The Brazilian government says it took the images to prove the tribe exists and help protect its land.This is not some endangered species. This is not an exhibit in a zoo. These are people!
The pictures, taken from an aeroplane, show red-painted tribe members brandishing bows and arrows. ...
Stephen Corry, the director of the group - which supports tribal people around the world - said such tribes would "soon be made extinct" if their land was not protected.
How can anyone think it best to leave human beings to live in the Stone Age as some quaint example of what life was like once upon a time? That is the height of condescension. If one thinks this tribal civilization is so great, allow the people in the tribe to see the alternatives, and if tribalism really is so wonderful, they'll choose it. (Of course, we know that they won't. It's not like a lot of us are venturing off to live in mud huts.)
I say, bring them civilization! Bring them education! Bring them technology! Bring them clean water! Bring them, dare I say, religion! Bring them into the 21st century!
ADDED: Commenter Adrian links this fascinating article. Definitely worth reading. In fact, it's the most interesting article I've read in a long time.
8 comments:
Have you ever spoken to a Native American? I bet they wish the Europeans had left them to their own business.
Also, last I checked, you were against those who "flatter themselves that they are for the poor and the downtrodden." Are you for free, top quality education for random Amazonian tribes but against it for poor Americans? Or do you expect them to be able to pay for these things by selling their "mud huts"?
As for your religion comment. I'll bet you $10,000 to $1 that they have "religion". Probably one newer than the 2000 year old one you profess (although not knowing anything of them, I wouldn't put money on that).
Personally, I don't know how to treat these people. Judging from the few pictures I have seen and the historic knowledge of western culture's treatment of such peoples, they would not be able to survive being abruptly immersed in our culture as you propose. Non-interference might be the best thing for these people.
Yes, I have "spoken to a Native American."
I am not a relativist. I think Western civilization is worth promoting. I also think it only makes sense to jump at the chance to contact people who have never been contacted. Can you imagine? People living totally apart from the whole world. Don't you want to talk to them? Don't you want to find out what they think? Don't you want to share what you know in turn?
How can anyone not want to do these things?
Also, last I checked, you were against those who "flatter themselves that they are for the poor and the downtrodden."
True. As in those who flatter themselves that they are, but aren't because they pursue policies that only bring the poor to misery.
As for paying for things, there's a little thing called work. Some people do it to earn money. They might even have some very marketable crafts. How much do you think bows and arrows from recently un-contacted tribesman would command in the market? I bet the bow-maker could do quite well immediately...
Also, if someone wanted to provide it, I'm not at all against charity. I'm against government handouts which are an entirely different animal.
And as for religion, again, I'm not a relativist. Not all religions are the same, not all are equally coherent, not all lead to the same moral framework, and not all forms of spiritualism can even really be classified as formal religions.
Hope all of that clarified my post for you.
Wouldn't it be likely that we'd decimate them with our highly civilized germs and diseases? Seems to me that they are likely aware that other people are out there. They've chosen not to contact the outside world, why force that on them?
I'm with you, Freeman!
If you're interested in this sort of stuff, here is an absolutely fascinating article. It's long, but totally worth it:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/04/16/070416fa_fact_colapinto
um, that maybe didn't work, sorry!
try clicking here
It seems that, "far from being unknown, the tribe's existence has been noted since 1910 and the mission to photograph them was undertaken in order to prove that 'uncontacted' tribes still existed in an area endangered by the menace of the logging industry."
The Indian Protection Agency man who took the pictures, Meirelles, says "When the women hear the plane above, they run into the forest, thinking it's a big bird." Now how does he know what they think? If as he claims neither he nor anyone else from outside has ever spoken to these people, how can he know what they think? Maybe they would like to have cell phones or a grand piano, or a few cans of Spam for days when the hunting hasn't been so great.
Will involvement improve their lives, or destroy them?
Contact with "alien"--that is foreign, civilizations, especially those with advanced technology, have usually led the to implosion of the newly-discovered group.
Do thoughtful people have to keep making that mistake?
Approaching their tribe as equals, discussing things with their leaders and the people at large, and taking a reasoned approach jointly with them for sensible introduction of the new world, would have many benefits.
The eradicated societies of the New World--Incas as astronomers, for example--cost ignorant Europeans a wealth of knowlege.
If the unlikely happens, and other-world aliens with advanced technologies ever come to earth to live, I hope they are advanced enough to understand and mitigate their impact on we natives.
Tom Dulaney
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