http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/30/brazil-tribe.html

One of last remaining 'uncontacted' tribes spotted in Brazil

Last Updated: Friday, May 30, 2008 | 7:58 AM ET

Brazil's National Indian Foundation, known as Funai, spotted members of the group during flights over the far western Amazon jungle near the Peruvian border.

The people were sighted in an Ethno-Environmental Protected Area along the Envira River in flights over remote Acre state.

Funai said it photographed "strong and healthy" warriors, six huts and a large planted area. But it was not known to which tribe they belonged, officials said.

"Four distinct isolated peoples exist in this region, whom we have accompanied for 20 years," Funai's Jose Carlos Meirelles Junior said in a statement.

Funai does not make contact with the isolated communities of the Amazon area, and it is supposed to prevent invasions of their land, to ensure total autonomy for the remote groups of indigenous people.

The London-based organization Survival International said indigenous tribes in the area are in danger from illegal logging in Peru, which is driving tribes over the border and could lead to conflict with the estimated 500 uncontacted Indians now living on the Brazilian side.

There are more than 100 "uncontacted" tribes worldwide, most of them in Brazil and Peru, the group said in a statement.

"These pictures are further evidence that uncontacted tribes really do exist," Survival International director Stephen Corry said.

"The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct."

In this photo released by Brazil's indigenous peoples' agency Funai, 'uncontacted' tribesmen react to an overflight by agency officials. Funai warns that illegal logging and mining are putting such communities at risk of disease and cultural annihilation. (Gleison Miranda, Funai/Associated Press)Officials in Brazil released photographs Friday of what's believed to be one of the last groups of indigenous people in the world that hasn't had face-to-face contact with outsiders.

They just had their soul stolen. Nice job photographers

haha i saw this thing

shoot it down! Go Tribesman!

I hate this concept of "cultural annihilation", the idea of a "pure" culture that should be artificially preserved is pure bullshit. It has done a lot of harm, mainly when a tribe has infanticide of twis or retarded children, and the anthropologists with their academical fetichism says its ok.

Go on. It sounds like you know a lot about this subject.

Can you imagine what went through their minds when they saw the helicopter? It was an alien invasion for all they knew.

Indians are seen as a bunch of naive creatures on which the law doesnt apply. You know, all that Rosseau stupidty. For example, there was an event where people were discussing the construntion of a hydroeletric dam and the indians were attending it, the enginner that was defending the project was attacked by them once he finished his speech, he even got his arm slashed by a big knife. When journalist asked the police chief why the indians were allowed to get inside the event armed, he said that the blades werent weapons, but "working tools".

So, the authorities didnt make an effort to assure the right of physical integrity of a person, so they wouldnt hurt the feelings of the natives.

But, frankly, about this "new" tribe, i somewhat agree they shouldnt be bothered. I doubt any side would benefit from that, maybe linguists would have fun learning and studying a new language, but thats it.

Sorry, stepped out for a few minutes. I had to think about this one:



You're citing one of the most extreme possible examples of why indigenous rights are "bullshit." At best it's a half-assed account.



You've given us no reason to not have a vested scientific or social interest in such civilizations. I agree that cultural relativism is stupid, but it just doesn't commonly occur under scientific study. There are too many human rights issues involved. Even if it did, the situation would probably either be callous neglect or too obtuse to classify. And clearly you've acknowledged that some sort of moral ground exists here - infanticide, for example, is wrong - so why is there NOT a need to intervene in these peoples' existence? The truth is that while this discovery will ultimately lead to the demise of the tribe, the best possible outcome would be an inquiry into their utility, like how they used their land, and resources, etc; how they conceive the natural world. Is that not a noble cause? All research those eggheaded academics use ends up forming a sizable body of evidence on the human condition, which is the very basis for that hydroelectric dam being built.

I understand that the engineer's paycheck is far more interesting though, right?

Most extreme example? I wish. Its very a commun thing to a tribe hold people as hostages at spear point, specially people from the Funai, that is the government organ responsible for indian stuff, . The whole north region has a severe lack of law and order. Its the land of illegal lumberjacks, gunslingers and crazy natives.

Gunslingers? AWESOME

i'm pretty much on board with g_v here. and yes, cultural relativism is a pointless endeavor.

I believe gunslingers sounds too cool and positive. Its more like cheap hitmen. A farmer doesnt like some person, so it hires a guy for 1000 bucks to shoot this person.

With all fairness, unless by chance you've been severely touched by this through personal experience (ie Indians scalped your grandmother) I can't imagine why the legality of indigenous rights would be such an issue. They're entitled to specific protections which serve as a compromise for seizure of land, property, or resources by governmental or corporate agents, just as any other private group or organization.

Indians make terrible capitalists.

And I support their rights. I've never said i didnt. I just said that if they commit a crime, they should perscuted as everyone else, what doesnt happen.