Anthropologists have discovered an "uncontacted tribe" living in Brazil deep within the Amazon. Aerial photos show red-painted people, living in huts, and ready to defend themselves with bows and arrows. If you think you're out of touch with world events, think again.
This situation blows my mind. To think that there is an independent human society living on this planet, with no knowledge of the dramas, histories, religions, languages, cities, wars, and everything else that makes up the rest of us, is almost unfathomable.
Despite the wealth of information this tribe could provide the outside world, experts warn against contact. Modern outsiders, including loggers, miners, and cattle ranchers, will kill these people for their land — a typical historical narrative. If not killed by violence, members of previously contacted tribes have died from common diseases.
Does this story amaze you as much as it amazes me? Will we be able to quell our fascination enough to leave these people alone and save their lives? How do we know we're not an uncontacted society?
Y-3
T-Bags
Christian Louboutin
My mind is equally blown by this kind of thing!
1they say they are about 100 or so tribes in the whole world like this. Unfortunately I think contact is unavoidable though I'd like to think otherwise.
2This type of stuff blows my mind. It also makes me a little sad - soon there won't be any such tribes left.
3I live in San Francisco so I know how they feel.
4They need to drop three things down there.
watermelon jolly ranchers
a nintendo DS with some games
and a picture of paula deen with a bunch of food in front of her
They will think we are Gods.
5Ha! I love your list CaterpillarGirl. Anyone else have some suggestions?
P.S. Citizen votes for "fire" jollyranchers.
6I'd like to walk a day in their shoes, and if I ever get the power to be invisible, I'd want to observe their lifestyle! Amazing.
7Could this be a hoax?
8If not, what do they think of these big noisy birds? Funny they got aggressive instead of worshipful.
That's what I was thinking janneth.
I vote for dropping the watermelon jolly ranchers...
9CaterpillarGirl, those are my favorite!
i know that anthropologists must be going through deep internal struggle over this one. but to be able to study a previously unknown culture!! wow.
10Has McDonalds and Coca~Cola been notified?
Those poor people I honestly have nothing but pitty for them. I say leave them the hell alone.
11They don't need our pity hypnoticmix; we need theirs.
12Jolly ranchers? Are you kidding? They would choke on the plastic wrappers.
13I wish more people would focus on their own communities. I think a lot are wrapped up in world news and don't bother getting involved in their communities. Not that world news shouldn't be read...
Very interesting story.
14They would probably think the candy was jewels or decorative objects, beads for necklaces.
15they would probably laugh at us for eating stuff like jolly ranchers... it's not even food!
but i sincerely hope we leave them alone.
16i have something to share with you all... a secret i promised my family i would never tell:
http://teamsugar.com/user/yesteryear/album/1676724
17Wow, yy. Welcome to our world!! How long have you been out? Any thoughts about returning?
18I feel like this is an invasion - weird in a way. I hope that we do not go down there and ruin their community.
19This is such a weird thing ... I was talking to my SO about it.
20Liberty you said "it is almost unfathomable" ... and it really is.
yesteryear i died laughing when I saw that!
21Let them be.
Hypno, I thought about McDonalds too.
22I could not believe it when read the story the other day. We use to talk about it in my anthro classes but one hasn't been found in a while. I love looking at the pictures. I hope we leave them alone.
23wow. this is truly amazing. I hope we leave them alone too.
24I recall when I was a ship's captain, we visited a remote South Pacific island where the natives had never seen anyone from the outside world. We had a young white actress aboard (part of a film being produced - long story) who we took to greet the island's inhabitants. The natives were so taken with this woman and her light features they kidnapped her from our ship one evening to sacrifice her to their island's god, "Kong". It was an adventure I will never forget.
25Unfortunately, no we probably wont leave them alone. We will take their land and get rid of their kind.
26rac-
anyhoo, from the aerial view, it kind of looks like the cast of "lost"
27There will certainly be contact now. Rogue loggers are probably on their way. The slightest contact will lead to infection with the common cold, and then death. I can't even imagine how they could be protected without destroying their way of life
28The Lost season finale was totally crazy.
29Caption from the article:
Mystery: The tribespeople are likely to think the plane that took this photograph is a spirit or large bird.
30This is really so cool! I'm such a nerd when it comes to cultural anthropology stuff. I'm not sure what the more ethical decision would be... to establish contact or to leave them be? I'm inclined to think it would be to leave them alone, but then would they become like some sort of living people zoo for the rest of us, completely unbeknownst to them?
More of the Amazon needs to be protected. It blows my mind to think that, in this day and need, we still need to be concerned that these people could actually be killed by people with commercial interests.
31*in this day and age
32I honestly would give anything to live in their world, uncorrupt, humble,and i bet they are happier than we are, living day to day worrying about our damn couches and pets. i hope to god for their sake that we leave them alone in their purity and ignorance of this hell hole we live in. i dont pity them. i am happy for them.and when are we ever so satisfied that we dont think we need to conquer every world out there and grab every inch of land. and we think they are uncivilized or need pity.
33The people who are red, haven't they heard about sunscreen? Oh wait... nevermind.
34Bellaressa - I agree. I felt like the photos were intrusive and I do sincerely hope they are left alone, even though I'm very curious to learn more about them. I'd rather their lifestyle and culture be preserved without the intrusion of "outsiders."
35This is so crazy!! I would love to see a documentary about these people. And its so fasinating to know how many worlds apart we are from them. It almost reminds me of that movie Apocalypto.
36As fascinated as I am with different cultures and parts of the world, I was EXTREMELY disturbed when I read about this. The pictures speak for themselves. We may have inadvertently messed up the whole order of things for this tribe! They are probably so perplexed as to what they saw and I dont know..it just bothers me that we just cant leave them alone..as much as I enjoy all of our luxuries, I am sure they are content in their world and we shouldnt assume they will happier if we intrude on it
37Wow, this story's very interesting! As much as I would like to learn more about them, I'd rather we leave them be. Unfortunately, that probably won't happen.
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