Francis Whittaker, MSN Environment contributor

Tribes: can we protect remote civilisations?

An image showing 'uncontacted Indians' of the Envira, who have never before had any contact with the outside world, photographed during an overflight in May 2008, as they camp in the Terra Indigena Kampa e Isolados do Envira, Acre state, Brazil, close to the border with Peru. (Image @ Survival International)

From our vantage point of a small, over-crowded island group in the north Atlantic it's easy to assume that in some way, shape or form, everyone in the world has been 'accounted' for.

With thousands of satellites orbiting the earth and CCTV cameras prying on our every move, you might think that modern technology has managed to find a way of touching everyone on this over-populated orb we call Earth.

This however, is far from the case. One year ago, new pictures revealed the existence of human life in places we had never thought possible. They proved that isolated groups of people - so-called 'uncontacted' tribes - do exist.

Remote tribe

The pictures made headlines worldwide and were released after an aerial flyover in one of the most remote parts of the Acre state region, near the Brazil-Peru border.

The most iconic image shows a woman, painted head to toe in black 'genipapo' body paint, along with two men, painted in red 'urucum', pointing their arrows squarely at the aircraft in a clear show of fear, aggression and distress.

David Hill of Survival International, a charity which works to protect the rights of uncontacted tribes said: "This picture was important mainly because it was such a clear photo of an uncontacted group, which one or two governments and companies had been denying the existence of.

"The group's stance was an aggressive one, which gives an indication of their feelings towards outsiders, and receiving contact."

Outside threats

Although this particular group's numbers are thought to be increasing, others in the region are said to be in severe danger from illegal logging in Peru, driving them over the border into Brazil and increasing the risk of conflict with other tribes already in the area.

Speaking at the time of the photos release, José Carlos dos Reis Meirelles Júnior of the Brazilian government's Indian affairs department said: "What is happening in this region [of Peru] is a monumental crime against the natural world (in terms of the tribes, the fauna) and is further testimony to the complete irrationality with which we, the ‘civilised’ ones, treat the world."

For centuries, tribal people worldwide have been pushed off their land in the name of economic growth, and even today those forced into contact by encroaching loggers, miners and tourists are faced with the prospect of disease, death and devastation.

Disease

Due to their lack of exposure to the wider world, basic illnesses like the common cold can wipe out swathes of 'uncontacted' people and decimate tribal numbers when their immune systems are unable to cope with the new diseases.

David Hill has firsthand experience of the after-effects of first contact following a visit to tribal groups in Peru: "What struck me most was the sense of devastation that took over the tribe in the years following first contact," he said.

"Disease would kill more than half the group and they would have to contend with the loss of their land and the destruction of livelihoods."

With an ever-increasing demand on the world's natural resources and the threat of economic expansion putting growing pressure on the Amazonian environment; the future of these groups does indeed seem fairly bleak.

Future survival

But one year on, has the worldwide publication of these pictures had any effect on securing the long-term survival of at-risk tribes?

Dr Laura Rival, an anthropologist from Oxford University is sceptical: "I don't think any picture in a magazine article would really make much of a difference," she said.

"Some governments have tried to protect the rights of these groups in voluntary isolation, but you can have protected areas on the map that don't translate to any real action on the ground."

Survival International have sent further warnings to coincide with the first anniversary of the pictures, and published a list of the top five uncontacted tribes whose existence is under threat from loggers, colonists, miners and oil companies.

Yet despite the gloomy forecasts, Dr. Rival emphasises that tribal groups are still first and foremost people; and are able to make their own decisions regarding whether or not they stay in isolation: "Tribes will often move out of voluntary isolation through their own choice, and this has happened throughout history. Sometimes they will re-establish contact with relatives they have not seen for many years."

"To say their future is bleak means you see them like animals, like they are an endangered species. These are people who make their own political decisions which have to be respected" she said.

Further Reading

Weird and wonderful animals

Monsters that people believe exist

Natural phenomena captured from space

Survival International