Drone Uncovers First Look at Hidden, Uncontacted Amazon Tribe
Last year, a team of Brazilian officials started on a mission to find isolated people groups hiding throughout the Amazon rain forest. The officials just revealed the first videos of a group that has had no known contact with the outside world.
The video shows a handful of people walking through a cleared area in the Javari Valley. These people can be seen holding assorted tools. None of them seem to notice the drone hovering above the trees.
The Funai group responsible for capturing the footage also released photos of objects they discovered upon further exploring the area. The researchers discovered a stone blade, a thatched hut, and palm trees that were hollowed into canoes.
"These images have the power to make society and the government reflect on the importance of protecting these groups," said Wallace Bastos, Funai's president.
Bruno Pereira coordinates Funai's study on isolated groups. He said the study helps anthropologists to study the cultures of these hidden tribes. By understanding these cultures, the Brazilian government can work to protect the areas where they live from increasingly aggressive deforestation.
"The more we know about isolated communities' way of living, the more equipped we are to protect them," he said.