Call me crazy, snotty, rude, whatever, but if I had the misfortune of being born into a primitive tribe of people in the 21st century, I would want to be contacted!! Honestly, what is the glory of being left to survive in an animal like state?
The tribe sighted recently is one of the last not to be contacted by officials. Funai does not make contact with such Indian tribes and prevents invasions of their land to ensure their autonomy, the foundation said.
How do they know this is even what these people want, if they haven’t contacted them? Contrary to popular opinion, ignorance is not always bliss.
Survival International said the Indians 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.
If these Indians are being driven over the border due to logging, wouldn’t that indicate some sort of contact is taking place?
“These pictures are further evidence that uncontacted tribes really do exist,” Survival 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.”
Once again, I don’t know how to word this without it coming across as arrogant to some, but shouldn’t the goal be to make life better for these people? Or, is it more fun to view them as animals and watch them interact from the sky?
If it is established that these people are happy with this life style, then fine. However, some may not like it. Who knows? Some might relish the idea of a 9 to 5 job and shopping at the supermarket.
I’m honestly not trying to sound mean and arrogant. I can’t help but think God has so much more to offer these people, yet some would rob them of the opportunity to live a more modern, civilized life.
What do you think?
Sphere: Related Content
It is the height of arrogance for so called humanitarian organization to deny those people the opportunity to better themselves. What is regarded as a “pristine” existence is also the reality of extremely high infant mortality rates and unbelievably short lifespans.
I heard someone talking about this on PBS by accident. He said it was important that we not get in the way of their natural development as a tribe.
When did we adopt the prime directive!?!?
To me the logging issue implies contact. Why would talking to them be wrong when scaring the crap out of them with logging trucks is ok?
Sam Pierce’s last blog post..Florida, Allstate, and State Farm Plead the Case for Socialism
A dedicated cross-cultural agent working with the tribe in their natural surroundings making them familiar with the concepts and ideas which drive our modern world would be singularly effective at preparing them for introduction into this frenetic globe we have been given.
A missionary, perhaps?
matthew’s last blog post..If God Were Not Jealous…
Well, sort of. This is the “Noble Savage” idea, taken to its extreme: they are doing what the whacko Left wants everyone to do, which is to be one with nature, live in mud huts, and die young.
As stated above, there are high infant mortality rates associated with these people; they also die from things that are entirely preventable in civilisation. In nature, women die in childbirth… last time I checked, don’t the anti-lifers want women to give birth safely?
Maybe we should just tell these nutjobs that women in back-to-nature tribes don’t have contraception or access to safe, legal, and government-funded abortions. That will get them to “make contact!”
By the way, read John Grishman’s “The Testament” if you want to hear the (snotty) limo-liberal view of these tribes. Totally content, no crime, no pollution, one with nature, dying early, no intellectual stimulation… basically sheep.
I was thinking something very similar…
couldn’t we learn so much more from them if we contacted them? As least give them the option…if they want to stay living like they are fine, at least they would not we are not an enemy, even though that is how we are acting~!
Dearest Jessica’s last blog post..End of Week 12~ Biggest Loser Results!
I just got to ask if they are really a true uncontacted tribe? It reminded me of the story on Tasaday, a so called stone age tribe that was even featured in National Geographics and was later said to be a hoax perpetuated by a politician/amateur anthropologist.
Xeldec’s last blog post..Britney Spears as Sandra Dee
I guess since we screwed up with them so badly two or so centuries ago (and in Africa even more recently), they have over corrected to other extreme- absolutely no contact. I for one want to drop a coke can in there and see what happens. The gods must be crazy! HA!
John’s last blog post..Coming Tomorrow: Pages in Our Introduction Book
Wow - I stumbled across this post and site while searching for something on the internet. Since we are all entitled to our own opinions, I have to respectfully say that I couldn’t disagree more with most of the comments on this post. Since you asked “What do you think?” here are my thoughts:
Who are we to think that we need to go around the world transforming people’s way of life because it is different to ours? These people have probably been living their way of life for many, many, many, centuries, and who are we to call them animals or savages?
Robbing them of a more civilized life? Access to birth control and safe abortion? The opportunity to better themselves? The opportunity for us to learn so much more from them if we contacted them? Seriously?
We are a product of our environement. The values and importance that we place on things (e.g. access to birth control) are a function of the society we live in. Ours is just one view of many. It is not ‘the-only-view’. It can be dangerous (and arrogant) to impose our view of the world on others, no matter how firmly we believe that ours is the ‘right’ way to live. It is only when we step outside of our world view that we learn that there are other ways of living that are also functional.
I’ve had the opportunity to live and travel in many places in the world - in fact, in a few days I will be heading to South America for 7 months (hence me stumbling across this post). I hope to encounter many different people, cultures, and ‘ways of life’ along the way. And I will not attempt to transform any one of them to my way of thinking.
Respectfully,
Jessica.
I’d have to agree with Jessica,
What is so wrong with living primitive? At least these people are genuinely happy, without having the need for an iPod, a sports car, a million dollar house or all the other “empty” luxuries we amass throughout life.
Let them be, they have managed for hundreds of years, they will continue to do so unless we interfere and make them sick with our civilized illnesses and stuff.
Brazil’s last blog post..Green Homes Enter Brazilian Market