On Occupational Changes and Succession among Okinawan Immigrants in Brasil -Agriculture-

This paper is concerned further with a discussion of the occupational changes and succession observed mainly among the farm laborers of the Okinawan immigrants in Brasil based on "A Research Report on the Okinawan Immigrants in Latin America," published in March 1981. At the same time it intends to trace, describe and analyze the processes of their earning livelihood in fazenda and colonia (shokuminchi). The immigrants frequently changed occupations and status of labor such as camarada and colono in the beginning, and encouraged themselves to promote their status to that of share-croppers and tenant farmers, etc. Then, in agricultural sector, they reached the status of farm (sitia) owners. In the process of changing occupations and status the immigrants often migrated from farm to farm and from one place to another for a better income. From 1908 to the 1940s most of them were engaged in coffee farming, which was followed by rice, sugar cane, cotton, fruits and vegetables, etc. After the late 1940s they left the farms and migrated to urban areas where they became involved in secondary and tertiary industries. Some of them still continue farming in the rural areas, whereas, those who are engaged in farming in and near urban areas have become chacara farmers