Language matters: the role of linguistic identity in the establishment of the Lusophone African community in Macau

Abstract

In this article we present results of a qualitative study of Africans in Macau, as part of the general phenomenon of African migration into China in the 21 st century. We focus on the African community from Portuguese-speaking countries in Macau, outlining its internal organisation, memberships, objectives, and activities. The results of this study indicate that this African community is the most established and the best organised African community in China. We argue that the common linguistic identity between members of this community and with other Portuguese speakers is a major factor in its relative success. This argumentation is anchored in our cross-cultural theory of community identity building, where factors such as commonality of language, food, and music play important roles in community bonding and community identity building among migrant groupings in cross-linguistic and cross-cultural settings. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.