"In My Heart I am Portuguese": Perspectives on Portuguese Migration, Identity and Religion in Hamilton, Ontario

Abstract

<p>“IN MY HEART I AM PORTUGUESE”: PERSPECTIVES ON PORTUGUESE MIGRATION, IDENTITY AND RELIGION IN HAMILTON, ONTARIO</p> <p>Stephanie Da Silva Advisor:</p> <p>McMaster University, 2013 Dr. Ellen Badone</p> <p>This thesis is an investigation into migration, identity and religion among Portuguese migrants to Hamilton, Ontario. It is an ethnographic exploration of how Portuguese migrants identify themselves within the migrant setting and how migration has impacted their religious beliefs and practices. I focus on the Portuguese religious patron saint festivals, known as <em>festas </em>and the significance of these cultural performances for the future of a distinct Portuguese identity in Canada. This inquiry has implications for the study of migration, transnationalism and Portuguese religious traditions, and expands our understanding of the struggles and successes of Portuguese immigrants within the particular historical and cultural contexts they have lived their lives.</p>