Portugese Fisherman
This mural pays tribute to the Portuguese community of Toronto, depicting a traditional fisherman from the Nazaré region of Portugal.
He wears traditional clothing from the region, including a long pointed cap, a brightly coloured shirt, and a sash worn around his waist. In one hand he holds a length of rope, and in the other a net. A fleet of fishing boats can be seen behind him, and beyond them, the open ocean. The Portuguese community has been a longstanding and important presence in the Dundas West area, which is also known as “Little Portugal.” Starting in the 1950s, large numbers of immigrants, many from the Azores and Madeira regions of Portugal settled in this neighbourhood.
Today it is estimated that there are over 480,000 people of Portuguese descent living in Canada. Many other regions of Toronto are also home to large Portuguese communities, and Portuguese residents and businesses continue to play a crucial role in the life of the Dundas West neighbourhood.
This mural was executed by Pablo Gomez and produced by Rodrigo Ardiles. Students from nearby Alexander Muir Public School, along with other members of the community took part in its creation at workshops led by artists from Valparaíso, Chile, as part of an ongoing artistic exchange between Valparaíso and Toronto.