From the Alps to the Amazon: the multiple migrations of the “trentinos” and possible theoretical approaches

Abstract

This paper examines the migrations of the so‑called Trentino people, originating from what is now the Autonomous Province of Trento (commonly known as Trentino) in northern Italy. The text draws on research conducted between 2022 and 2025, commissioned by the Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino, based in the city of Trento.

The objective is to describe each stage of this migratory process within the corresponding theoretical frameworks of reference, namely: the departure from Trentino to Brazil—specifically to the state of Espírito Santo—in the last quarter of the 19th century; the internal migration within Espírito Santo between 1920 and 1950; the migration from Espírito Santo to Rondônia beginning in the 1970s; and the contemporary internal migrations within Rondônia in the 21st century. The article draws on literature reviews, demographic census data, and findings from field research.

The article shows how Trentino migration parallels other migratory movements, forming part of broader patterns of mobility. Within this context, the theoretical frameworks available have proven more effective when employed in combination rather than individually. The article concludes that successive adaptations to new migratory environments have contributed to the gradual loss of elements of the migrants’ original identity. It also highlights the relative difficulty of existing theoretical approaches in adequately categorizing all the migratory movements described.