Cry of the Amazon: Tribes Nearing Extinction
The mighty Amazon rainforest which is called, “The Lungs of the Earth”- is facing existential threats every single year. Wildfires, deforestation, mining, oil and gas extraction etc. are accelerating its troubles. The most recent among them are the wildfires of 2020 and 2021 which caused quite a stir.
More than 13,000 sq.km of land was burned in the 2020 wildfires. It caused huge problems for the indigenous tribes as they are wholly dependent on forest. Not to mention the abundant wildlife species who had to relocate to other parts of the forest. It also caused deforestation as most of the trees burnt in this wildfire had to be cut to minimize the damages.
The Amazon rainforest is the home to nearly 400 tribes who have resided there all their lives. There are many uncontacted tribes as well who has little to no connection with the outside world. Their colourful, interesting and mysterious lifestyle evokes curiosity to many. Constant struggles with various forces for survival have become an integral part of their lives.
Awá
The Awá people live on the Bananal Islands and one of the notable uncontacted tribes of the Amazon Rainforest. Majority of them inhabit the Araiboia Indigenous Reserve in Maranhão State. This tribe was named as the world’s most endangered tribe by survival international in 2014. Already having to deal with loggers, these wildfires are further decreasing their hunting grounds limiting their food supplies.
Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau
The population of the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau territory comprises of various subgroups named Jupau, Amondawa and Uru Pa In who are spread across several villages in Rondõnia. These people first came in contact with the outside world in the 1980s which followed a steep decrease in their population due to conflicts with the miners and ranchers and various diseases. Although the population rose in the early 2000s with the Amondawa tribe being the highest with 168 people, regular invasions by outsiders and illegal hoarding of their lands are pushing these indigenous people into the path of extinction.
Mashco-Piro
The Mashco-Piro tribe are one of the nomadic tribes that live in the Amazon Rainforest. They primarily dwell in the Manú National Park in the Madre de Dios Region in Peru. The men and women wear headbands and scarfs and turtle eggs found on the riverbanks is one of the prominent components in their diet. They are experts in climbing trees and are fond of naming themselves after the flora and fauna of the forest. They share ethnicity with the neighbouring Yine people.
Vale Do Javari
Occupying a territory of 8.5 million hectares, Vale Do Javari is the largest indigenous territory in the world. They consist of tribes like Isolados do Rio Quixito, Isolados do Itaquai (Korubo), Isolados do Jandiatuba, Matis etc. The Brazilian Govt. restricted the entry of non-indigenous people here and watch over the territory on air. Approximately 2000 indigenous people live here who possess similar cultural attributes with the aforementioned tribes. They wear little to no clothing, make musical instruments out of bamboo and live on forest gathered items. The Matis people helped save survivors of a plane crash in 2009.
Tribes initiating contact
Most of these tribes are isolated and love to remain so but they are forced to initiate contact with the outsiders failing to tackle adversities. Sarah Shenker, senior researcher of Survival International claims that they have been receiving reports of fires from indigenous people in territories neighbouring these uncontacted groups. The Awá lost a hefty 80% amount of land to the forest fires in 2019. Reports of similar fires have also come from Uru Eu Wau Wau territory and the Araiboia Reserve.
“You definitely see the pace and aggressiveness of contact accelerating rapidly,” said Glenn Shepard, an ethnology expert. The tribal people panic and in a desperate state seek help from the outside world as their safe haven slowly undergoes destruction.
Wildfires or arson
There is enough evidence to suspect these fires to be a co-ordinated and pre-planned attack to get rid of the indigenous people according to Gustavo Faleiros, an editor of InfoAmazonia. “Now the constant fire seems to prove there are coordinated invasions and efforts to dominate the territory.”
Even if they withstand the fires, the aftereffects are equally deadly. Deforestation has combined with the fires to cause increased erosion from denuded lands, with excess organic matter and ash washed into tributaries, rivers and lakes, where it causes bacteria to multiply out of control, contaminating drinking water. If it goes on like this, the vast population of animals, natural resources and indigenous tribes will be in further peril.
The authorities who have adopted the no contact policy all these years keeping the betterment of the Amazonian people in mind are being forced to rethink their strategy. Concerned global citizens expect a well thought approach by the authorities to prevent these fires as well as giving out exemplary punishments to the culprits to protect these indigenous people trembling in existential crisis.
