Australian Paraguayans

Last updated
Australian Paraguayans
New Australia.jpg
New Australia, Paraguay
Total population
2,000
Regions with significant populations
Asunción  · New Australia
Languages
Paraguayan Spanish  · Guaraní  · Australian English
Related ethnic groups
Australian diaspora  ·other Hispanic and Latin American Australians

Australian Paraguayans are citizens of Paraguay of Australian background. Most of them are descendants of a group of radical socialist Australians who voluntarily went to Paraguay to create a failed master-planned community, known as Nueva (New) Australia. [1]

Contents

History

In 1893, a group of Australian shearers fed up with the lack of job opportunities and security were persuaded by a controversial journalist, William Lane, to form the New Australia movement and over 2,000 prospective colonists signed up immediately. [2] Paraguay was eager to offer the Australian colonists 75,000 hectares (185,000 acres) of fertile land. Having lost 90% of its male population only 20 years before in the Paraguayan War the country was desperate for manpower to work the land and re-populate the diminished nation. [3]

The first group, almost entirely men, was meant to set everything up for the thousands who would follow, and create the world’s first great communist city. They secured a ship to Buenos Aires in Argentina and from there the 238 adults and children travelled across the grasslands in the heart of South America to Paraguay, where the national government had granted them land to start their own colony. For a few years, new colonists continued to trickle into both communities from Australia and the UK, but the majority of settlers left, heading back to Australia or to farm work on Patagonian estancias. But, around eight families did remain and to this day 2,000 descendants of those colonists still call Paraguay home.[ citation needed ]

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Paraguay</span>

The history of Paraguay encompasses thousands of years of human habitation. Both agricultural and nomadic Guaycuruan lived in the region at the time of the Spanish Conquest. It became a relatively neglected part of the Spanish Empire due to its isolation and lack of mineral wealth, nonetheless a small group of Spanish settlers came to reside in the area, increasingly intermarrying with native women to produce a mestizo population. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Jesuit missionaries organized the natives into planned communities known as reducciones, and the experiment gained notable attention in Enlightenment Era Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Paraguay</span>

Demographic features of the population of Paraguay include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Lane</span> English journalist and author

William Lane was an English-born journalist, author, advocate of Australian labour politics and a utopian socialist ideologue.

The Australian labour movement began in the early 19th century and since the late 19th century has included industrial and political wings. Trade unions in Australia may be organised on the basis of craft unionism, general unionism, or industrial unionism. Almost all unions in Australia are affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), many of which have undergone a significant process of amalgamations, especially in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The leadership and membership of unions hold and have at other times held a wide range of political views, including socialist, democratic and right-wing views.

The World Union of National Socialists (WUNS) is an organisation founded in 1962 as an umbrella group for neo-Nazi organisations across the globe.

The German minority in Paraguay came into existence with immigration during the industrial age. The "Nueva Germania" colony was founded in Paraguay in 1888; though regarded as a failure, it still exists despite being abandoned by many of its founders in the 1890s. Paraguay was a popular place for German leaders accused of war crimes to retreat after the second World War. There are large communities of German descendants living in the department of Guairá, in a town called, the department of Itapúa, mainly in the Departmental Capital, Encarnación and the German towns of Obligado, Bella Vista and Hohenau. Some recent Brazilian immigrants to Paraguay also have German ancestry (Brasiguayos). Notable Paraguayans of German descent include the former president of Paraguay Alfredo Stroessner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Australia</span> 19th-century Australian settlement in Paraguay

New Australia was a utopian socialist settlement in Paraguay created by the New Australian Movement. The colony was officially founded on 28 September 1893 as Colonia Nueva Australia and comprised 238 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">León Cadogan</span> Paraguayan ethnologist

León Cadogan was a Paraguayan ethnologist who made significant contributions to the study of Guaraní language and culture.

British Latin Americans are Latin Americans of British ancestry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nueva Londres</span> Place in Caaguazú, Paraguay

Nueva Londres is a town southwest in the Caaguazú department of Paraguay. It has an area of 883 square kilometers and according to the census of 2002 has 3,875 inhabitants. It is located 137 km from the city of Asuncion.

Robert Jackson Alexander was an American political activist, writer, and academic who spent most of his professional career at Rutgers University. He is best remembered for his pioneering studies on the trade union movement in Latin America and dissident communist political parties, including ground-breaking monographs on the International Communist Right Opposition, Maoism, and the international Trotskyist movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercosur</span> South American economic agreement

The Southern Common Market, commonly known by Spanish abbreviation Mercosur, and Portuguese Mercosul, is a South American trade bloc established by the Treaty of Asunción in 1991 and Protocol of Ouro Preto in 1994. Its full members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Venezuela is a full member but has been suspended since 1 December 2016. Associate countries are, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname. Bolivia became a full member on July 8, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second constituency for French residents overseas</span> Constituency of the French Fifth Republic

The second constituency for French residents overseas is one of eleven constituencies representing French citizens living abroad. It was created by the 2010 redistricting of French legislative constituencies and elects, since 2012, one representative to the National Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilbert Casey</span>

Gilbert Stephen Casey was a trade unionist, agitator of the early Australian labour movement and a utopian socialist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia–Paraguay relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bilateral relations exist between Australia and Paraguay. Diplomatic relations were established in 1974. Paraguay has an embassy in Canberra whilst Australia has a non resident ambassador in Buenos Aires. Both countries are members of the Cairns Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mennonites in Argentina</span>

Mennonites in Argentina belong to two quite different groups: conservative and very conservative Plautdietsch-speaking group of Russian Mennonites who are descendants of Frisian, Flemish and Prussian people, and converts to the Mennonite faith from the general Argentinian population. The Russian Mennonites are the third largest community of Mennonites in South America, with six colonies in Argentina. While Russian Mennonites have their own language and customs and live in colonies, converts to the Mennonite faith normally live in cities and speak Spanish and do not differ much from other Protestants in Argentina. Conservative ethnic Mennonites normally do not engage in missionary activities but look for a quiet and remote place where they can live according to their tradition. More liberal Mennonites are engaged in worldwide missionary work like other North American Protestant denominations. About one third of Mennonites in Argentina are conservative ethnic Mennonites who belong to the Altkolonier branch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner</span> 1954–1989 period of Alfredo Stroessners rule in Paraguay

The dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner, colloquially known as Stronismo or Stronato, was the period of almost 35 years in the history of Paraguay in which army general Alfredo Stroessner ruled the country as a de facto one-party state under an authoritarian military dictatorship, from 15 August 1954 to 3 February 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dogos XV</span> Rugby team

Dogos XV is a professional rugby union team based in Cordoba, Argentina. The team was founded in 2019 as Ceibos to compete in Súper Liga Americana de Rugby and was Argentina's second professional franchise. The team was disbanded ahead of the 2021 season, following Argentina Rugby's decision to play the Jaguares XV in the competition, following the team's departure from Super Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brazil–Lithuania relations</span> Bilateral relations

Brazil–Lithuania relations are the bilateral relations between Brazil and Lithuania. Both nations are members of the United Nations.

References

  1. "Cosme and New Australia colonies". National Treasures exhibition. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  2. smh.com.au - Australian echoes in Paraguayan paradise
  3. The Argentina Independent - New Australia: The Australian Colony in Paraguay
  4. "Final de rugby del Torneo Clausura 2012 de Powerade - Sociales - ABC Color".