Publisher's Synopsis
This is a book for anyone interested in cultural renewal and ethnic diversity. It is a historical account of Luso (Portuguese) Asians, specifically those from Macau (China), and their role in establishing and maintaining the first global economy connecting Europe and Asia. Part 1 describes their early settlements across the Portuguese Overseas Empire, beginning with Goa in 1511, through migrations to Malacca, Indonesia, Siam, Macau, Hong Kong, and Shanghai up to the end of the Opium Wars in 1860. Part 2 focuses on the largest group of Luso-Asians from Macau, the "Macanese", who settled from 1842 in Hong Kong to work for the British colonial government, merchant houses, and international banks. Several stories of individuals, who were community activists, clerks, business owners, working class proprietors, and wartime refugees are offered to illustrate deteriorating relations with the government as World War II approached. Those who survived experienced a renewal of cultural identity and a legacy for future generations. The conclusion then highlights recent efforts of expatriates to use technology to develop cultural and commercial exchanges with modern China, an attempt to recapture the traditional role of the Macanese as intermediaries and ambassadors of change.
