The Galician town of Burela is known mainly for its great fishing activity. However, this town of just eight square kilometers is much more than a port. With 9,786 inhabitants, it could be considered a melting pot of cultures. In this corner of A Mariña, Lugo A total of 48 different nationalities coexistaccording to the latest foreign population report published by the City Council on October 23, 2024 and collected by Europa Press.
Its migratory history dates back to the seventies, driven by the construction of the Alumina-Aluminium plant, currently known as Alcoa. Many families came to the town to work as workers and ended up joining the fishing life. Now, they have formed an important community. Cape Verde is the predominant nationality in the municipalityconstituting 10% of the total population. But it’s not the only one. Among its neighbors, there is a significant representation of Senegal, Ghana, Peru, Colombia, Morocco and Indonesia.
This is life in Burela
It is likely that the first three, as well as Cape Verde, will remain in the lead because more and more families are settling in the municipality. However, the population of Indonesia is different: there are 286 men and 8 women settled. This diversity can also be seen in its institute, where a total of 550 students attend. IES Monte Castelo has students from varied origins, such as those mentioned. There are also children Brazil, Portugal, Cuba, Russia and France.
The streets of Burela are full of bars and clubs like any other Galician town. However, the municipality also It has a mosque, a ‘Halal’ butcher shop (whose meat has been produced and processed in accordance with Islamic laws) and shops with typical Cape Verde products. Furthermore, demographic growth is positive, unlike other areas of the autonomous community: the average age of this town in Lugo is 45 years old.
The sea, a magnet for migration
Paulo is one of the first men who landed in Burela in the 1970s. He lived on the Cape Verde island of Santiago, but decided to pack his bags and travel to Europe to work. First he passed through a factory in Lisbon, then he was in Zaragoza, Teruel, Barcelona and Bilbao. Finally, he settled on the Galician coast. Over there, He worked for two years in the construction of the current Alcoa. At that time, his wife, Antonia Semedo, also moved to this municipality in Lugo.
Once settled, Paulo took advantage of his experience as a fisherman to get on a boat in the port of Burela. Thus, he became the first Cape Verdean to embark. He wasn’t the only one. His compatriot Martinho Martins, who He also came to Burela to work in construction From the factory, he went “like so many others” to the sea to be a ship’s cook until his retirement, as he explains to Europa Press.
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