Arab Brazilian
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
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| Notable Arab Brazilians: Carlos Ghosn · Luciana Gimenez · Paulo Maluf Roberto Abdenur · Daniella Sarahyba · Gilberto Kassab |
| Total population |
|---|
| 17,000,000 Arab Brazilians[1] |
| Regions with significant populations |
| São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| Languages |
| Religion |
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Predominantly Christianity (mostly Roman Catholic), with Jewish and Islam minorities |
| Related ethnic groups |
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Other Arabs, Arab American, Lebanese Canadian, Lebanese Australian, Arab Argentine, Brazilian Jews, Portuguese Brazilians |
An Arab Brazilian is a Brazilian-born person of Arab descent. The population of Brazil identifying with either full or partial Arabic descent is estimated at between 8 to 10 million people, most of them tracing their roots back to Lebanese and Syrian immigrants who arrived in Brazil in the early 20th century. The Lebanese population in Brazil, over 7 million descendants and recent immigrants is larger than the population in Lebanon. Today, only a minority of these Arab Brazilians still know and use their original Arabic language, most of them having shifted to Portuguese.
Immigration of Arabs to Brazil started in the late 19th century, most of them coming from Lebanon, later from Syria and Jordan, Palestine and Iraq. Arab immigration to Brazil grew in the 20th century, and was concentrated in the state of São Paulo, but also extended to Minas Gerais, Goiás, Rio de Janeiro and other parts of Brazil.
Initially, most Arab immigrants in Brazil were Christians. However, after the 1970s, large number of Muslims from Lebanon, Syria, the Palestinian Territories and other Arab Muslim countries immigrated, and the current Muslim population of Brazil, predominantly Sunni Muslim, is estimated at about 1.5 million.[2] There are also Brazilian Jews who are or whose ancestors were immigrants from Lebanon, Syria and North Africa (known as Mizrahi Jews); among them is Harry Abdul, the father of American singer/dancer Paula Abdul.
Arab culture has influenced many aspects of Brazil's culture. In big towns of Brazil it is easy to find restaurants of Arab food, and Arab dishes, such as sfihas, hummus, kibbeh, tahina, tabbouleh and halwa are very well-known among Brazilians. Most Middle-Eastern immigrants in Brazil have worked as traders, roaming the vast country to sell textiles and clothes and open new markets. This economic history can be seen today in the ways that the São Paulo-based Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce has gained greater recognition in increasing Brazilian exports to the Arab world (see: Karam, John Tofik. 2007. Another Arabesque: Syrian-Lebanese Ethnicity in Neoliberal Brazil. Philadelphia: Temple University Press).
Arab-Brazilians are well integrated into Brazilian society. Many important Brazilians are of Arab descent, including important politicians such Paulo Maluf and Geraldo Alckmin, artists, writers and even top models.
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[edit] Historical figures of Lebanese Brazilian
| Arab settlement in Brazil Source: (IBGE)[3] |
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| Ethnic groups | 1884-1893 | 1894-1903 | 1904-1913 | 1914-1923 | 1924-1933 | |||||
| Syrians and Lebanese | 96 | 7,124 | 45,803 | 20,400 | 20,400 | |||||
[edit] Notable Arab Brazilians
- Adib Domingos Jatene, physician;
- Amir Slama, Iraqi fashion designer;
- Amyr Klink, sailor;
- Antônio Houaiss, writer and philologist;
- Carlos Eddé, Lebanese politician;
- Carlos Ghosn, businessman (the current CEO of Renault and Nissan);
- Daniella Sarahyba, top model;
- Edmond Safra, banker;
- Fernando Gabeira, politician;
- Geraldo Alckmin, politician;
- Gilberto Kassab, the current mayor of São Paulo;
- Guilherme Afif Domingos, politician;
- Luciana Gimenez Morad, top model and TV entertainer;
- Malu Mader, actress;
- Marcelle Bittar, top model;
- Mário Zagallo, football coach;
- Paulo Maluf, politician;
- Sabrina Sato Rahal, top model and TV entertainer;
- Tasso Jereissati, politician;
- Tony Kanaan, race car driver;
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Giving Brazil a taste of Arabia
- "Arab roots grow deep in Brazil's rich melting pot
- "Brazil Has More Lebanese than Lebanon"
- The New Refugees
- "The Arabs of Brazil"
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