There are Still Isolated Humans on Earth
May 30th, 2008, 5 Comments »
You’ve probably seen these extraordinary photos, but if you haven’t, go check out this Daily Mail article:
Skin painted bright red, heads partially shaved, arrows drawn back in the longbows and aimed square at the aircraft buzzing overhead. The gesture is unmistakable: Stay Away.
Behind the two men stands another figure, possibly a woman, her stance also seemingly defiant. Her skin painted dark, nearly black.
The apparent aggression shown by these people is quite understandable. For they are members of one of Earth’s last uncontacted tribes, who live in the Envira region in the thick rain forest along the Brazilian-Peruvian frontier.
It wrecks my head to think that there are still Stone Age peoples living undisturbed on Earth. I think we’ve got an obligation to future science to put a big fence around these remote spaces and create a preserve for such tribes. Obviously we’ll let them out if they want out, but we shouldn’t let any other humans in.
I’m reminded of the fascinating story of another remote, indigenous tribe–the Sentinelese.