Incredible pictures of one of Earth's last uncontacted tribes firing bows and arrows

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o.iatlhawksfan

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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Skin painted bright red, heads partially shaved, arrows drawn back in the longbows and aimed square at the aircraft buzzing overhead. The gesture is unmistakable: Stay Away.

Behind the two men stands another figure, possibly a woman, her stance also seemingly defiant. Her skin painted dark, nearly black.

The apparent aggression shown by these people is quite understandable. For they are members of one of Earth's last uncontacted
who live in the Envira region in the thick rainforest along the Brazilian-Peruvian frontier.

Thought never to have had any contact with the outside world, everything about these people is, and hopefully will remain, a mystery.

Their extraordinary body paint, precisely what they eat (the anthropologists saw evidence of gardens from the air), how they construct their tent-like camp, their language, how their society operates - the life of these Amerindians remains a mystery.

'We did the overflight to show their houses, to show they are there, to show they exist,' said Brazilian uncontacted tribes expert José Carlos dos Reis Meirelles Junior. 'This is very important because there are some who doubt their existence.'

Meirelles, who despite once being shot in the shoulder by an arrow fired by another tribe campaigns to protect these peoples, believes this group's numbers are increasing, and pointed out how strong and healthy the people seemed.

But other uncontacted groups in the region, whose homes have been photographed from the air, are in severe danger from illegal logging in Peru and populations are being decimated.

Logging is driving uncontacted tribes over the border and could lead to conflict with the estimated five hundred uncontacted Indians already living on the Brazilian side.

'What is happening in this region [of Peru] is a monumental crime against the natural world, the tribes, the fauna and is further testimony to the complete irrationality with which we, the 'civilised' ones, treat the world,' said Meirelles.

It is extraordinary to think that, in 2008, there remain about a hundred groups of people, scattered over the Earth, who know nothing of our world and we nothing of theirs, save a handful of brief encounters.

The uncontacted tribes, which are located in the jungles of South America, New Guinea and a remote and the beautiful and remote North Sentinel island in the Indian Ocean (the inhabitants of which have also responded to attempts at contact with extreme aggression) all have one thing in common - they want to be left alone.

And for good reason. The history of contact, between indigenous tribes and the outside world, has always been an unhappy one.

In our overcrowded world their very future hangs in the balance. Almost all of these tribes are threatened by powerful outsiders who want their land. These outsiders - loggers, miners, cattle ranchers - are often willing to kill the tribespeople to get what they want.

Even where there is no violence, the tribes can be wiped out by diseases like the common cold to which they have no resistance.

According to Miriam Ross of Survival International, which campaigns to protect the world's remaining indigenous peoples, 'These tribes represent the incredible diversity of humankind. Unless we want to condemn yet more of the earth's peoples to extinction, we must respect their choice. Any contact they have with outsiders must happen in their own time and on their own terms.'

As to who these people are, how they live their lives, what language they speak - we know nothing. 'Normally you can tell who tribes are by their language, how they wear their hair, how they adorn their bodies and so on, but in this case the photos don't allow us to get close enough to see,' says Ms Ross.

When anthropologists first overflew the area, they saw women and children in the open and no one appeared to be painted. It was only when the plane returned a few hours later that they saw these individuals covered head-to-toe in red. 'Tribes in the Amazon paint themselves for all kinds of different reasons - one of which includes when they feel threatened or are aggressive,' Ms Ross says.

'And they are almost certain to feel threatened by or aggressive towards a plane, which was where the photos were taken from. They are almost certain not to understand what the plane is - perhaps a spirit or a large bird.

'The jungle is fundamental to their lives and survival. It's their home, their source of food, the source of their culture etc. Without it, they could not exist as a people.'

Contact is usually a disaster for these remote tribespeople, who live a life probably unchanged for more than 10,000 years. Even if the loggers do not shoot them (which they often do) or force them off their land, diseases against which these isolated humans have no resistance typically wipe out half an uncontacted tribe's numbers in a year or two.

Ms Ross added: 'These pictures are further evidence that uncontacted tribes really do exist. 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.'</div>

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10...ows-arrows.html
 
I'm really glad I'm out of South America when I think about stuff like this...
 
Bush is going to classify them as enemy combatants.
 
Didn't bow and arrows go out of style, like..when the pilgrims took over? WHITE POWER!
 
Let's see.

They're dirt poor, so they need a poverty program. They're uneducated, too, so we ought to send 'em to public schools. But hey, we have separation of church and state, so we'll wipe out any individuality they have in their culture and effectively wipe out any distinct religion they have. At the same time, we'll force 'em to learn in english, so they'll forget whatever language it is they speak. They probably make their own booze, can't have that. And they're not paying taxes, so we'll send in the tax collectors. The food they're eating isn't USDA approved, oh no!

If they don't want to do things our way, we'll surround their compound with ATF and FBI agents, then set their home on fire.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>It is extraordinary to think that, in 2008, there remain about a hundred groups of people, scattered over the Earth, who know nothing of our world and we nothing of theirs, save a handful of brief encounters.</div>
I find stuff like this so fascinating.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jun 4 2008, 08:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Let's see.

They're dirt poor, so they need a poverty program. They're uneducated, too, so we ought to send 'em to public schools. But hey, we have separation of church and state, so we'll wipe out any individuality they have in their culture and effectively wipe out any distinct religion they have. At the same time, we'll force 'em to learn in english, so they'll forget whatever language it is they speak. They probably make their own booze, can't have that. And they're not paying taxes, so we'll send in the tax collectors. The food they're eating isn't USDA approved, oh no!

If they don't want to do things our way, we'll surround their compound with ATF and FBI agents, then set their home on fire.</div>

Yeah I'm definitely jealous of their lifestyle. We should let things like this happen more often in the States. :-)
 
Well, they're not poor, they're not uneducated, and the article states they should be left alone.

However, we did have lots of people like that here in the USA and we've done all the things I wrote to them, though I forgot to mention destroying their land to bring 'em electricity.
 
I don't care what happens to them, all I said was that I was EXTREMELY jealous of them.

 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jun 4 2008, 08:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Let's see.

They're dirt poor, so they need a poverty program. They're uneducated, too, so we ought to send 'em to public schools. But hey, we have separation of church and state, so we'll wipe out any individuality they have in their culture and effectively wipe out any distinct religion they have. At the same time, we'll force 'em to learn in english, so they'll forget whatever language it is they speak. They probably make their own booze, can't have that. And they're not paying taxes, so we'll send in the tax collectors. The food they're eating isn't USDA approved, oh no!

If they don't want to do things our way, we'll surround their compound with ATF and FBI agents, then set their home on fire.</div>

Uh, I was being sarcastic.

In honesty, I find this shit to be absolutely fascinating and would love to learn about their lifestyle. This news is just a week or so old, I can't believe it wasn't posted before.
 
I like this quote:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Mystery: The tribespeople are likely to think the plane that took this photograph is a spirit or large bird</div>

 
I was totally surprized that they completely, absolutely completely painted themselves with their body paint. They must be able to manufacture lots of the stuff.

It's too bad they didn't paint themselves blue, then the blue man group would have an unofficial fan club.

blue-man-group-with-britney.JPG
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Black Mamba @ Jun 4 2008, 09:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jun 4 2008, 08:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Let's see.

They're dirt poor, so they need a poverty program. They're uneducated, too, so we ought to send 'em to public schools. But hey, we have separation of church and state, so we'll wipe out any individuality they have in their culture and effectively wipe out any distinct religion they have. At the same time, we'll force 'em to learn in english, so they'll forget whatever language it is they speak. They probably make their own booze, can't have that. And they're not paying taxes, so we'll send in the tax collectors. The food they're eating isn't USDA approved, oh no!

If they don't want to do things our way, we'll surround their compound with ATF and FBI agents, then set their home on fire.</div>

Uh, I was being sarcastic.

In honesty, I find this shit to be absolutely fascinating and would love to learn about their lifestyle. This news is just a week or so old, I can't believe it wasn't posted before.
</div>

I was half being sarcastic, too, but wasn't responding to anything you wrote, just to the article in general.

I consider myself a Hawaiian, and I've seen what I talked about did to the native Hawaiian people; I think it's a travesty. Now I see the same qualities in these people and I warn anyone who reads my post about what could potentially be the ruin of these people.
 
Trying to get these people some help doesn't mean the end of their civilization; with the right precautions.
 
LOL i show a friend, he replys

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>look like some fuckin oompa loompas...</div>

LOL
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lavalamp @ Jun 5 2008, 12:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I was totally surprized that they completely, absolutely completely painted themselves with their body paint. They must be able to manufacture lots of the stuff.

It's too bad they didn't paint themselves blue, then the blue man group would have an unofficial fan club.

blue-man-group-with-britney.JPG
</div>

Lol Britney spears in the middle LMAO

Also someone said they're poor. How can they be poor when presumably they have no currency???
 
I think you have to be wary about assuming that these people need help. They've been surviving for years on their own.
 
These uncontacted tribes would actually help in studying the issue of morality and whether or not it is truly subjective or innate. I'd lean towards it being subjective, but we'll never truly know unless we study a person uninfluenced by mainstream society, much like these people.

The whole situation is extremely interesting on so many levels.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Jun 5 2008, 09:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think you have to be wary about assuming that these people need help. They've been surviving for years on their own.</div>
Well how are they going to see the NBA Finals, if someone doesn't help them?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huevonkiller @ Jun 5 2008, 10:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Surviving, and realizing potential are different...</div>

I really don't understand your posts. This makes you gald you're out of South America? Why? Are you afraid these people will do some harm to you. They've presumably been there for thousands of years and have yet to be contacted. Obviously they won't impact your life one bit.

Are you serious when you talk about "trying to get these people some help"? Why do they need help? Again they've been around for a long time, I'd say they're doing pretty good, much better than you or I could do in their situation. And I don't mean to imply that their situation is a bad one. Can you imagine the beauty they see every day, without all the buildings, traffic, and constant noise? Not working every day just to get enough to make the next mortgage payment or buy some new toy?

Realizing potential? I think you could argue that our society has destroyed our potential to really be connected with our surroundings. After all, we're the ones destroying their land, not the other way around.
 
What do you mean by realizing potential, huevon? They're happy and obviously have a functioning society. That's really all you can ask for.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ryan @ Jun 5 2008, 11:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huevonkiller @ Jun 5 2008, 10:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Surviving, and realizing potential are different...</div>

I really don't understand your posts. This makes you gald you're out of South America? Why? Are you afraid these people will do some harm to you. They've presumably been there for thousands of years and have yet to be contacted. Obviously they won't impact your life one bit.</div>

Obviously it wouldn't hurt to provide them with better medical care, or just a more comfortable way of living? I don't think life is just about getting by with the basic necessities.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Are you serious when you talk about "trying to get these people some help"? Why do they need help? Again they've been around for a long time, I'd say they're doing pretty good, much better than you or I could do in their situation. And I don't mean to imply that their situation is a bad one. Can you imagine the beauty they see every day, without all the buildings, traffic, and constant noise? Not working every day just to get enough to make the next mortgage payment or buy some new toy?</div>

I personally think they live a lame life compared to many here.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Realizing potential? I think you could argue that our society has destroyed our potential to really be connected with our surroundings. After all, we're the ones destroying their land, not the other way around.</div>

Stop trying to categorize me as the evil "White man" who wants to trick them and hurt them, etc.

I'm not one of the fools who murdered Amerindians, or destroyed their land. Nor do I suggest doing so.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Jun 5 2008, 11:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What do you mean by realizing potential, huevon? They're happy and obviously have a functioning society. That's really all you can ask for.</div>

First off, I don't know if it is even that safe to make contact with these people, but they could use a couple of tweaks.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huevonkiller @ Jun 5 2008, 12:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Stop trying to categorize me as the evil "White man" who wants to trick them and hurt them, etc.

I'm not one of the fools who murdered Amerindians, or destroyed their land. Nor do I suggest doing so.</div>

I'm not trying to categorize you as anything, I just don't think they need or want us to "help" them and I don't think they are any type of threat to our way of life.

I'm really facinated by the fact that there are uncontacted people out there and I really admire their way of life.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huevonkiller @ Jun 5 2008, 12:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Jun 5 2008, 11:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What do you mean by realizing potential, huevon? They're happy and obviously have a functioning society. That's really all you can ask for.</div>

First off, I don't know if it is even that safe to make contact with these people, but they could use a couple of tweaks.
</div>
I think you're making the mistake of characterizing these people as us stripped of our technology and modern comforts. That's not really the case, though. Progress/modernity certainly gives us improvements and benefits, but at the same time, it also introduces new problems that we have to deal with. I'm betting these people are a helluva lot stronger and more durable than us physically, simply because they haven't grown up into a sedentiary lifestyle and are less dependant upon medicines/chemicals/artificial foods/etc.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Jun 5 2008, 12:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huevonkiller @ Jun 5 2008, 12:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Jun 5 2008, 11:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What do you mean by realizing potential, huevon? They're happy and obviously have a functioning society. That's really all you can ask for.</div>

First off, I don't know if it is even that safe to make contact with these people, but they could use a couple of tweaks.
</div>
I think you're making the mistake of characterizing these people as us stripped of our technology and modern comforts. That's not really the case, though. Progress/modernity certainly gives us improvements and benefits, but at the same time, it also introduces new problems that we have to deal with. I'm betting these people are a helluva lot stronger and more durable than us physically, simply because they haven't grown up into a sedentiary lifestyle and are less dependant upon medicines/chemicals/artificial foods/etc.
</div>

They might not want our help, but they could probably use it.

Obviously we don't live perfect lives, and they are getting by decently, but the mind is what I am concerned about. Reading books, thinking about certain concepts and ideas as well as the spread of education or knowledge of world events, makes us superior beings in general. They are not reaching their potential in other words.
 
I agree with Huevon here. Seems like everyone wants to treat them like animals; keep them in the wild and protected like a friggen endangered species or something. They're people though. We shouldn't go out of our way to keep them ignorant of the world. IMO it would be cool to send some well intentioned researchers up there (if its safe) so study them, try to contact them and show them that theres a lot more people out there than what is in their tribe. No one is going there to try and install corporations in their villages for god's sake.

They're people. They should be informed of technology and things that could improve their standard of living. No one is making them do anything, they can continue to do whatever the hell they want. If they want to continue living exactly the same then they can but I'd bet that if you showed them a lighter, flashlight, or a sleeping bag they'd probably like to use that since its easier/more efficient than just using what nature offers. Its nice that there are tribes like these who are completely isolated but they are still people, not animals. They can make their own decisions and if that ends up in their culture being destroyed who are we to stop it? IMO if they are open to technologies or moving into the "rest of the world" then they shouldn't be kept in the dark. If they are completely against outsiders and technology and whatnot, then that's fine as well. I just don't think that because they are living completely isolated that it means that they are completely happy with what they have and they would automatically reject anything that would make their lives different and/or easier. They have no idea what is even out there.

Its almost like the Truman Show. Sure, they're doing fine with everything they need as is but is it really the right thing to do to keep them isolated and ignorant of the outside world? IMO you should at least reach out to them, send some people up there and see if the tribe will accept them and how they respond to the outsiders. If they want to be a part of it, then they should be allowed, if not thats fine too. I just think they should know what is out there so they can choose if they want a different (and in my opinion "better") life instead of keeping them ignorant of the world. It would suck if it destroys their culture but IMO its up to the individual to make choices about their own well being, if you're that concerned with maintaining someone else lifestyle you can go ahead and try to become a part of their tribe and keep it going.
 
You just can't assume there's one path of development though. Like I said before, "primitive" (I hate using that word) tribes aren't living like Westerners separated from their modern comforts. They're fundamentally different than us because they've developed fundamentally different than us (both evolution-wise and nurture-wise). They may not have modern medicines, but they also don't have to deal with so many of the self-inflicted medical problems we're facing (eg: high child mortality rates, obesity, AIDS, cancer, etc.). They may lack a lot of our modern conveniences, but they also are probably naturally stronger/more durable and have less need for our artificial constructs. They may not have our intellectual tradition, but that does not mean they're incapable of complex, theoretical thought: it's just done and expressed in a completely different (probably incomprehensible to us) way.

I'm not saying we should suddenly all reduce ourselves to that state. But I'm trying to look at the situation objectively and I really do think that you can't evaluate completely foreign societies in respect to a world that is completely irrelevant to them. You can say that we're "sheltering" them all you want, but has anyone wondered why they've never bothered to leave that specific area before?
 

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