Methodology of Azorean genealogical studies at the Casa dos Açores in Rio de Janeiro: Challenges, limitations and potentialities

Abstract

This article addresses the preliminary results of the genealogical research project carried out in the associative framework of Casa dos Açores in Rio de Janeiro. The project contributes to the creation of a database of the Azoreans in Rio de Janeiro and is a part of a broader study on Azorean immigration and the ethnic associations of these immigrants. Casa dos Açores was chosen as a research space because the dynamics of association and support for immigrants in Rio de Janeiro were founded there. The ethnic associations experienced by the Azorean community in the city - mainly between the 1950s and 1970s - allow us to understand the migratory flow from these islands to Rio de Janeiro. The study proposed in this article is based, therefore, on the analysis of the registration forms of the founding partners of Casa dos Açores, contributing to the identification of the profile of the associates, the islands of origin and the probable cultural practices, as well as the crossing data from other documents. From the correlation of such sources, it is possible to identify data that provide an understanding of the profile of the Azorean who disembark in Rio de Janeiro, as well as the differences and similarities of the Azorean immigrants compared to other Portuguese who arrived in Rio de Janeiro.