History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 10

The Flemish diaspora consists of Flemish emigrants and their descendants in
countries such as the present Netherlands, France, Britain, India (Sri Lanka),
Indonesia, Australia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa and The
Americas.
During the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, when the territory of present-day Flanders
formed the setting for an impressive economic and cultural boom as well as certain
internal problems, many artists and craftsmen sought refuge elsewhere. Flemish
settlers introduced the first printing presses into Spain and Portugal.
The Flemish contribution to the exploitation as well as the population of the Azores
was so conspicuous, that for a long time the archipelago was referred to as the
Flemish islands.
Following in the wake of the explorers, Flemish missionaries such as Pieter van Gent
in Mexico, Joost de Rijcke in Ecuador, Ferdinand Verbiest in China, Constant Lievens
in India, Pierre-Jean DeSmet in the United States and Jozef de Veuster in Molokai
built up a reputation in various overseas countries that continues even to this day.
A combination of a demographic explosion and inadequate economic growth resulted
in an emigration from Flanders that continued up to World War I. It was something that
every family faced sooner or later. Not only did it involve the so-called lower classes of
the population, but also members of the better classes who found a future overseas in
teacher-training colleges and colleges of engineering and agriculture. Louis Cruis, for
example, was a Flemish engineer who led expeditions to lay down the boundaries of
Brazil and the city limits of the capital Brasilia.
In France, the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments were parts of historic Flanders
before France annexed the region in 1656 (and other additions until the last
permanent boundary change in the 1790s after the French Revolution). About 400,000
Flemings settled in France proper. They often had to start afresh in poor villages, from
where they breathed new life into agriculture. There are an estimated 1,250,000
people with a Flemish surname in France.
Similar to the Netherlands, many Flemish families also emigrated to South Africa due
to the relative closeness of culture and language.
In the United States and Canada today, there are Americans with Flemish roots but
who are mostly regarded as Dutch Americans.

Sources:
www.brittanica.com
www.wikipedia.com

10