Lakhasly

An ancient way of life in danger 1 In today's globalized world, you may be surprised to learn that there are still some tribes, or groups of people, who live completely apart from modern culture.

An ancient way of life in danger
1 In today's globalized world, you may be surprised to learn that there are still some tribes, or groups of people, who live completely apart from modern culture. These groups are called 'uncontacted peoples', and while some may have had limited contact with outside groups over time, they have all preserved ancient traditions and ways of life with almost no influence from present-day society. It is difficult to know exactly how many uncontacted peoples exist today, but some experts believe there are around 100 tribes worldwide, while others think the number is likely to be much higher. What we do know is that many of them face an uncertain future.

A home far from anywhere
2 Uncontacted peoples typically live deep in forests or on islands – far from any cities or towns. In fact, most live in the Amazon rainforest in South America, while there are also many tribes in the Congo rainforest in central Africa and on the large Pacific island of New Guinea. Other groups, such as the Sentinelese people of India, live on small distant islands.

The threat of the modern world
3 In most cases, uncontacted peoples choose to remain separate – not because they have no interest in modern society, but because they are afraid. They face serious dangers from industrial development and disease. Many live in countries that have seen rapid growth of powerful industries such as agriculture and energy production. As a result, they have often been forced to give up their land and make contact with the outside world. Unfortunately, because these endangered groups have lived separately from wider society for so long, any contact with outside people carries very serious risks. Even common illnesses such as flu are extremely dangerous.

A fight for survival
4 With these significant threats, it has become more and more difficult to protect uncontacted peoples. Some countries such as Brazil and India have made it illegal for anyone to approach them, and organizations such as Survival International are working to help people understand the difficulties they face. The risks for uncontacted peoples will continue to grow, and governments and citizens and will need to increase their efforts to protect them if they are to survive.