
Portuguese-born Dutch photographer, Fernando Pereira
Fernando Pereira
Fernando Pereira was a freelance Dutch photographer, of Portuguese origin, who drowned when French intelligence used two underwater mines to sink the ship Rainbow Warrior, owned by the environmental organisation Greenpeace on July 10, 1985 .The bombing of the boat had been designed to make the ship...
, was the only victim of the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior
Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior
The sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, codenamed Opération Satanique, was an operation by the "action" branch of the French foreign intelligence services, the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure , carried out on July 10, 1985...
in the port of Auckland. On the 10th of July, 1985, two French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
DGSE agents bombed the Rainbow Warrior
Rainbow Warrior
-Vessels:*Rainbow Warrior , a former fishing trawler, acquired by Greenpeace in 1978.**Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, by French intelligence operatives in 1985....
, Greenpeace's
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
flagship, which was scheduled to depart New Zealand to disrupt nuclear testing in French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
. This was to date the only foreign attack on New Zealand's soil.
Today, the Portuguese are part of an even larger Portuguese-speaking
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
community in New Zealand, that also includes Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ians, East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
ese and Macanese
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
.