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LAST UNCONTACTED TRIBE FOUND IN FORESTS OF PERU FILMED BY B.B.C.

Richard Kigel · Friday, February 4th 2011 at 12:08PM · 737 views
Worldwide attention has turned to the Peru-Brazil border where uncontacted Indians live, and the South American countries are finally feeling the pressure to protect them.

Survival International's campaign with newly released photos of the tribe, followed by a breathtakingly haunting film by the BBC, has raised awareness of one of the last uncontacted tribes in the world.

The BBC film, narrated by actor Gillian Anderson was made in collaboration with the Brazilian government for the new BBC 1 'Human Planet' series. Shooting from a kilometer away with a powerful zoom lens in order to minimize disturbance, the BBC crew captures gardens, homes, and people covered in red body paint. An undisturbed civilization. Unfortunately, it may not remain this way.

Illegal loggers have entered the Peru side, forcing the Indians into Brazil. Jose Carlos Meirelles, a member of the Indian Affairs Dept. in Brazil, is responsible for monitoring the land and proving that the tribe exists. According to him, "This footage is the only way to convince the rest of the world that they are here. If illegal loggers or miners contact these people, they won't shoot images... they'll shoot guns."

Until now, there has been little success in preventing the loggers from taking over the land. As Gillian Anderson reports, "Instead of expelling the loggers, Peru's government has suggested that uncontacted tribes don't exist at all." But that seems to be changing, as Peru's authorities have just announced that they play to work with Brazil to stop the loggers from entering Indian territory. Survival's Director Stephen Corry holds hope for the future, stating, "This is a really encouraging first step, let's hope their declared intention turns into real action quickly."

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Richard Kigel Staten Island, NY

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Comments (5)

Jen Fad Friday, February 4th 2011 at 12:45PM

Can you believe that ---how amazing is that! Footage of Peru's indigenous people--- I love learning about stuff like this, to see the people looking up in amazing at what they must think is a great white flying bird! Thanks for sharing.

Richard Kigel Friday, February 4th 2011 at 12:47PM

I know! This is fascinating to me as well.

Imagine--there are families and tribes of humans living together in PEACE who have no concept of racial or political arguments, no idea what a telephone or TV is--and did you see how wary they were of that airplane?

All they want is what every single one of us wants--to live our lives in peace.

Richard Kigel Friday, February 4th 2011 at 2:00PM

The HUMAN FAMILY!!!!

These are our brothers and sisters!!!

Jen Fad Friday, February 4th 2011 at 3:18PM

They sure are our brothers and sisters.

ROBINSON IRMA Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM

Thanks for sharing Rich...

If my memory serves me correctly It was only a few generations back that unknown peoples were found in the Phillapines. I am so glad my first concernes for these people's being changed as fast as civilization could bring 'civilations' to them was unfounded...they have been left in peace by the outside world. (smile)

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