Is Colonialism Really Dead? An Analysis of the Romanticisation of the Portuguese Colonial Era in its Educational System
In the process of building more inclusive societies, there is an increased recognition that the colonial past and roots of the countries need to be addressed appropriately. Above all, there is the understanding that there should be more spaces for debate, identifying erased knowledge, and teaching the facts as they occurred. It is crucial for the colonising state to recognise the deep scars it left in those societies.
With progress comes change, and this has often been the case, with more (or less) concrete actions towards its achievement. Nonetheless, what is frequently absent is how colonialism is enduring; it is not just an era of the past but rather reflects a process to be tackled. Decolonisation constitutes a “process of challenging the cultural and epistemic legacies of colonialism in broader fields of history, aesthetics and culture”. Colonialism does not end with the self-determination of countries. Even if we do not realise it, those systems are perpetuated from the past into our present. We carry colonial knowledge and propagate myths throughout generations that still widely impact our daily lives and cultural understanding.
Colonialism is still deeply enrooted in Portuguese society and memory. As surprising as it may seem, Portugal officially maintained a colonial empire until 1999 with the coming into force of Declaração Conjunta Sino-Portuguesa regarding the territory of Macau. Despite the independence of the former colonies, the Portuguese Imperial System continues to be reproduced daily and romanticised.
The (not so) harmless evocations such as singing Conquistador, the Portuguese-chosen song for 1989 Eurovision; selfies in front of Padrão dos Descobrimentos, a Lisbon monument that celebrates this era; or the recent regression on the Portuguese Governmental symbol to including the armillary sphere, a clear recall to the Portuguese history; evoke a past attempting to raise from its own grave.
Personally, I still have a very present and vivid image of how the Descobrimentos were portrayed in school. Despite being taught about it quite a while ago, it was with no surprise that I found out how so little has changed. I remember the hidden (and not so hidden) systemic racism present in specific sentences and wording, the romanticisation of thousands of killings, violence and fights, the myth of Lusotropicalism - adopted widely during the Estado Novo Dictatorship that portrayed Portugal as benevolent when compared to the French, Belgium, Spanish empires - the erasure of knowledge and cultures, and the exploitation of communities and natural resources.
As I now reflect, I tend to ask myself how such a small child could even question the knowledge they were being given, particularly at times when access to information was not as widespread as it is right now. Not every child asked it. Even adults have not questioned it. The process is complex and uncomfortable. It involves questioning everything we take for granted and recognising our own biases and seeded hate. However, it is vital for the evolution of our society and our own selves into someone better.
For almost four years, from 2008 to 2012, Marta Araújo and her team from Centro de Estudos Sociais da Universidade de Coimbra have studied textbooks and how they "hide racism in Portuguese colonialism and normalise slavery” and romanticise the Portuguese Empire's “benevolence”. Other findings included how the question was treated in such a vague and superficial form, not addressing correctly the consequences of that system. They noted the differential treatment also given within the Portuguese former colonies and how Brazil persisted in being the most prominent case when discussing slavery, however, focusing mainly on miscegenation.
Miscegenation is a particular example that needs further care. Miscegenation upheld the benevolence narrative of the Portuguese Colonisation and how Portugal created “multicultural and multiracial societies”. In reality, miscegenation policies hide asymmetrical power relations, exploitation, gender-based violence, and rape, still preserving and even enhancing inequalities and racism.
Since 2012, little has changed, as the lead researcher Marta Araújo pointed out. Some reasons behind it consist of depoliticising the issue, taking it out of the public space and debate, and being left for the scrutiny of a few and even a lack of understanding of the issue and how it can portray painful consequences for numerous societies, deepening racism and xenophobia.
As Patrícia Lino noted, "colonialism is the foundation of patriarchy, racism, and a heteronormative way of understanding the world”. There is no moving forward from what were the atrocities of the past without understanding, debating, and, most importantly, acting upon it. Therefore, the depoliticisation of this matter threatens the building of more inclusive societies and can substantially transform Portugal into an unwelcoming environment. In a time where we observe the increase of hate crimes and growing anti-immigration protests, it is vital to recognise some data. As stated by the Portuguese Statistics National Institute, “more than 4.9 million people (65.1%) believe there is discrimination in Portugal and 2.7 million (35.9%) have witnessed it” being factors such as ethnic group, skin colour, sexual orientation and territory of origin, the most perceived.
Addressing the coloniality of knowledge is indispensable, as education still reflects these asymmetrical power structures. Decolonising knowledge systems derives from the understanding that colonialism is far from being a phenomenon of the past; it is present everywhere. It calls for the deconstruction of the dominant Westernised narratives and freeing from the colonial shackles still holding back our complete understanding. Foremost, it urges us to question the impacts on our society and how it setbacks a more inclusive and safer reality for all.
An extensive list of solutions could be presented as attempts to decolonise the Educational System. The first one comes from the mind - from recognising colonialism as a phenomenon and process and the colonial legacy that the educational curriculum has upheld. Without acknowledging the pain caused and the knowledge erased, there is no way forward. Secondly, critically approach the knowledge given, question the dominance of Western-centric approaches and advocate for change - through projects, protests and academia. This must pave the way for diversifying the curriculum taught to acknowledge, validate and incorporate indigenous knowledge that was silenced and erased.
“Our minds must be as ready to move as capital is, to trace its paths and to imagine alternative destinations.”
References:
Andersen, C. (2019, April 1). Decolonizing the Mind. Keywords | ECHOES. https://keywordsechoes.com/decolonizing-the-mind/
Araújo, M. (2007). O silêncio do racismo em Portugal: O caso do abuso verbal racista na escola. Um olhar além das fronteiras: Educação e relações raciais, 77–94. https://estudogeral.uc.pt/handle/10316/42646
Araújo, M., & Rodrigues, A. (2018). História e memória em movimento: Escravatura, educação e (anti-)racismo em Portugal. Revista História Hoje, 7(14), 107–132. https://doi.org/10.20949/rhhj.v7i14.468
Barrucho, L. (2017, July 31). Ensino de História em Portugal perpetua mito do ‘bom colonizador’ e banaliza escravidão, diz pesquisadora. BBC News Brasil. Retrieved 7 April 2024, from https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-40735234
Instituto Nacional de Estatística. (2023). More than 1.2 million people have already been discriminated in Portugal. https://www.ine.pt/ngt_server/attachfileu.jsp?look_parentBoui=643801469&att_display=n&att_download=y
Lusa. (2021, October 25). Discurso colonial português ‘é errado e continua a existir’, diz professora. SIC Notícias. https://sicnoticias.pt/cultura/2021-10-25-Discurso-colonial-portugues-e-errado-e-continua-a-existir-diz-professora-aa038db1
Lusa. (2024, February 9). Crimes de ódio em Portugal subiram 38% em 2023. PÚBLICO. https://www.publico.pt/2024/02/09/sociedade/noticia/crimes-odio-portugal-subiram-38-2023-2079931
About the Author:
Érica Moreira holds a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations from the University of Coimbra. She is pursuing a Master's Degree in International Governance and Diplomacy, specialising in Migration and Diplomacy, at Sciences Po Paris. She serves as a Youth Ambassador for Vila Nova de Gaia and an asylum team coordinator at SciencesPo Refugee Help. Additionally, she is an Outreach and Partnerships and Research Officer at Politics4Her Europe Hub and an activist at Amnesty International Portugal. Her academic interests centre around migration, human rights, and women’s rights.
