A Magnolia's Heart Beats

I was so excited to read about this in my original post (scroll down to view). I have actually thought about this several times since I read it. This morning my bubble was burst.

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/91536

The Not-So-Lost Tribeby Mike Krumboltz
June 23, 2008 06:09:40 PM

Even in an age when cynical sleuths can hyper-analyze stories for truth and accuracy, the occasional hoax still slips through the cracks.

Such was the case with a so-called "lost Amazon tribe."

A few months ago, mainstream news outlets (including, ahem, Yahoo!) reported that a photographer had found a lost tribe of warriors near the Brazilian-Peruvian border. Photos of the tribe backed up his claim.

As it turns out, the story is only half true. The men in the photo are members of a tribe, but it certainly ain't "lost." In fact, as the photographer, José Carlos Meirelles, recently explained, authorities have known about this particular tribe since 1910. The photographer and the agency that released the pictures wanted to make it seem like they were members of a lost tribe in order to call attention to the dangers the logging industry may have on the group.

The photographer recently came clean, and news outlets, perhaps embarrassed at having been taken for a ride, have been slow to pick up the story. Now, the word is starting to spread and articles in the Buzz are picking up steam. Expect a lot more brutal truth in the coming days.

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original post...

Brazil Discovers Uncontacted Indian Tribe in Amazon Jungle

Look at this! I was so excited to hear this, yet my heart went out to these people. Can you imagine never having contact with the outside world and now this machine with blades spinning around hovering in the air is staring at you? What must have gone through their minds? They have arrows ready. They must have thought they were under attack. Notice the different color paints they are wearing. I wonder what they represent? I find it interesting that one is painted black. I wonder if he/she is like their medicine man or tribal leader or what?

I wonder what their worship habits are? Do they know Jesus? How could they if no one has contacted them? Would they be receptive to it? How would you break the language barrier?

~ begin article ~

From foxnews.com - http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,360361,00.html

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — One of Brazil's last uncontacted Indian tribes has been spotted in the far western Amazon jungle near the Peruvian border, the National Indian Foundation said Thursday.

• Click here to view photos.

The Indians were sighted in an Ethno-Environmental Protected Area along the Envira River in flights over remote Acre state, said the Brazilian government foundation, known as Funai.

Funai said it photographed "strong and healthy" warriors, six huts and a large planted area. But it was not known to which tribe they belonged, the group said.

"Four distinct isolated peoples exist in this region, whom we have accompanied for 20 years," Funai expert Jose Carlos Meirelles Junior said in a statement.

The tribe sighted recently is one of the last not to be contacted by officials. Funai does not make contact with such Indian tribes and prevents invasions of their land to ensure their autonomy, the foundation said.

Survival International said the Indians are in danger from illegal logging in Peru, which is driving tribes over the border and could lead to conflict with the estimated 500 uncontacted Indians now living on the Brazilian side.

There are more than 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, most of them in Brazil and Peru, the group said in a statement.

"These pictures are further evidence that uncontacted tribes really do exist," Survival director Stephen Corry said.

"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."

~end article ~