Uncontacted Tribe Sighted
and photographed. I used to think that such people were myth.
Problem is that we are probably dangerous to them as we carry many viruses and bacterium that to which they are probably not immune. Story is below
Amazon Indians from one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes have been photographed from the air, with striking images released on Thursday showing them painted bright red and brandishing bows and arrows.
“Indians”? Shouldn’t they call them Native South Americans?
The photographs of the tribe near the border between Brazil and Peru are rare evidence that such groups exist. A Brazilian official involved in the expedition said many of them are in increasing danger from illegal logging.
“What is happening in this region is a monumental crime against the natural world, the tribes, the fauna and is further testimony to the complete irrationality with which we, the ‘civilized’ ones, treat the world,” Jose Carlos Meirelles was quoted as saying in a statement by the Survival International group.
One of the pictures, which can be seen on Survival International’s Web site (http://www.survival-international.org), shows two Indian men covered in bright red pigment poised to fire arrows at the aircraft while another Indian looks on.
Another photo shows about 15 Indians near thatched huts, some of them also preparing to fire arrows at the aircraft.
“The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct,” said Stephen Corry, the director of Survival International, which supports tribal people around the world.
They make them sound like some wild life species in a habitat.
Of more than 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, more than half live in either Brazil or Peru, Survival International says. It says all are in grave danger of being forced off their land, killed and ravaged by new diseases.
Filed under: Changing World, Posts of no Benefit, Race
Here in the USA, First Nations peoples usually refer to themselves as “American Indians”. The term “native” is one that wouldnt usually be used as it is often connected with colonialism and exoticism.
At least that is how it has been explained to me by friends I had years ago involved in the American Indian Movement (AIM).
And I thought that referring to them as “Indians” was a throwback to Columbus thinking that he was in India?
Asalaamu alaikum.
It depends on who you talk to. I am Native American, and I know very few who like the term American Indian. The easiest way to make sure we are understood has become to say “Native American Indian”, but it’s still not liked. And yes, Tariq, “Indian” is a throwback and speak much more to colonialism than “Native” does… but it actually refers to the Spanish term “en dios”. I prefer the word indigenous anyway.
AsSalaamu Alaikum,
I just discovered that my great grandfather on my maternal side was Native American from the Cherokee ethnic group. My paternal grandfather was also Native American from this ethnic group. I know the it seems like every African American person says I have some “Indian” in my blood line, but to find out, that I really am part of the Indigenous people of American, Alhamdulillah. I feel bad though, because I don’t know how I could actually proceed to learn the truth about my past. InshaAllah I’ll find a way inshaAllah.
AsSalaamu Alaikum
The group that has been fighting for American Indian rights for decades chose to name itself “American Indian Movement”.
It was explained to me by a member of AIM, who has been active for some 20 years, that it does go back to “En Dios” which is Spanish for “with God”. Hence the original name for Indians had nothing to do with the country of India, rather the idea that American Indians were noted for their spirituality.
The offense taken by some for the term “Indian” has to do with the mistaken idea that American Indians were originally taken to be Indians, from India. This is a misnomer taken by the English speaking world based on the original Spanish “en dios”.
Much like Pennsylvania “Dutch”, who are not Dutch at all, but German(Deutsch). English speakers confused “Deutsch” (German) for Dutch.
I guess it all depends on who you hang out with. The Indians I worked with for several years were “card carrying” members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) they were very politically active and traveled up and down the reservations from Montana to Arizona.
I was told that many American Indians seek to reclaim the word “Indian” from it proper origins. I guess that sounds similar to ideas that other ethnic groups have had in the USA.
It is interesting to note that the national museum dedicated to the people of the First Nations is named “National Museum of the American Indian” and was thus named based on the consultation of a large section of the tribal councils from the various Indian Nations.
If anyone gets a chance they should visit the museum. I spent an entire day there and didnt see everything there was.
http://www.aimovement.org/
Man should let those those people alone. Everytime I look at clips such as this one, I think about all of this modernization that took place around the would of different tribes and the unfortunate results of it. As ithe saying goes “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it”. Just because they are not living in our society doesn’t mean there is anythig wrong with it.
Asalaamu alaikum Abu Sinan,
With all due respect, you don’t really have any place to tell me how to self-identify or to say anything about the fact that alot of Natives don’t like the term American Indian. I have great respect for AIM, but they don’t speak for all Natives, and we are free to disagree with them too. We are extremely diverse and we get to decide for ourselves what we do or do not like to be called. Of course you didn’t bother to say anything about my assertation that neither term is even preferred by some (probably many) of us. I love the way you will do everything you can to argue a point that isn’t even personal to you, to prove someone wrong to whom it is actually a very personal decision. How about just letting us self-identify as we see fit and not trying to tell me I’m wrong for my identity?
Aaminah,
Can you point me to where I told you to self identify? The fact is, I DIDNT!
I was simply doing nothing more than pointing out how the American Indians I have known for the past 20 years preferred to be known. I have been friends with many American Indians, from Alaska, down the West coast in Oregon, Washington, to Arizona, New Mexico and North and South Dakota. The majority of them have described themselves as “American Indians”. If you dont like it…………sorry.
I never said AIM speaks for all American Indians, that is just another thing YOU are reading into my comments.
I think you are reading into my comments what you want, but the problem with that is that they bear very little in relation to reality.
Your idea that I have no right to an opinion about the American Indians I have known is really absurd. I guess I could say that you have NO right to say anything about white Americans because you are not one right? But how stupid would that look?
I didn’t say anything about what you had to say, because honestly, I try to avoid direct interaction with you at all. You have a serious anger issue, you jump to conclusions, you attack and insult. Not just here, and not just with me. Racialicious is a good example of where this has been pointed out by numerous other posters.
I would appreciate it, in the interests of civility, if you just ignore my posts and do not direct comments at me.
It has been made clear for some time that you lack etiquette and I don’t want to deal with it.
Please leave me alone, as I have requested on numerous occasions before. Your personal agenda with me extends back to an issue I had with Umm Layth.
It is interesting to note that Umm Layth e-mailed me and apologised and I did the same. We are now on good terms, Alhamdulillah, and she even visits my blog from time to time and posts.
I wish you could see how rude and attacking you come across. I understand if you dont believe me, but when you take a look at the arguements and the comments you have gotten all over the internet, on both Muslim and non Muslim blogs, you’ll realise it just isnt me.
Until you can get over it and deal with people in a decent way, please act as if my comments and I do not exist.
Thank you. Allah Ma3aki.