My interview with classmate Liz revealed that she is the daughter of parents that immigrated to Canada from Madeira Island and is therefore a second generation Portuguese-Canadian. Born in Montreal, Liz was brought up in a Portuguese family yet was socialised as a Canadian. It was interesting to me to discover that there seems to be a conflict between being simultaneously Canadian and Portuguese. ... As a young, Portuguese woman, the life path that Liz’s immigrant parents expect her to take differs from the one she has chosen as a young Canadian woman. Moreover, Liz stated that when she was with non-Portuguese people, she is made more aware of the fact that she is Portuguese, yet when she is with her Portuguese family, she is made more aware of the fact that she is also Canadian. This paper addresses both elements of the conflict second generation, Canadian-born Portuguese women face. ...
The Portuguese-Canadian Identity Crisis
The majority of Montreal’s Portuguese-Canadians live in two “distinct” communities. The first is the general Montreal community, to which they attach the label “Canadian”. The second is their own Portuguese community, made up of Portuguese businesses, churches, etc. Many first generation Portuguese-Canadians function mainly within this Portuguese network, be it because they have not learned the English or French language, or are more comfortable within a Portuguese context. ... Second and third generation Portuguese-Canadians who are in fact born and raised here and are therefore naturally part of the general Montreal community, are accepted as also being part of the Portuguese community, so long as they keep their ties strong by remaining connected to their Portuguese families and circle of friends. This said, Canadian-born Portuguese seem to have developed, in essence, two identities. That of being Canadian, which is the identity they usually exhibit publicly while dealing with the dominant culture, and that of being Portuguese, which is the identity they exhibit with family and their Portuguese community.
The idea that these two identities are in conflict with one another is very interesting in that it is felt more by Canadian-born Portuguese than their immigrant parents, who perceive themselves to be clearly Portuguese. It is important to note that a distinction exists between how a Portuguese person will interpret his/her ethnicity within the dominant society and within the Portuguese community. “While outside of the community being Portuguese may carry a stigma of inferiority, inside it is esteemed, and one is encouraged to be and to act Portuguese” (Fernandez, 1979, p.
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