Between the past of great migrations and the present marked by thousands of citizenship applications, the relationship between Veneto and South America remains strong. This was the focus of the congress. "Italian Immigration in South America: A Historiographical Overview and New Research Perspectives", which ended this Friday, the 12th, in Ca' Foscari University, in Venice.
The event brought together researchers from various institutions to discuss... Venetian immigration phenomenon based on historical data and current information.
Among the participants were teachers. Luis Fernando Beneduzi e Alessandro Casellato, both from Ca' Foscari University. Beneduzi, an Italian-Brazilian and specialist in History and Institutions of the Americas, was one of the organizers of the meeting.
In an interview with the newspaper Il GazzettinoHe analyzed the reasons for the growing interest in dual Italian citizenship among descendants of South American immigrants.
Two background elements
According to Beneduzi, the increase in citizenship applications has two main reasons: a sense of belonging and the pursuit of mobility.
"There are two underlying elements: on the one hand, the feeling of being Italian, so much so that they decide to request recognition in that sense; on the other hand, the issue of easier mobility." (Just consider that, with Italian citizenship, it's possible to enter the United States without a visa.)It's important to highlight that, just as the feeling of being Italian changes from north to south because the characteristics are different, so too do descendants abroad imagine themselves as Italian in distinct ways. And that is simply a transformation.
Sense of belonging
Despite the advantages of having a document, Beneduzi stated that, for many, citizenship does not represent concrete benefits.
“I remember a story I heard about a young Brazilian woman with Italian ancestry. What she expressed was a sense of belonging, of feeling part of a community that, in practice, didn't bring her any specific advantages. After all, there are no benefits in terms of public health, nor in relation to social security.”
Recognition of a lived state
For the professor, citizenship functions as a symbolic recognition.
“We can say that, for a certain group of people, Italian citizenship is the recognition of a condition they actually live in, but to which they have no formal right. Perhaps they will never leave Brazil, or perhaps they will, but this choice is not linked to the idea of obtaining benefits.”
Attracting migrants to fill empty spaces
A Venetian migration Mass migration began in the 1870s, driven by economic crises and lack of access to land. At the same time, countries like Brazil and Argentina were promoting the entry of Europeans to occupy uninhabited areas.
“Mass emigration began in the 1870s, associated with crises in capitalism and food production in the region. It is worth remembering that agrarian reform in Veneto only took place in the 20th century. It was a phase in which, simultaneously, Argentina and Brazil were promoting projects to create a nation, a people, attracting European migrants to occupy the empty spaces. On one side there was the desire of migrants to have access to land and produce autonomously. On the other, a ruling elite interested in attracting 'white' populations.”
Entire villages crossed the ocean.
According to Beneduzi, entire areas and even villages moved to the other side of the Atlantic.
“Latin American governments even sent people to Veneto to carry out propaganda. Often, entire groups and villages moved to the other side of the ocean, including the priest. The topic of emigration is always strongly associated with southern Italy, but the first boom happened in the north. Not all of Veneto migrated homogeneously: in Belluno, for example, the phenomenon was more intense than in Treviso or the mainland region of Venice.”
An economic and social mobility project
"I wouldn't say it was a necessity. Rather, it was an economic and social mobility project, involving access to land and improving the quality of life," said Beneduzi.
Traditions adapted to the new environment
"In reality, the immigrants had to adapt more, since they arrived in lands distributed by the government with vegetation completely different from what they knew. It is true that some traditions were adapted to the new environment: from the emergence of chapels dedicated to the saint of the parish of origin to the traditional..." phylum"In Veneto, this tradition was characterized by nightly gatherings in the stable to tell stories and do handicrafts. Since the climate in Brazil is less cold, the gatherings moved from the stable to the kitchen or living room: a moment of socialization, to talk about the week and read letters from Italy," the professor explained to the newspaper. Il Gazzettino.
South America is no longer as desirable.
Today, Italian emigration is concentrated in Europe and the United States. South America has lost its attractiveness for economic reasons, but the bond with descendants remains strong.
"Venetian emigration still exists, but the destinations most chosen by Italians today are European: Germany, England, Spain... to which are added the United States. South America, for economic reasons, is no longer as desirable a destination as it was in the past."
A sense of belonging at family celebrations.
“I would say that, starting in the 1990s, a strong sense of belonging emerged in migrant communities: feeling part of a reality that is 'different' from the nation where one lives. This feeling is also expressed in family celebrations, true recreations of the figure of the migrant ancestor. Another phenomenon that has grown significantly is 'roots tourism,' linked to the desire to get to know the country of origin of one's ancestors,” he explained.
Fragments still present in everyday life.
"In part, the number of people who speak the dialect has been decreasing due to natural causes. In part, the idea persists." (or the myth) That he continues to be talked about by many. Fragments of him still exist in everyday life.”
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