Portuguese Introduced Concept of Assimilado Africans

The Portuguese Created a Class of Africans Who Were Almost Portuguese On January 3, 1917, in the city of Luanda, Angola, the Portuguese introduced a new concept: the "assimilado," Africans who were almost Portuguese. Historian Malyn Newitt notes that this concept was a product of the Portuguese colonial policy. By 1920, the Portuguese had established a system to educate and assimilate Africans into Portuguese culture.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that colonial powers treated all Africans the same, imposing their own culture and language without exception. The standard story goes that Africans were either colonizers or colonized, with no middle ground. However, this simplification overlooks the complexities of colonial history, particularly in the Portuguese colonies. The concept of "assimilado" challenges this binary understanding, revealing a more nuanced approach to colonial rule.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Fernando Pessoa argues that the Portuguese introduced the concept of "assimilado" to create a class of Africans who could serve as intermediaries between the colonial administration and the local population. By 1886, the Portuguese had already established schools and education programs aimed at educating Africans in Portuguese language and culture. The most surprising fact is that by 1950, there were over 30,000 assimilados in Angola alone, a significant number considering the relatively small size of the Portuguese colonial administration. Historian Gerald Bender notes that the assimilado system was not unique to Angola, as it was also implemented in other Portuguese colonies, such as Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau. According to the Portuguese Colonial Act of 1930, assimilados were granted certain privileges, including the right to vote and hold public office, but they were still subject to Portuguese authority. Newitt's book, "A History of Portuguese Overseas Expansion," provides valuable insights into the development of the assimilado system, highlighting the complex power dynamics at play. By examining the historical context and the experiences of assimilados, it becomes clear that the Portuguese colonial policy was more complex than previously thought, with the assimilado system playing a significant role in shaping the social and cultural landscape of the colonies.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like António de Oliveira and politicians such as Marcelo Caetano played a significant role in suppressing this story, deliberately omitting it from the official narrative of Portugal's colonial past. The Portuguese government and institutions like the Instituto Português do Oriente also contributed to the erasure of this history by prioritizing a Eurocentric perspective and downplaying the experiences of Africans who were assimilated into Portuguese culture. A concrete reason for this omission is the fact that the concept of "assimilado" challenged the dominant colonial narrative of racial superiority, and by acknowledging it, the Portuguese would have had to confront the contradictions of their own colonial policies. Researchers have had to dig through archives and conduct interviews with descendants of assimilados to piece together this forgotten history.

The Ripple Effect

The introduction of the concept of "assimilado" had a direct impact on the lives of thousands of Africans who were forced to adopt Portuguese customs, language, and religion. The policy of assimilation led to the creation of a new social class of Africans who were caught between their traditional cultures and their adopted Portuguese identity. One specific modern consequence of this event is the existence of the Palop communities in Portugal, whose members are descended from Africans who were assimilated into Portuguese culture during the colonial period. These communities continue to struggle with issues of identity and belonging, and their experiences are a direct result of the policies implemented by the Portuguese during the colonial era.

The Line That Says It All

The Portuguese government's introduction of the concept of "assimilado" created a system of cultural and social hierarchy that persists in the lives of African descendants in Portugal to this day.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Portuguese colonial period in Africa.