The Not-So-Lost Tribe

[Karl]

The Not-So-Lost Tribe

by Mike Krumboltz - June 23, 2008

A few months ago, mainstream news outlets 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.

Source: Yahoo! Buzz

Related:

'Lost' Amazon tribe a hoax to raise awareness on logging | PerthNow

Secret of the 'lost' Amazon tribe that wasn't | World news | The Observer

[Survival International]

Hi there,

The article quoted in this post is mistaken. There may have been some media misunderstanding, but from the moment the photos emerged, Survival International (the global movement for tribal peoples) and FUNAI (the Brazilian Government's National Indian Foundation), which supplied the photos, have not said that the tribe was 'unknown' or 'lost'. The tribe was and remains ‘uncontacted’: no outsider has been known to have any peaceful contact with its members.

This is true of about 100 tribes worldwide. Since the photographs were released, Peru has acknowledged the lands of uncontacted tribes on its side of the border, and sent a team to investigate the illegal logging that threatens their survival.

Find out more about the world's uncontacted tribes at Uncontacted Tribes - Survival International and read Survival's article on the supposed hoax at Uncontacted tribe photos no hoax - News from Survival International

Matt
Survival International

[Karl]

Thank you for the clarification, Matt.
Welcome to the Forum.

[Survival International]

You're most welcome. It has been a tricky few days as this misinformation has spread further.

If you're interested in what has happened come and join us on our colourful blog!

Blog - Survival International

Thanks again,
Matt

[FabianPattberg]

Thanks for the clarification Matt and as Karl already said.

Welcome to the forum.

Fabian