recent research has suggested that asians from the early portuguese eastern empire, known as luso-asians first came to brazil during the sixteenth century as seamen known as lascars, or as servants, slaves and concubines accompanying the governors, merchants and clergy who has served in portuguese asia. this first presence of asians was limited to northeast brazil, especially bahia, but others were brought as cultivators, textile workers and miners to pará and other parts of the northeast.