Do crisântemo ao ipê: a presença japonesa e suas formas de mediação em Uberlândia

Abstract

The japanese migration to Brazil is one of the phenomena that marks our society´s history. Beeing the second most expressive concentration of Japanese and its descendents, Brazil was deeply affected by the Japanese presence, from our culture to our politics. Although it occurred more intensively in the state of São Paulo, the Japanese presence also can be found in Minas Gerais, mainly in its pioneering region: the Triangulo Mineiro. That said, we conducted a historical review of Japanese migration in Brazil, in the state of Minas Gerais, in the Triangulo Mineiro´s region and, finally, in Uberlandia, a town where we could observer the presence and dynamic of Japanese descendents, also known as Nikkei. Their presence marks some forms of associativism adopted in urban contexts. The arrangements and configurations which those social actors promotes shows forms of reframing the Japanese culture in that town, as well as brings forth a dynamic between social actors that, despite to have in common Japanese ancestors, may or may not agree with those stronger associative boundaries established by those sociability forms. Thus, through the historical review, understanding the dynamics of the Nikkei Association of Uberlândia and reports of some Nikkei in the town, we understood that Japanese presence marked by associative bonds mediates inner and outer relationships from its community , mobilizing resources (material and human) in the seek by recognition and legitimacy as spokespersons of their ancestors culture.