The Portuguese of the US

Not "Lusophone" per ce, but nevertheless, this is may best place to put anything about your diaspora. (If not, you may move it elsewhere.)

Although the Portuguese did not emigrate to the US in high numbers, and most who did dispersed through the country and left little impact,** there is one state where they moved in high numbers to make a cultural mark- Hawaii.

Most arrived in 1878* from Medeira (mostly), they have filled a very important niche in Hawaii as the blue collar backbone that keeps things running: nurses, teachers, construction workers, etc. Salt of the earth types, they have little crime and few social ills are attached to them.

But, as they worked under the Haole foremen during the era of sugar plantations, they get ribbed for being "second in command."  

Although considered white, they are not "Haole" but rather called something else - Pawdagees or Pukiki (more archaic).



At any rate, since this is about the "Lusophone" world, what about the language? Unfortunately, they lost their language. But, Pidgin, an English dialect spoken in Hawaii which a mish-mash of different languages, was influenced by Portuguese and has many loan words.
For example:
Babooz: Idiot  
Bambucha: Huge
Shishi: Urinate
etc.
(note: I couldn't more respectable examples in a pinch! XD)

Here is a video, a little cheeky in the Hawaiian style, which explains some of the culture, history, and language as well as Portuguese ribbing and jokes. Given how multicultural Hawaii is, there tends to be a lot of race jokes to help ease tensions. Everyone gets a turn at the whipping post.



At any rate:
The biggest, and most obvious influence of Portuguese culture in Hawaii is the Ukulele!



*Sailors began to arrive much earlier, jumping ship to live in paradise rather than work the whaling ships. This is where the term "Pukiki" comes from.
The first Portuguese recorded to have arrive was in the late 1700s. But there were few at the time so they did not make as much impact as those who came later.

Portuguese in the late 1800's were the only immigrant group to bring their children.

So schools were opened to them.

Although the language has been lost, they do try to keep the traditions alive.


** Also some areas of California. I didn't even know about this until very recently. And, they like to bullfight!