Man has landed on moon and ventured deep into oceans. It is hard to believe that there are places right here on this planet, where mankind has still not been able to plant its stamp of modernization. According to a research there are almost a hundred ‘lost tribes’ that don’t have any contact with the outside world, or rather the outside world has failed to breach the barriers of their secured life and they are still holding on to their ancient cultures and languages in rainforests around the globe.
Amazon rainforest is one such place, with Brazil having the most number of indigenous tribes. The forest not only provides sanctuary to millions of plants and animals but is also home to many indigenous tribes. Even though the population is thinning in these tribes still their loyalties with their roots are as intact as ever. For people living in the technological world, the lifestyle of these tribes is nothing less than a shock, on the other hand, experts in the field believe that these people willingly choose to avoid us, civilized being, for unknown reason, one of which might be that since companies and countries had gotten in to their habitat they have caused more pain than gain like diseases and logging the forests.
Looking at their life style, it is quite obvious that they do not enjoy the creature comforts that we take for granted; a solid brick walled house, a car to more us from point A to B or the ‘essentials’ like TV , computer, dishwasher, microwave, a simple gas stove or even a tap with running water. They are more in touch with nature, having leaves and straws as the main construction material, as well as clothing items, if they feel like having any. For food they rely on hunting and farming both. The forest is a major source of food and is the basis of their medical system. As long as we are discussing eating habits, its worth mentioning that some still enjoy human meat.
Hygiene is another interesting aspect of tribal living. Lets just say they are normally not very keen on taking baths, so much so that some have a custom that females do not use water for cleaning… ever! Instead they use mud.
Of course, they do not have any formal schooling for the young, rather the elders have the responsibility to teach them the art of survival and inculcate the age old traditions in their next generations.
Not all of the Amazon tribes these days live in this type of seclusion. Civilization is slowly catching up and the main Amazon tribes have come into contact with modern man, his money and machines and are slowly getting absorbed by the Brazilian culture. A major problem facing these tribes now is a type of brain drain. Their youth are moving to the cities and becoming part of the cheap work force which has seriously depleted their population.
Whether you find their life style and customs archaic or fascinating, one thing is for sure, they are our last link with the past and the point of comparison between the old and modem man and provide a very different type of diversity to the human race.
UPDATE: A lot of readers are asking for further information regarding tribes. I’ve compiled a list below:
Amazon tribes information page - Some general information on tribes of the Amazon.
Nukak tribe - from Survival International website.
Akuntsu and Kanoê tribe - from Survival International website.
Enawene Nawe tribe - from Survival International website.
Uncontacted Indians - from Survival International website.
Awa tribe - from Survival International website.
Tribes - Full list of tribes from the Survival International website.
Tribal news - News regarding Amazon and other indeginous tribes around the world.
Incredible pictures of last uncontacted tribe - Amazing photos of the last uncontacted tribe on earth taken in the Amazon’s Peruvian-Brazilian border. Make sure you check out the gallery at the bottom of the page.
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hii
hiii plz repley with infomation thanks.
Hello i am in year 9 at school and i have to produce an essay on the Amazon Rainforest including the Tribes. i find this highly facinating
Hello.
I am in year 8 at school and i have to do a rainforest project. I need to include some informayion on the tribes. Could somebody please reply with some good facts i can include.
Thanks.
I am also doing an essay on the amazon rainforest. I have to write why we should stop loggers from cutting down the rainforrest. We have to stop them because the amazon rainforest holds a third of the worlds OXYGEN and a fifth of the worlds WATER… we need to save it more than ever. It kills culture that could be useful to the world if we cut down the rainforest…
not at all useful
write more about the actual tribes and what they eat and sleep on and marriages and how they have adapted to the rainforests
hey there!! im in year 8 & im doing a brochure on the Amazon at school & i need to know about the tribes of the Amazon!! plz help!!! =)
yea, im in yr 9 nd i also dooing a case-study on the Amazon rainforest, if any 1 has any good facts about indiginous people/tribes could u plz post it! ty…
Hi, im in year nine at school and were being told to do a big project on the Amazon Rainforest, I have to say that this website is brilliant for the tribal part of my project. I copied and pasted this and hopefully will get a good mark.
Thanks.
Heya!
I found this article extremly informative and intresting. I am using the information for a school project. Thank you very much for putting this online.
Matthew - Year 9 Student
i’m in year 8 and this article has helped me alot in preparing a project of mine. Thanks!!!!
Hey I am doing a brochure too! For my Honors Biology class. lol It is weird to think that in a Honors class we are doing the same work as 8 year olds. lol
hey peopel im sam jones (girl) in year8 at chester catholic high and im doing a presentation on the rainforest!i have a partner doing this wiv me but all shes done so far is critisiz so this has been real usful .lol!
love you all
sam.
To answer “Joe,” a good resource for Indigenous people of the Amazon Rainforest can be found at Amazon Tribes. Good luck with your school project.
they eat cashews and sweet potatoes along with wild fruits!!
Hii, im in year 9 and i am doing an essay on the tribes.. i have all the info i need apart from what some tribe names are .. apart from “korubo, yanomami, huli, pygmy” PLEASE HELP
i am in yr 8 and doing coursework for the amazon rainforest. this is highly intersting and i very much enjoyed reading it!!it must of took you forever to find all the information thx u so much for doing this!
guess what I’m in year 8 too also i have to do a rain forest project and it is …boring
Hygiene is another interesting aspect of tribal living. Lets just say they are normally not very keen on taking baths.
NOT TRUE all the Indigenous forest people I have met bathe at least two/three times a day. They are very particular about hygiene and take great pride in being clean at all times - washing their clothes every day, bathing & cleaning themselves and their children, making sure their homes and the land around their communities are clean and well swept.
As for being cannibals that is as rare as us being cannibals and we have been so in times of desperation !