Paper short abstract:

In this paper I will explore materialities of gardens of descendents of Polish migrants in Brazil. Using the concept of 'landscaping' as affective and embodied practice I will look at how knowledge about plants is passed on how local landscape is adapted to inhabitants' identities and customs.

Paper long abstract:

In this paper I will analyse materialities of gardens and gardening practices of descendents of Polish migrants in southern Brazil. I will base on my ethnographic and sociolinguistic research on Polish diaspora heritage conducted in 2015-2016 and 2019-2021.

The first settlers - peasants, farmers who came to Brazil from various Polish regions at the end of 19th century, found different smells, sounds, tastes and images than they knew from the place of origin. By transforming the landscape, introducing familiar architectural elements, crops and livestock, introducing their own music and familiar-sounding words, they tamed and adapted it. By building churches and schools and marking out paths, they gave meaning to the space: they valued it and measured it. In other words, they landscaped it (Wylie 2007).

In this presentation I will look closely at the processes of landscaping in home gardens, especially backyard vegetable gardens, in one southern Brazilian village, inhabited predominantly by descendents of Polish migrants, still living from agriculture. I will analyse what species of edible plants are grown, how are they called and used. This way I will try to see the intergenerational transfer of knowledge about gardening and eating practices, and their connection to people's customs, memories and identities.