The Portuguese presence spreads around the four corners of the world, from small communities in cosmopolitan cities to distant islands where no one would imagine to hear Portuguese. It is surprising to find that in the heart of the Caribbean, there is an island where half of the residents have Portuguese roots. This paradise island is a living example of how Portugal has left marks in unexpected places.
Listening to Portuguese in a distant corner of the Caribbean may surprise many travelers, but on the island of São Bartolomeu, better known internationally as Saint-Barthélemy or simply St. Barth, half of residents have roots in Portugal.
The Portuguese presence began shyly in the 1980s and became, in a few decades, one of the pillars of local life, creating a curious cultural bridge between Minho and this Turquoise Water Paradise, says the NCulture.
Arrival of the first Portuguese workers
It all started in 1981, when the local electric company hired a group from northern Portugal to build a generating center. Shortly thereafter, the first firm of construction of Portuguese capitals on the island, paving the way to other contractors. The quality of work quickly convinced French, Swedes and American who was invested there in tourism and real estate.
Growth after Hurricane Luis
In 1995, Hurricane Luis devastated St. Barth, destroying hundreds of buildings. The reconstruction required large -scale qualified labor, leading the Portuguese contingent to move from about 250 to over 2,000 workers in less than five years.
Nowadays, it is estimated that they live there close to 3,000 Portuguese, especially from Braga, Guimarães, Barcelos and Valença, responsible for much of the luxury works that mark the landscape of this paradise island, refers to the same source.
Community integrated with worm accent
Men continue to predominate in construction, but there are increasingly Portuguese in cleaning, hotel, commerce and, more recently, in areas such as engineering, nursing or law. Many have opened small businesses, including restaurants where cod is served to Brás and hear fado on weekend nights.
Traditions that resist the time
The Portuguese Cultural Association of Saint-Barth organizes camps, nights of St. John and Swedish tournaments during the low season. In the busiest living there is no shortage of “bite on the floor”, green broth and imported green wine in shared containers. There are also monthly masses in Portuguese in the Church of Gustavia, celebrated by a guest priest of the Diocese of Angra.
History of Colonies and Flag Exchanges
Discovered by Christopher Colombo in 1493, the island was named Bartolomeu, browser’s brother. Over the centuries, he has changed hands between French, knights of Malta and Swedes, until he returned definitively to French protection in 1878.
Since 2007 it is an overseas collectivity of the French Republic, using the euro and benefiting from its own tax status that exempts residents of income tax.
Luxury and Lusa Influence Tourism
St. Barth became a refuge from millionaires from the 1950s, when David Rockefeller built the first large-scale housing. Since then, the short track of Gustaf III airport receives private jets loaded with celebrities seeking discretion.
Renowned hotels such as Eden Rock, Cheval Blanc or Rosewood employ dozens of Portuguese, recognized for their ability to adapt and dedication to work.
Challenges and opportunities for those who stay
The cost of living figures among the highest in the world, says the. A monthly income can exceed 4,000 euros and many workers choose to live in shared rooms. Still, salaries paid in dollars and euros attract young people who send regular shipments to Portugal. Several mixed couples have already set family on the island, contributing to a second generation Luso-Saint-Barth.
Some curiosities about São Bartolomeu
Refilling in St. Barth is a reserved experience for experienced pilots, as the only 650 meter track ends by St. Jean beach and requires a steep descent on the hill and is considered one of the world’s most challenging approaches.
Despite using the euro, the island practices an autonomous tax regime without VAT, which attracts tourists for luxury purchases throughout the year. An additional curiosity is that Saint Bartolomeu has one of the highest per capita restaurant rates in the world, with over 70 gourmet restaurants for a resident population of less than 10,000 people, demonstrating the weight of luxury tourism in their daily lives.
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