There are a lot of misunderstandings about the world’s uncontacted tribes. The idea that they’re primitive or “stuck in the Stone Age” is outdated.
These are communities that are indigenous to the land they live on and reject any contact with the outside world. Latest estimates suggest there could be up to 200 uncontacted tribes across the planet.
Survival International’s Fiona Watson busts myths about uncontacted tribes on The Briefing:
Most are aware of modern society, though choose to live disconnected in their traditional ways.
Fiona Watson is the Director of Research and Advocacy at Survival International.
“We’re actually discovering or knowing more about them every year,” Watson said.
Advocates like Watson are passionately defending their place in the world and their freedom to choose how they want to live.
“Often within the first year of contacting a tribe forcibly… between 50 and 90 per cent of the people, the tribe, could die. That’s a catastrophic depopulation,” she said.
Uncontacted tribes have protected rights to their land and way of life under UN law.
“As more and more of the Amazon rainforest is penetrated, invaded, cut down, or people are grabbing land, it’s really having a devastating impact on the uncontacted tribes.”
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