The words ‘Amazon Rainforest’ create images of lush green canopies, exotic wildlife and tantalizing rivers meandering out of sight. But this tropical paradise is also home to as many as one million indigenous people that live sustainably on the natural resources of the rainforest.
But how do these men and women live in the Amazon today? How do their lifestyles differ from our own?
Most native Amazonians today live in protected areas of the forest known as indigenous lands where they abide by a combination of traditional and modern means. Some tribes have very much adapted to living near 21st century urban capitals, making their living through tourism, frequenting local markets for trade, selling handicrafts to tourists, and using western clothing and cooking utensils. Others remain completely shut off from the the modern world - these people are known as the ‘uncontacted tribes’.
Uncontacted Tribes
Although very few , there still remain many of ‘uncontacted tribes’ that live in isolation, mostly in Brazil and Peru. South American governments have created recent protectionist ‘no contact’ policies to ensure that these tribes are left alone.
The threat of exposing these uncontacted tribes to contagions such as measles or flu is a constant concern - epidemics have had huge effects on native populations in the past. There is very little known about these groups. We don’t know what language they speak, how many there are, or how they live their lives. Brazil could have as many as 70 uncontacted tribes within the Amazon.
Although it is now possible to meet and interact with certain tribes who voluntarily engage with tourists, to witness their fascinating traditional way of life, and learn from their vast knowledge of the rainforest.
