Yeah, that just shows how ignorant I am. It turns out that there are thousands of isolated tribes—also known as uncontacted or lost tribes—all across the world. They’re everywhere, from Vietnam to New Guinea, Mexico to Bolivia. None are known of in the United States, of course.
Just after some incredible footage was taken of an isolated tribe from Brazil, the public has become aware of the illegal logging situation taking place where the tribe lives. The tribe is being pushed into Peru, away from their established community where they live and thrive. One might argue that such tribes have less right to a piece of land than an illegal logging industry; after all—and please, note my sarcasm—they don’t pay taxes while the logging is probably bringing in dollars to somebody, somewhere, and isn’t that the point of living anyway?
It’s disgraceful that a practice known to be illegal cannot be stopped by the government immediately and that these people be protected, allowed to remain in their homes. If you look at the photos, they are a thriving community, healthy and resourceful with plenty to eat. I don’t mean to sound disillusioned or privileged (though surely I’m both to some extent; isn’t everyone who can read this sentence?), but I can’t imagine anything more beautiful than this natural way of life, uncorrupted by modern machines and the silly technology that—as Louis CK likes to say—is wasted on the biggest jerks who ever lived. I know nothing of their tribal system, their laws, their customs; they might practice something that I would completely disapprove of, for all I know. But at least they’re not gutting the planet, whining over cold lattes, and generally taking up space for no reason like much of the rest of mankind.
And, of course, exposure to us also means death to them, just as it did for the indigenous tribes who lived in the Americas when our ancestors came over with our weird diseases. Chicken pox would be comparable to smallpox to these tribes today. And aside from all of that, we know what happens when people plow over the land that’s being so carefully tended—and respected—by people others deem uncivilized, and the aftermath, which puts a whole new meaning to uncivilized.
It’s really not that difficult: enforce your laws, stop illegal logging, protect these people. Please write to President Garcia of Peru and ask that this be done.