During the first and second world war, the southern portion of Brazil was flooded with European immigrants. Families from Italy, Germany, Poland and other countries from the old world, boarded large ships and sailed for a new life in the new world. Leaving their war-thorn homes and lives behind.
When I entered the state of Santa Catarina it became obvious I was entering the Europe of Brazil. Wooden homes with curvy roofs, blue eyes and bleach blond hair and people speaking German on the streets became the norm.
“Here in our town 93 percent of the population speaks German and 97.5 percent understands it,” the mayor of Sao Joao do Oeste told me while I rested the mares in the small town.
With the population just under 10,000 residents, the children here learn German before they learn Portuguese. Even the main street boasts with German and Brazilian flags announcing their deep roots with the European country. And it’s here that one of Brazil’s largest Oktoberfests is celebrated every year.
When I asked the mayor why the town was made up of only Brazilians of German descent he explained that they were the only ones allowed to settle here.

“If you weren’t German you were literally not allowed to stay here, you had to find another town to settle in,” said the mayor.
I’m really enjoying the opportunity to learn more about this European-Brazilian culture! Everything about it is different from where I live in the interior of Sao Paulo. The food, the architecture, the way of life… I have even noticed that the towns are way cleaner and more organized than the rest of Brazil. It’s literally a different country down here.