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São Paulo is a city recognized for its ethnic and cultural diversity. Japanese, Portuguese, Italians, and descendants from various other countries, mainly from Europe and Asia, have helped shape the identity of Brazil's largest city. We sometimes see these stories told in books, films, and exhibitions. However, the Armenian community is one of those that doesn't receive this attention.
Recording the memory of the Armenian people and chronicling the arrival of these immigrants to Brazil was what led historian Sonia Maria de Freitas to delve into extensive research and produce the work "Armenian Presence in São Paulo: Immigration, Business, Identity, Religion, and Social Interaction," the author's 11th published book.
Throughout the publication's 236 pages, readers will find testimonies from Armenian descendants, hundreds of photos, and documents chronicling the arrival of the first groups of immigrants in São Paulo in the early 20th century, hoping to find an opportunity to start their lives over in Brazil. At that time, many Armenians left the country following the genocide that killed more than 1.5 million people between 1915 and 1923.
The author highlights this fact as one of the reasons that drew her attention to the Armenian people. "In 2000, at the São Paulo Immigration Museum, I met some survivors of the genocide and had the opportunity to experience the strength of the Armenian people, who have an admirable history of struggle, hard work, and faith," the writer emphasizes.
The book was written based on extensive research in public and private archives, interviews with Armenians who came as refugees to Brazil and their descendants, who kept the country's culture alive, including religious traditions, language, family customs, and Armenian cuisine.
Another highlight of the work is the record of the journey these people have taken over the last century, such as the importance of the Presidente Altino neighborhood in Osasco for the establishment of the Armenian community in the region and their participation in the footwear industry, which was one of the main sources of income for many of the immigrants, who arrived in the country without financial resources.
"The research is very well documented, including previously unpublished information and with the important participation of Armenian families, who were key players in this beautiful story that deserves to be told," concludes the author.
Armenian families helped with this project.
Almost two decades passed from the beginning of the research to the publication of the book. Sonia Freitas reports that during this time she received significant support from several Armenian families, not only through oral interviews and by opening their doors to share photos, documents, and stories, but also financially to cover the costs of producing a book like this.
Businessman Sérgio Semerdjian, the son of Armenian parents, invited Sonia to gather her research and transform what was initially a doctoral thesis into a book. An enthusiast of his culture, his descendant sponsored the book's curation and other costs.
In addition to Sérgio's family, other Armenian families also collaborated with the author in collecting data and providing testimonies, including the Manissadjian, Rizkallah, Kurdjian, Markossian, Burbulhan, Pamboukian, Kahvegian, Cumrian, and Dichtchekenian families.
Launch and Sales
The book already has a release date and time and will feature a special celebration. On November 2nd, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm, the book launch will be held at the Armênio Club, Rua Professor Ascendino Reis, 1450, Vila Clementino, São Paulo.
The book will be available for sale at the Club itself and at other Armenian community organizations in São Paulo, as well as online.
Sonia Maria de Freitas holds a PhD in Social History from the University of São Paulo (USP) and has worked as a researcher and curator at the Museum of Image and Sound and the Museum of Immigration in São Paulo. For 25 years, she has dedicated herself to the topic of immigrants who settled in São Paulo, especially the Portuguese.
Throughout her career, she has published eleven books, many of them focusing on immigration in the city of São Paulo, including Presença portuguesa em São Paulo (Official Press, 2006). Thanks to her commitment to studying and portraying the history of emigration of these people, she was honored with several awards and tributes, including tributes from the São Paulo City Council for holding the exhibition Memories of Spanish Immigration (1998) and for the relevant services provided to the Portuguese community (2010), in addition to the 30th Clio History Award, from the São Paulo Academy of History, for the work Portuguese Presence in São Paulo (2007) and the National Foundation Award for Children's and Youth Literature for the work Coffee and Immigra...