Multiculturalism Vs. `Mixculturalism`

In my early days in Vancouver, I could understand what is multiculturalism. I had a different concept of it. In my thoughts my home country was a multicultural place. Brazil, received lots of immigrants throughout its history. The portugueses settlers first met the indians and then brought african slaves from many different nations. After that, especially in the XIX century, many europeans and asians imigrated to Brazil. Especially, germans,italians and japaneses. Which means, many different cultures living peacefully together in the same place. Well... for me that was mulitculturalism, a culture made up of many other cultures, however, I changed my mind after a few days here.

Vancouver is completely different. If you walk on the streets you probally will hear a hundred of different languages. If you take a public transport english is the last language you will hear. Actually, is pretty hard find a `trully` canadian here!


I think there is two main differences between immigration in Brazil and in Canada. The first one is: that phenomenon is older in Brazil than in Canada. The second one is very curious for me... Seems like here those different cultures are like an archipelago: Many different islands without any connection between then. All islands are near by... are in the same place, but, if you want to go to another island, you need to take a boat. Although the other island can be friendlly, is not YOUR island. Each culture has its own place, its own border. Those cultures are well preserved. Here you can easily distinguish who is canadian and who is not. Maybe by physical characteristics, maybe by their habits.

In my home country is different. We have many immigrants but everything is mixed. Races, colours, cultures, music. In a few years an immigrant feel itself more brazilian than foreing. And brazilians will get something of that foreing culture too. The next generation, children of immigrants, can`t be characterized as a different. They will be recognized as `trully` Brazilians. So, we have only one culture with thousands of differents influences.


I concluded that in Brazil we don`t have a trully multicultarism, what we have is `mixculturalism`. Canada has the real multiculturalism which means (for me) many different cultures living together but all well preserved. I`m asking myself right now the reason of that. Could be a young immigration, and with more time those cultures begins to mix, as a next step; or, could be, in fact, a matter of culture, and stand in this way forever. Who knows?!

What you think?


by Caio Mileto