Portugal

"The Brazilian" (2015)

In October 2016, twenty-four award winners from EUSTORY competitions met at a History Camp in Georgia. For this occasion they prepared posters about their projects and findings which were displayed in the National History Museum in Tbilisi.

My competition entry was about the relation between Portugal and Brazil, especially about the cultural legacy Brazilian migrants brought to my hometown, Lisbon. I based my work on a Brazilian coffee shop founded in 1905. The coffee shop and coffee in general, played a relevant role in Portugal’s culture and economy.  

How did you decide on your topic?
I decided on my topic after talking to my tutor: We assumed that the coffeehouse was a major contributor to the development of huge Portuguese cities. In fact, it was one of the most important places in the beginning of the 20th century. Nowadays, the Brazilian coffee shop in Lisbon is still the most relevant and well-known coffeehouse in the city.

Did the research affect you personally?
The research affected my personality because I learnt a lot about this place, I understood the importance of this coffee shop in my country and how it affected my city. I discovered that coffee was one of the most relevant goods of exchange between Portugal and Brazil and that it also brought culture, information, and people into my hometown. I realized the importance of the exchange between countries and its populations.

Take a closer look at Branca’s poster here.

For her project about relation between Portugal and Brazil, Branca was awarded fourth prize in the Portuguese history competition.