Tomé-Açu

Overview of Tomé-Açu

Tomé-Açu is a municipality located in the Northern region of Brazil, within the state of Pará. Situated at latitude -2.41889 and longitude -48.15222, the municipality has a recorded population of 67,585 people and operates within the America/Belem timezone.

The historical turning point of the municipality's development began with indigenous occupation by the Tembé Indians, part of the Tenetehara nation near the Rio Acará-Mirim. European presence followed when the Portuguese timber trader José Maria de Carvalho occupied the territory at the mouth of the Tomé-Açu stream, succeeded by Agapito Joaquim de Cristo, who acquired the land by charter as Fazenda Bela Vista.

A significant shift occurred in 1929 with the establishment of the Japan Plantation Company of Brazil. Fazenda Bela Vista was sold to this Japanese company to serve as its Central Administration. The first wave of Japanese settlers arrived, consisting of 42 families totaling 189 individuals. Initially planting rice and vegetables, these settlers faced intense isolation, climate challenges, and logistical hurdles in draining production, leading many to migrate to other regions of Brazil.

During World War II, between 1939 and 1945, the community experienced another drastic historical turning point. Japanese immigrants and individuals from Axis countries faced severe suspicion and persecution as potential infiltrated agents. In the confines of the Acará municipality where Tomé-Açu is located, immigrants originating from Belém, Parintins, Manaus, and other areas were subjected to a forced state of isolation resembling a concentration camp. This strategic placement utilized natural barriers and wild animals to block external contact, contrasting sharply with the earlier agricultural mission of the Tomé-Açu settlement.