Isolated indigenous tribes have been living for years in the Amazonian forest without any contact with other communities – and a Channel 4 documentary has captured contact made by them with the outside world.
watching the First Contact: #LostTribeoftheAmazon @Channel4 , it really shows you amazing diversity of the planet that we living on
— Ala (@jassemi) February 23, 2016
They live deep in the rainforest on the Brazilian boarder with Peru, and after being isolated for so long have since come out of hiding and have contact with the outside world.
But there are other tribes who still live in total isolation. Violence to the Amazonian tribes has a long history, and since a wide scale massacre many went into hiding and have never come out.
The tribes are protected by local laws, disallowing anyone to make contact with them, partly because of the risk of spreading disease to them. But recently there have been sightings of the Mascho Piro tribe, who have been engaging in conflict and violence, leaving communities in fear of being attacked.
A path leading to the settlement of the Mascho Piro tribe (Channel 4/Screenshot)
It’s a delicate situation but they can’t stand for intimidation and violence from them. Hope the interpreter can help. #firstcontact
— sapphie burry (@SapphieB) February 23, 2016
But when some of the still-isolated Mascho Piro tribe asked for help for a woman’s injury across the river that separates them, an anthropologist and the filmmakers agreed to connect with them, despite the possible danger.
Although this is interesting, I really wish we would leave them alone, and let them live their own way(s) ?? #LostTribeOfTheAmazon
— Elek (@Dorset_Dreamer) February 23, 2016
Source: “Channel 4”, “Irish examiner”, “Survival International”
