Assimilado

A Assimilado is a member of an indigenous ethnic group or Mestiço (Portuguese for " half-breed" ) in the Portuguese overseas provinces, which was considered assimilated by the adoption of the Portuguese language and culture and meeting other criteria of the Portuguese colonial authorities to be successful. The status of a Assimilado included some privileges towards the status of a non- assimilated African. The idea behind it was the end of the so-called Lusotropikalismus an ideology that assumed a moral superiority of Portuguese colonialism from the rest of colonialism.

Requirements

The following criteria had to be met in order to obtain status as' Assimilado:

• Adoption of European culture and dropping the African customs and traditions,
• Liquid mastery of the Portuguese language in speech and writing,
• Evidence to be able to deny their own livelihood through paid employment or work and
• Fulfilment of military obligations.
• Takeover of the Catholic faith and drop their own religion

Legal consequences

Person to whom this status was granted legally, were treated in principle in their rights and obligations Portuguese citizens. They were of the burdens of the " natives " (Portuguese indigenous people ), such as forced labor, optional. Status of Assimilado and its legal consequences were formally abolished in 1961.

Importance

Due to the poor economic situation in the Portuguese colonies and the lack of educational facilities for black Africans were in 1960 from 6 million Mozambicans only about 5,000 assimilados, of the 5 million Angolans only about 30,000 assimilados and reached in Portuguese Guinea, only 1,478 Africans this status. In practice, the equality of the assimilados with the Portuguese in terms of civil rights had little significance, since both the mother country and the Portuguese overseas territories were governed equally authoritarian of the Salazar dictatorship and political activities were largely suppressed by the police organization PIDE. Since independence, especially those from the group of assimilados have established in the ruling elites of the countries.

Assessment

If a resident was able to fulfill the above conditions, he was - on request - to a Assimilado. Only then he was a "civilized person ", a member of the "civilized people " (Portuguese " populaçao civilizada "). People with white ancestry were automatically added to this category.