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Fordlandia is a region in the city of Aveiro, Brazil, established in 1928 by American automaker Henry Ford. His goal was to secure a consistent rubber supply for his company's tire manufacturing. As such, he purchased land in the heart of the Amazon rainforest and initiated a large-scale rubber plantation.
Following his vision, the so-called "American Village" was planned, with typical American-style houses, schools, hospitals, libraries, and hotels being built. The town was also equipped with recreational facilities like a pool, athletic fields, and even a golf course. Ford's intention was to bring the American dream to the Amazon and to get the local workers to embrace the American way of life. However, this caused cultural friction with the local workers. In particular, many restrictions on the Ford-recommended diet, bans on alcohol and tobacco, and even football (American soccer) were piling up as grievances among the workers.
To recruit workers, Ford opened offices in the Brazilian cities of Belém and Manaus, luring people from neighboring states with the promise of high wages. However, rubber production faced numerous challenges. The land, characterized by its hilly terrain and abundance of rocks, was not particularly fertile. Ford's managers lacked the necessary knowledge of tropical agriculture, and in the wild, rubber trees grow apart to protect themselves from diseases and pests. However, in Fordlandia, they were planted close together, leading to problems with tree diseases.
The workers had grievances with the meals provided by Ford, particularly the forced introduction of what he considered a "healthy diet" with foods like brown rice, whole grain bread, canned peaches, and oatmeal. Additionally, the workers felt they were treated inhumanely, having to work under the scorching tropical sun, leading to frequent refusals to work.
These accumulated grievances resulted in a rebellion by the workers in 1930. Indigenous workers were frustrated by the changes Ford was forcing on them in terms of food and how it was served. This revolt, known as the "Quebra-Panelas" or "Broken Pots" event, saw infrastructural damages and added to the operational challenges of Fordlandia.
According to a 2009 article by NPR, not a single drop of rubber produced in Fordlandia was ever used in a Ford vehicle. Despite Ford's significant investments and aspirations, the project was a failure. Subsequently, Fordlandia was abandoned, existing as a ghost town for a long period.
Though Henry Ford continuously invested in the project, he reportedly never visited Fordlandia. Eventually, the Fordlandia land was sold back to the Brazilian government.
For decades, Fordlandia remained abandoned, resembling a ghost town. However, in the 2000s, new inhabitants began to migrate, and by 2017, the population had grown close to 3,000 residents. Today, Fordlandia stands as a historical symbol of the American Dream, drawing numerous tourists.
Fordlandia Water Tower A symbol of the town and its history.
