One of the most impressive things about Brazil is its regional diversity. In this series, we’ll take a look at just how different Brazil’s regions and even cities and towns can be.

Walachai, pronounced “vala-hi” is a small town in the southernmost state of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul. It’s located 100 kilometers from the state capital, Porto Alegre, in one of the most developed regions of Brazil. Historically, this state received many immigrants from Germany and Italy, and in 1829, a German by the name of Mathias Mombach founded Walachai. Mombach was a bodyguard to Napolean during the French invasion of Germany, but after the wars found himself poor and out of work. He decided to go to Brazil after being offered free land.

Walachai began as Mombach’s personal homestead, and slowly but surely other settlers followed. They built their own churches and schools, produced their own food, and made all their own tools, clothes, and homes to the point of self-sufficiency. The state interfered very little in the town’s affairs, despite a series of arrests during World War II in a hunt for “German suspects” in the region.

Now, in 2008, all of the town’s residents speak an archaic German dialect, from the Hunsruck region of Germany. There are no telephones or Internet connections, and very few TVs. Residents feel Brazilian, but are embarrassed that they don’t speak fluent Portuguese.

To find out more about Walachai, information is available in a 400-page book about the town, called “História de Walchai,” by Joao Benno Wendling. Also, Brazilian actress Rejane Zilles, a native of Walachai, produced a documentary called “O Livro de Walachai” based on the book and interviews with the town’s residents.