Bessarabian Bulgarians in Brazil: The Centenary of an Immigration

On Tuesday (18/08), the Pro-Memory Foundation opened a new exhibition at the Furnace Space. Entitled Bessarabian Bulgarians in Brazil: the centenary of an immigration (1926–2026), the display features photographs and bibliographical materials relating to Bulgarian immigrants from Bessarabia, then Russian territory, who settled in Brazil in 1926.

During that period, São Caetano welcomed several families from this immigrant community. The exhibition marks one hundred years of a story shaped by struggle, sacrifice and love. It includes personal documents and historic photographs, some drawn from the Roots Magazine collection, which covered the subject in issue 64 and will return to it in forthcoming issue 72, due to be released this Thursday (20/8). The full list of magazines can be viewed at: https://www.fpm.org.br/Publicacoes/List/1

The Cultural Association of the Bulgarian People in Brazil, led by visual artist Ana Maria Barbosa, a descendant of the Sibov family, supported the event and was represented at the opening by its treasurer, Roseli Stainoff. “We can only thank the Pro-Memory Foundation for this initiative. Our aim is to preserve our history and traditions,” said Roseli, who had the privilege of seeing a photograph of her own grandfather, Miguel Peev, featured in the exhibition.

Tragedy and persistence among Bessarabian Bulgarians in Brazil

Bulgarian immigrants came to Brazil because of the persecution they endured in Bessarabia, a territory then under Russian rule, and the need for workers on coffee plantations in the interior of São Paulo state. However, their early years in the country were harsh and marked by tragedy.

Poor working conditions led many immigrants to revolt. They were subsequently detained by the government and sent to the disused premises of a prison on Pig Island, now Anchieta Island in Ubatuba. Faced with neglect and hunger, they accidentally ate wild cassava, a poisonous root also known as bitter cassava. The poisoning caused 146 deaths, most of them children.

Moving to São Caetano offered an alternative to the gruelling plantation work, as the city already had a promising industrial base. Many families ultimately found livelihoods at the Matarazzo factories and São Caetano Ceramics, while also helping to drive the city’s development. The Bessarabian Bulgarians in Brazil exhibition recognises that contribution.

Visitor information

Bessarabian Bulgarians in Brazil: The Centenary of an Immigration

• Venue: Furnace Space (Furnace Square, Ceramics District, São Caetano do Sul)
• Visiting: 19 August to 4 December, daily, 8 am–8 pm
• Age rating: Suitable for all ages
• Organised by: Pro-Memory Foundation of São Caetano do Sul