COLONIES OF EXPATRIATE JAPANESE CAN BE FOUND IN MANY CITIES OF THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE MEGOPOLIS OF SÄO PAULO, BRAZIL.

ONE SMALL TOWN OF JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS IN THE HEART OF THE AMAZON FLOURISHES TODAY, IN SPITE OF BRUTAL HARDSHIPS IN ITS EARLY YEARS.

ITS FORTUNES ARE BASED ON BLACK PEPPER, FRUIT PULP AND AN ENDURING SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

♪ MUSIC ♪ YOU MIGHT THINK THAT I'M STANDING IN A STREET IN OSAKA OR TOKYO, JAPAN, BUT I'M NOT.

I'M IN THE CITY OF SÄO PAULO, BRAZIL.

IT'S HOME TO THE LARGEST COLONY OF JAPANESE IN THE WORLD OUTSIDE OF JAPAN.

THE STORY OF HOW THE JAPANESE CAME TO BE HERE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND HOW THEY HAVE INFLUENCED BRAZIL ONLY BEGINS HERE IN THIS CITY OF 24 MILLION.

THEY ARRIVED HERE ON THE FIRST SHIP TO MAKE THE TRIP, THE KASATO MARU, WHICH WAS CARRYING AROUND 100 JAPANESE FAMILIES.

THEY CAME LOOKING FOR A CHANCE TO BETTER THEIR LIVES AT A TIME WHEN THE ECONOMY IN JAPAN WAS SUFFERING.

AND IN JAPAN THERE WERE PROMISES THAT BRAZIL WAS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.

WHEN THE JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS ARRIVED, THEY FOUND VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF VEGETABLES SO THEY BROUGHT SEEDS WITH THEM FROM JAPAN SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE THE VEGETABLES THAT THEY LIKE, DOZENS OF THEM THAT WERE JUST UNKNOWN IN THE AMERICAS.

OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES HOWEVER, BRAZILIANS HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT SOME OF THE BEST FOOD IN THE WORLD IS BASED UPON THE KIND OF VEGETABLES THAT THE JAPANESE BROUGHT 100 YEARS AGO.

THE FLOW OF JAPANESE IMMIGRATION STARTED HERE IN SÄO PAULO, THEN OVER TO THE STATE OF PARANÁ AND AT LAST UP TO BELÉM.

TODAY THERE ARE 1.5 MILLION JAPANESE DESCENDENTS LIVING IN BRAZIL, THE LARGEST JAPANESE COLONY OUTSIDE OF JAPAN.

AS IS OFTEN THE CASE WITH IMMIGRATION, THE FIRST WAVE OF IMMIGRANTS FROM JAPAN DID NOT MIX VERY MUCH WITH THE DOMINANT BRAZILIAN CULTURE BUT WITH EACH SUCCESSIVE GENERATION THEY MIXED A LITTLE BIT MORE.

BUT EVEN AFTER THE FIFTH GENERATION, SOME DIFFERENCES STILL LINGER.

FROM A CULTURAL IDENTITY PERSPECTIVE I FEEL QUITE DIVIDED SINCE MY FATHER WAS A TRADITIONAL JAPANESE MAN BORN IN JAPAN WHILE MY MOTHER WAS BORN IN BRAZIL.

SO WHEN YOU ASK ME WHO I AM, I AM NOT SURE IF I FIT IN THE NIKKEI, SANSEI OR DON'T KNOW CATEGORY.

JAPANESE BRAZILIANS MAY NOT FEEL COMPLETELY ACCEPTED IN BRAZILIAN SOCIETY BUT THEIR PRODUCE CERTAINLY IS.

THIS IS THE CENTRAL PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION POINT FOR ALL OF THE ENORMOUS METROPOLITAN AREA OF SÄO PAULO, MORE THAN 20 MILLION PEOPLE, AND FOR MUCH OF BRAZIL IN ADDITION.

ALL THIS PRODUCE ORIGINATED WITH JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME HERE TO BRAZIL TO HARVEST COFFEE.

THE SHIAZO MARKET IS NEARLY A KILOMETER SQUARE.

MOST OF THE PRODUCE THAT WE SEE HERE IS CONSUMER IN BRAZIL, 20 MILLION PEOPLE PLUS A BIG STATE TO BOOT.

THIS LOOKS LIKE ORGANIZED CHAOS AND IT IS.

THE OWNERS OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE CARTONS OF VEGETABLES KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

EVERYTHING HERE WILL BE SOLD.

AFTER A COUPLE OF DECADES SOME OF THE JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS, COFFEE HARVESTERS OR SMALL FARMERS, DECIDED TO ABANDON THE FERTILE FIELDS AND WONDERFUL CLIMATE AROUND SÄO PAULO.

THEY HEADED 2,000 KILOMETERS TO THE NORTH.

THERE THEY JOINED OTHER JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS WHO ARRIVED DIRECTLY FROM JAPAN BY BOAT.

FOR US TO GET THERE, WE TRAVELED 2500 KILOMETERS BY COMMERCIAL JET TO BELÉM AT THE MOUTH OF THE GREAT AMAZON RIVER AND THEN TRAVELED OVER LAND AND RIVERS TO ARRIVE AT THE SMALL CITY OF TOMÉ ACU.

IT WAS DISHEARTENING TO SEE THE DEFORESTATION AND CONVERSION TO PASTURELANDS BUT IT WAS HEARTENING TO SEE HOW JAPANESE FARMERS RECOGNIZED THE CENTRAL ROLE OF AN INTACT RAINFOREST AND THEIR VISION OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE.

THIS RIVER IS CALLED THE ACARAMAGI.

IT'S A TINY TRIBUTARY OF THE AMAZON.

IT WAS HERE 80 YEARS AGO THAT THE FIRST WAVE OF JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS ARRIVED FROM BELÉM, A 12 HOUR TRIP BY STEAMBOAT.

WHEN THEY GOT HERE, THERE WAS SOLID VIRGIN JUNGLE ON EACH SIDE OF THE RIVER.

ALMOST ALL OF THAT PRIMEVAL FOREST IS GONE BUT THE JAPANESE FARMERS RECOGNIZE ITS IMPORTANCE.

THIS FARMER IS VERY PROUD BECAUSE HE SET ASIDE THIS RESERVE FOR EDUCATION TO SHOW WHAT A VIRGIN FOREST CAN BE AND HE ACTUALLY BRINGS STUDENTS HERE AND THEY WILL CAMP, THEY WILL STAY.

AND A NUMBER OF THEM HAVE NAMED THIS TREE WHICH IS THE RED ANGEL TREE AS A FRIENDSHIP TREE IN HONOR OF INTENTS TO BE AN ENVIRONMENTALIST, TO SHOW WHAT THE VIRGIN FOREST CAN DO.

IT BRINGS SHADE, IT BRINGS COOL, IT PROTECTS PLANTS UNDERNEATH.

IT'S GOT THESE IMMENSE OUTRIGGERS HERE TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING OVER.

THE SIZE OF THESE VINES IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE.

THIS IS AS BIG AS A SMALL TREE.

IT COMES OUT HERE IN THE GROUND BUT IT GOES UP THERE AS FAR AS I CAN SEE AND IT'S VERY, VERY STRONG.

IT MIGHT GET A LITTLE SCARY IF YOU WERE CLIMBING UP THERE AND STARTED SWINGING ON IT.

BUT YOU DON'T SEE MUCH GROWTH HERE IN THE UNDER STORY BECAUSE HERE'S NOT MUCH LIGHT FILTERS DOWN HERE.

BUT THIS IS...THIS LUMBER IN HERE IS WORTH A HUGE AMOUNT SO JUST THE FACT THAT IT'S BEING SAVED SHOWS GREAT FORESIGHT AND RESTRAINT ON THE PART OF THE FARMER.

THE HUMIDITY INSIDE THE FOREST IS ABOUT THE SAME AS IT IS OUTSIDE BUT THE TEMPERATURE IS NOTICEABLY COOLER.

THE FARMER HERE REFERS TO THIS AS A CARPET OF LEAVES AND HE'S RIGHT, IT REALLY IS.

WITH THE HEAVY RAIN THEY WON'T LAST LONG.

THIS TREE IS CALLED THE PALO SANTO, THE HOLY WOOD, AND IT IS SO HEAVY THAT IT WILL SINK, IT WILL NOT FLOAT.

SO IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT MAKING A DUGOUT CANOE, CHOOSE A DIFFERENT TREE, NOT THIS ONE.

SO THIS VINE, AND IT IS A VINE, THEY CALL...THERE'S SOME ANIMALS SIMILAR TO A TURTLE.

THEY CALL IT THE TURTLE'S LADDER AND YOU CAN SEE WHY.

IT'S AS IF AN ANIMAL COULD CLIMB UP THERE, CLEAR UP INTO THE UPPER STORY WHICH IS VERY, VERY FAR UP THERE.

THIS IS CALLED MONKEY COMB.

THE MONKEYS WILL APPARENTLY GRAB THIS AND BREAK OFF THE OUTER HUSK AND THEN SUCK OUT OR CHEW OUT THE FRUIT THAT'S INSIDE.

YOU CAN SEE WHY THEY MIGHT CALL IT A MONKEY COMB.

IT'S GOT PLENTY OF TEETH THERE.

OH, MY GOODNESS, THE PERFUME HERE IS STAGGERING.

OH!

IT'S LIKE YOU'RE IN SOMETHING OUT OF THE WIZARD OF OZ.

THIS IS THE PETAL OF A FLOWER THAT WE CAN'T EVEN SEE FROM DOWN HERE BUT THE SMELL IS OVERPOWERING AND IT'S VERY PLEASANT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU COULD MAKE A GOOD PERFUME.

THE RAINFOREST HERE AROUND TOMÉ ACU HAS A DRY SEASON WHEN IT DOESN'T RAIN QUITE AS MUCH AND A WET SEASON WHEN IT RAINS ALMOST ALL THE TIME.

IN THE WINTER OR THE WET SEASON, THIS IS A STREAM OF VERY CLEAR WATER AND IT IS THE BEGINNING, THE ORIGIN OF THE LOCAL RIVER SO HERE IS A BASIC HYDRAULIC SYSTEM BEGINNING RIGHT HERE IN THIS PATCH OF RAINFOREST.

THE AMAZON BASIN OCCUPIES 40 PERCENT OF BRAZIL'S TERRITORY.

100 YEARS AGO, UNINTERRUPTED RAINFOREST BLANKETED MOST OF THE BASIN BUT ITS ECONOMIC POTENTIAL HAS LED TO APPALLING DESTRUCTION OF HUGE TRACTS.

THE JAPANESE FROM THEIR ARRIVAL IN THE 1920S SOUGHT TO BUILD THEIR LIVES IN THE FOREST WITHOUT DESTROYING IT.

THEY WERE A GROUP OF IMMIGRANTS HUNGRY FOR LAND, PLUNKED DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS VAST FOREST WHERE FEW BRAZILIANS WANTED TO GO.

THERE THEY BEGAN TO EEK OUT A LIVING, ENDURING MULTIPLE HARDSHIPS.

ONE FARMER SURVIVED THESE MANY DECADES AGAINST ALL ODDS.

MR. YAMADA ARRIVED HERE IN 1929 AT TWO YEARS OF AGE, PART OF THE FIRST WAVE OF IMMIGRANTS.

LIFE HERE WE CAN SAY WAS PRECARIOUS.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO SURVIVE.

IT WAS A TREMENDOUS STRUGGLE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY HEALTHCARE.

I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE DOCTOR IN THE REGION.

MALARIA WAS A CONSTANT COMPANION.

EVERY WEEK THE PEOPLE HAD THE FEVER.

FOR LACK OF ASSISTANCE MANY PEOPLE DIED.

WHEN THE JAPANESE ARRIVED HERE IN THE AMAZON, THEY NOT ONLY HAD TO FACE TROPICAL DISEASES BUT A LOCAL CULTURE THAT HAD A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE TOWARD AGRICULTURE.

YOU CUT DOWN THE FOREST, YOU BURNED, YOU PLANTED AND HARVESTED FOR MAYBE A YEAR OR TWO YEARS AND THEN MOVED ON.

INSTEAD, THE JAPANESE LOOKED AT THE PLACE AND SAID, 'WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THIS SUSTAINABLE?'

JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE WERE TRAINED TO PLANT RICE, CASABA AND VEGETABLES.

BUT IN ORDER TO MARKET THESE PRODUCTS WE HAD TO LOAD THEM ONTO HORSE DRAWN WAGONS, TAKE THEM TO THE RIVERSIDE AND LOAD THEM ONTO BOATS TO BELÉM, A 15 TO 18 HOUR TRIP.

AND SOMETIMES WE WOULD ARRIVE AND ALMOST HALF THE VEGETABLES WOULD BE SPOILED.

THE HARDSHIPS THE EARLY IMMIGRANTS FACED NEARLY OVERWHELMED THEM.

ONLY BY COMBINING THEIR EFFORTS AND BY STUDYING THE FOREST AND NATIVE PEOPLE AROUND THEM WERE THEY ABLE TO DEVELOP THE SYSTEM THAT ALLOWED THEM TO SUSTAIN THEIR LIVELIHOOD IN THE AMAZON.

THROUGH THEIR TENACITY AND A LITTLE LUCK THEY ARE NOW A THRIVING COMMUNITY.

THE IMMIGRATION BEGAN IN 1929 AND IN 1931 THE FIRST COOPERATIVE CALLED THE VEGETABLE COOP WAS FOUNDED BY JAPANESE IMMIGRANT FARMERS.

THEY FELT THE NECESSITY TO DO SO AND ALREADY HAD THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATIVISM AMONG THEMSELVES.

DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, BECAUSE THIS TOWN WAS JAPANESE, TOMÉ ACU BECAME A KIND OF CONCENTRATION CAMP.

DURING WORLD WAR II THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT DID FOR JAPANESE WHAT THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT WAS DOING AS WELL.

ROUNDED THEM UP AND HERDED THEM INTO CONCENTRATION CAMPS.

ONE OF THEM WAS HERE, A PLACE WITH NO ROADS IN AND NO ROADS OUT, ONLY THE RIVER.

THEY WERE FREE TO LEAVE BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

THEY WERE STUCK HERE UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED OTHERWISE.

AFTER THE WAR A GROUP OF YOUNG FARMERS BEGAN TO WORK TOGETHER TAKING THEIR VEGETABLE PRODUCE BY BOAT TO BELÉM.

BY THIS TIME ONLY A FEW FARMERS HAD SURVIVED THE MALARIA EPIDEMICS AND JUNGLE HARDSHIPS.

THE REMAINING FARMERS WHO WERE PRODUCING MOSTLY VEGETABLES FACED A TOUGH SITUATION.

HOW WOULD THEY MARKET THEIR PRODUCE?

BELÉM WAS A LONG WAY AWAY AND BY THE TIME THEY GOT IT THERE IT WOULD ROT.

THE ANSWER THEY CAME UP WITH WAS TO FORM A COOPERATIVE.

ONE OF THE CROPS THEY GREW WAS NEW TO THEM, BLACK PEPPER.

THE STORY OF HOW BLACK PEPPER PLANTS ARRIVED HERE IN THE AMAZON IS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF FICTION.

IN THE 1930S A BOATLOAD OF IMMIGRANTS LEFT JAPAN FOR BRAZIL.

ONE OF THE PASSENGERS DIED AND IN ORDER TO BURY HER, THE SHIP STOPPED IN SINGAPORE FOR SERVICES.

WHILE THEY WERE THERE ANOTHER PASSENGER PURCHASED 13 PEPPER PLANTS.

ON THE WAY TO BRAZIL 10 OF THOSE PLANTS DIED SO WHEN THEY ARRIVED HERE ONLY THREE WERE LEFT.

BUT THE JAPANESE PLANT SCIENTISTS WERE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE THREE AND TURN THEM INTO MANY, MANY THOUSANDS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ENSUING BLACK PEPPER BOOM.

I'M SURROUNDED HERE BY 40 KILO BAGS OF BLACK PEPPER OR BLACK DIAMOND AS IT'S KNOWN AROUND HERE.

IN THE EARLY 1940S BLACK PEPPER WAS SO EXPENSIVE THAT IT WAS AVAILABLE ONLY TO THE WORLD'S ELITE.

THE INDUSTRY WAS CONTROLLED IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

BUT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION HERE IN TOMÉ ACU IT WAS SO VAST THAT IT MADE BLACK PEPPER AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE AND CONSEQUENTLY WORLDWIDE CONSUMPTION SHOT UP, PRODUCTION SHOT UP AND THE WHOLE INDUSTRY THEN BECAME VERY, VERY PROFITABLE TO THE FARMERS HERE IN TOMÉ ACU.

WE BEGAN THE PRODUCTION OF BLACK PEPPER DURING THE 1950S UP THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE 1970S.

IT WAS A BOOM TIME AND LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE MAKING MONEY.

IN MY CASE FOR INSTANCE, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO CONSTRUCT THIS HOUSE IN 1954.

THIS WAS THE OUTCOME OF THE BLACK PEPPER BOOM.

OVER THE YEARS THE COOPERATIVE EXPANDED INTO NEW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

AS THEY DID SO, THEY REALIZED THAT THE MOST PRODUCTIVE SYSTEM WAS ONE THAT INCORPORATED INTACT FOREST AND COMPANION PLANTING IN A COMBINATION THAT WOULD PERMIT PRODUCTION TO CONTINUE FOREVER.

OUR AGRO PROCESSING OPERATION SURVIVES BECAUSE OF THE AGRO FORESTRY SYSTEM WE DEVELOPED.

THIS FRUIT IS A TROPICAL FRUIT CALLED CUPUAÇU AND FROM THAT PULP THEY ALSO MAKE SOME KIND OF OIL THAT'S USED FOR COSMETICS.

I WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT SORT OF THING.

BUT HERE IT IS GROWING HERE AND RIGHT NEXT TO IT WE HAVE THE CACAO AND THEN UP ABOVE THAT MIRACLE BERRY THE AÇAI THAT GROWS OUT OF THE PALMS.

IT'S A COMBINATION, EACH OF THESE PLANTS REQUIRES THE OTHER OR USES THE OTHER AND SO YOU HAVE PRODUCTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY AT THE SAME TIME.

SO THE AÇAI WHICH IS A PALM GIVES SHADE TO THE CACAO AND THEY MUTUALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS ASSOCIATION AND THEY'RE PRODUCING SO WE HAVE THE IDEAL SITUATION WHERE WE'VE GOT DIFFERENT CROPS NEEDING DIFFERENT CONDITIONS HERE IN THIS IMPOSSIBLE FOREST AND THEY SUSTAIN EACH OTHER.

THE PERSON WHO FIRST CONCEIVED OF THE IDEA OF AGRO FORESTRY SYSTEM WAS MY FATHER.

MY FATHER SAYS THAT HIS INSPIRATION CAME FROM OBSERVING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE LIVING ALONG THE RIVERS, THE RIBEREÑOS.

IN PREVIOUS TIMES ALL TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH TO BELÉM WAS BY RIVER.

AND MY FATHER SAW THAT THESE FAMILIES SEEMED TO THRIVE IN GOOD HEALTH DESPITE HAVING LITTLE.

HE ASKED HIMSELF, 'HOW DO THEY MANAGE TO BE SO HEALTHY?'

VISITING THEIR HOMES HE SAW A GREAT VARIETY OF FRUITS BEING PRODUCED AND IT WAS ALL MIXED TOGETHER.

SO WHY SHOULDN'T WE TRANSFORM THIS INTO AGRICULTURE.

WE'VE GOT CACAO OR THE COCOA FOR CHOCOLATE, WE'VE GOT THE STRANGE TROPICAL FRUIT CALLED CUPUAÇU AND WE'VE GOT BANANAS, WE'VE GOT THE AÇAI BERRIES AND THEN ONE THAT I DON'T KNOW, WELL, I THINK THEY CALL CAJUÍ BUT THEY MAKE A PULP AND A JUICE OUT OF IT.

ALL THESE FRUITS ARE INTER PLANTED.

WE TRY TO DIVERSIFY PRODUCTION SO THERE IS SOMETHING GROWING AND BEING HARVESTED ALL YEAR NOT JUST DURING ONE MONTH.

ALSO THE PLANTS ARE INTER CROPPED BECAUSE THEY NEED SHADE.

HERE WHEN I PREPARED A NEW FIELD WE FIRST PLANT PASSION FRUIT THEN OVER HERE YOU SEE CACAO TREES, RAVIOLI TREES, BANANA AND OVER THERE MAHOGANY FOR REFORESTATION.

WE HAVE BLACK PEPPER AND IT PRODUCES FOR THREE TO FIVE YEARS.

WHEN IT BEGINS TO DIE AWAY LIKE YOU SEE HERE, THE CACAO TREES ARE PLANTED, THEN BANANAS FOR SHADE AND MAHOGANY FOR REFORESTATION.

THIS IS AN AGRO FORESTRY SYSTEM 35 YEARS OLD.

IT STARTED WITH BLACK PEPPER, THEN CACAO AND BRAZIL NUT AND OTHER NATIVE SPECIES.

TODAY THIS SYSTEM IS BEING ADOPTED BY SURROUNDING FARMERS AND EVEN RANCHERS.

THERE IS A FUTURE INVESTMENT RETURN FROM THIS SYSTEM.

IT IS IN THE FORM OF TIMBER, THE KIND OF SAVINGS OR RETIREMENT FUND.

TAKE BRAZIL NUT FOR EXAMPLE.

IT TAKES 10 YEARS TO PRODUCE BUT WITH BLACK PEPPER AND FRUIT TREES PRODUCING ON THE SAME LAND, 10 YEARS GOES BY FAST.

HERE IN THE PROCESSING PLANT WORKERS BRING IN 14 DIFFERENT KINDS OF TROPICAL FRUITS.

HERE IN THE BACKGROUND WE HAVE CUPUAÇU.

THE WORKERS ARE BANGING THEM OPEN TO GET AT THE PULP.

IT'S A TROPICAL FRUIT AND IN THE OTHER CONVEYOR WE HAVE PASSION FRUIT KNOWN AS MARACUJA.

INSIDE THEY ARE RENDERED INTO PULP, PROCESSED VERY LITTLE.

THAT PULP IS PACKAGED WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SWEETENER SOMETIMES, THEN IT IS SHIPPED ALL OVER BRAZIL AND BECOMES THE BASIS FOR FRUIT DRINKS WHICH ARE DELECTABLE, EACH ONE OF THEM.

WE HAVE THE CAPACITY IN OUR PROCESSING PLANT TO PROCESS 5,000 TONS OF FRUIT PULP.

TODAY IF THE FARMERS IN THE REGION COULD EXPAND THEIR PRODUCTION, WE COULD NO DOUBT ABSORB ALL THE INCREASE.

WE ARE ALSO THINKING ABOUT WHAT NEW FRUIT PULP PRODUCTS COULD BE DEVELOPED.

AS YOU KNOW, WE BEGAN WITH PASSION FRUIT, THEN WITH CUPUAÇU AND SO FORTH AND NOW WE HAVE 14 TYPES OF FRUIT PULP.

OUR DESIRE IS TO INTRODUCE TO PEOPLE THE NEW FLAVORS IN FRUITS THAT ARE TYPICAL OF OUR NATIVE AMAZONIAN ENVIRONMENT.

TRADITIONAL JAPANESE FARMERS ARE MALE.

IN TOMÉ ACU WOMEN HAVE DISCOVERED THEIR OWN WAY OF INCORPORATING PRODUCTS NATIVE TO THE AMAZON INTO A NEW ENTERPRISE.

WE MAKE HANDICRAFT ITEMS AND JELLIES FROM THE NATURAL PRODUCTS OF THE FOREST.

WE WORK IN SMALL GROUPS.

EVERY YEAR THESE PRODUCTS ARE TAKEN TO THE MARKET TO BE DISPLAYED WITH OTHER PRODUCTS OF CANTA.

OUR WORK IS BUT A SMALL PART OF THE STORY OF CANTA.

IN ADDITION, WOMEN HAVE SEEN TO IT THAT THEY AND THEIR MEN FOLK BECOME PART OF BRAZILIAN CULTURE.

SAO JOA OR ST. JOHN'S DAY, JUNE 24TH, IS A FESTIVAL CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT THE LATINO WORLD.

IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN BRAZIL WHERE BONFIRES, FIREWORKS, MUSIC AND DANCES LAST THROUGH THE NIGHT AND WELL INTO THE DAWN.

THE WOMEN REMIND THE MEN THAT TOMÉ ACU IS BRAZILIAN AS WELL AS JAPANESE.

WHEN THE FOUNDERS OF TOMÉ ACU CREATED THEIR COOPERATIVE PACKING HOUSE, THEY CARVED OUT OF THE JUNGLE A SOCCER FIELD SO THIS FIELD IS A RESULT OF A DESIRE FOR CONTINUITY WITH BOTH JAPANESE AND BRAZILIAN TRADITIONS.

ONE SURE WAY TO ERASE THE MYSTIQUE OF THE AMAZON JUNGLE IS TO CREATE A GOLF COURSE.

BUT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT AT TOMÉ ACU THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMEN WHO HAVE NO OTHER PLACE TO GO, IT MAKES SENSE TO CREATE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN PLAY GOLF.

OUR WORK IS BUT A SMALL PART OF THE STORY OF CANTA.

WE ARE TRYING TO ADD OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THAT FOUNDATION.

WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT OUR CHILDREN WILL ALSO ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE AND WE EXPECT OUR CHILDREN TO TAKE US MUCH FURTHER.

WHEN THE FIRST JAPANESE WAVE OF IMMIGRANTS CAME TO BRAZIL TO WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND DECIDED TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY THEIR HOME, THERE WAS ONE PRINCIPLE VALUE THEY SHARED.

THAT WAS TO PROVIDE A GOOD EDUCATION TO THEIR CHILDREN.

THEY INVESTED WHAT THEY HAD IN EDUCATION.

TRADITIONALLY THE OLDEST CHILD USUALLY REMAINED ON THE FARM BUT THE YOUNGER ONES WENT TO STUDY AT UNIVERSITIES IN THE CITY.

TODAY, MANY OF THE DESCENDENTS OF THOSE FIRST JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS ARE SUCCESSFUL DOCTORS, ENGINEERS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS.

FROM A SMALL GROUP OF IMMIGRANTS AT THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY TO THE 1.2 MILLION BRAZILIANS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY TODAY THE JAPANESE IN BRAZIL HAVE MADE AN ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION TO THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE OF BRAZIL.

THE PETÉN IN NORTHERN GUATEMALA IS HOME TO SOME OF THE AMERICA'S MOST COMPLEX AND IMPRESSIVE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES.

SOME OF THESE ARE STILL UNDERGOING EXCAVATION AND ONLY JUST BEGINNING TO REVEAL THEIR VAST HISTORY.

THE SITE OF CEIBAL SITS ABOVE THE RIVER OF PASSION.

THE WORKERS THERE ARE DESCENDENTS OF THE ACTUAL BUILDERS.

JOIN US NEXT TIME IN THE AMERICAS WITH ME, DAVID YETMAN.

[MUSIC] FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

COPIES OF THIS AND OTHER EPISODES OF IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE SOUTHWEST CENTER.

TO ORDER CALL 1-800-937-8632.

PLEASE MENTION THE EPISODE NUMBER AND PROGRAM TITLE.

PLEASE BE SURE TO VISIT US AT INTHEAMERICAS.COM OR INTHEAMERICAS.ORG.