Aspects of Integration and Adaptation of Croatian Immigrants in Chile

The emigration of Croats to Chile was a part of transoceanic migration that occurred at the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century. Croatia at the time was within the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The most important area of emigration was Dalmatia, especially the island of Brač. Emigr...

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Main Author: Marina Perić
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies 2004-09-01
Series:Migracijske i etničke teme
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/10955
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author Marina Perić
author_facet Marina Perić
author_sort Marina Perić
collection DOAJ
description The emigration of Croats to Chile was a part of transoceanic migration that occurred at the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century. Croatia at the time was within the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The most important area of emigration was Dalmatia, especially the island of Brač. Emigration went on without organisation, with no emigration policy or legislative framework. The main routes of emigration to Chile were to its northern parts (Antofagasta and Tarapaca) and southern parts (the province Magallanes). In the new social milieu, in the immigration country – i.e. Chile, Croatian immigrants passed through various processes of integration and adaptation. The openness of Chilean society and politics to cultural pluralism gave them the opportunity to freely express themselves and their ethnicity. On the other hand, Chilean laws did not permit dual citizenship, and thus the children of the immigrants automatically became Chileans. Croatian immigrants at first nurtured a mechanical type of solidarity, since their migration was a chain development and they lived in groups of relatives and friends. After they assured for themselves the material necessities of life, they began to establish societies and were recognized from the outside as an immigrant group, distinct from other such groups. With time social stratification developed among them. They lived in communion with many other immigrant groups. They were attracted to all Slavic immigrant groups and they also have good relations with Chileans. Mixed marriages, mostly with Chileans, quickened the process of assimilation and brought about the almost total disappearance of the Croatian language. This paper is based on research, until the present, made by Croatian and Chilean authors into the historical sources and newspaper articles analysing the process of integration of immigrants on three social levels: within Chilean society, within their own immigrant groups and in regard to other immigrant groups. The author identifies the factors that either slowed or hastened the process of immigration, the ways in which this process was accomplished, and the circumstances and effects that it produced.
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spelling doaj.art-cebe7139f7704d7397ea0ce4584a59b42024-03-02T05:53:43ZengInstitute for Migration and Ethnic StudiesMigracijske i etničke teme1333-25461848-91842004-09-01202-3243258Aspects of Integration and Adaptation of Croatian Immigrants in ChileMarina PerićThe emigration of Croats to Chile was a part of transoceanic migration that occurred at the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century. Croatia at the time was within the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The most important area of emigration was Dalmatia, especially the island of Brač. Emigration went on without organisation, with no emigration policy or legislative framework. The main routes of emigration to Chile were to its northern parts (Antofagasta and Tarapaca) and southern parts (the province Magallanes). In the new social milieu, in the immigration country – i.e. Chile, Croatian immigrants passed through various processes of integration and adaptation. The openness of Chilean society and politics to cultural pluralism gave them the opportunity to freely express themselves and their ethnicity. On the other hand, Chilean laws did not permit dual citizenship, and thus the children of the immigrants automatically became Chileans. Croatian immigrants at first nurtured a mechanical type of solidarity, since their migration was a chain development and they lived in groups of relatives and friends. After they assured for themselves the material necessities of life, they began to establish societies and were recognized from the outside as an immigrant group, distinct from other such groups. With time social stratification developed among them. They lived in communion with many other immigrant groups. They were attracted to all Slavic immigrant groups and they also have good relations with Chileans. Mixed marriages, mostly with Chileans, quickened the process of assimilation and brought about the almost total disappearance of the Croatian language. This paper is based on research, until the present, made by Croatian and Chilean authors into the historical sources and newspaper articles analysing the process of integration of immigrants on three social levels: within Chilean society, within their own immigrant groups and in regard to other immigrant groups. The author identifies the factors that either slowed or hastened the process of immigration, the ways in which this process was accomplished, and the circumstances and effects that it produced.http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/10955Croatian immigrantsimmigrant groupstransoceanic migrationintegration
spellingShingle Marina Perić
Aspects of Integration and Adaptation of Croatian Immigrants in Chile
Migracijske i etničke teme
Croatian immigrants
immigrant groups
transoceanic migration
integration
title Aspects of Integration and Adaptation of Croatian Immigrants in Chile
title_full Aspects of Integration and Adaptation of Croatian Immigrants in Chile
title_fullStr Aspects of Integration and Adaptation of Croatian Immigrants in Chile
title_full_unstemmed Aspects of Integration and Adaptation of Croatian Immigrants in Chile
title_short Aspects of Integration and Adaptation of Croatian Immigrants in Chile
title_sort aspects of integration and adaptation of croatian immigrants in chile
topic Croatian immigrants
immigrant groups
transoceanic migration
integration
url http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/10955
work_keys_str_mv AT marinaperic aspectsofintegrationandadaptationofcroatianimmigrantsinchile