Busted: 5 myths about uncontacted tribes

It's #UncontactedTribesWeek, and Natalia Tena, star of Harry Potter & Game of Thrones, is busting the 5 most common myths about #UncontactedTribes – and explaining why your support is vital if they're to survive.

[ataguala]

Excellent and and a totally true rendition of the facts! Superbly well presented by the charming and serious lady speaker! There should be subtitles in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese and Arabic as well. I am happy to have been a member of Survival International almost since I first stayed in 1972 with indigenous people of the Southern Highlands in Papua Niugini (then still a protectorate of Australia). Don't let me digress and start talking about the tragic fate of the indigenous Tasmanians! However, one myth -not mentioed- is that uncontacted people do not fight with neighbouring tribes and never exploit Nature. They often do (both). Tribals of PNG (Papua Niugini) have since time immemorial fought out battles with neighbouring tribes for a variety of reassons. They are therefore morally not any better (or more advanced or kinder) than others, including us 'Westerners'. They also do not necessarily preserve Nature and its resources any better than others: a case in point is the extermination of the moa birds in New Zealand by the Maori or the destruction of the forests on Rapanui (Easter Island) by its Polynesian inhabitants. However, that just serves to underline that they are human and that their societies and cultures have the same 'rights' to exist and make mistakes than any other culture.

[larasoto]

Amazing! This would be super useful to have with Spanish subtitles, too!

[tbluewhalea]

Excellent video. Uncontacted tribes are real, and they have to be respected and left alone. You can't force your ways on others it's just plain wrong. I don't like people who have no respect for other people's traditions or ways of life. Uncontacted tribes have been living their own ways for thousands of years we can't expect them to change especially overnight. And they're not immune to any modern-day diseases so, I say. Now leave all uncontacted tribes alone especially my favorite the Sentinelese.
The Sentinelese live on North Sentinel Island and every time someone goes near their shore or right up to their island that someone gets hit with a hail of arrows and spears.

[rubyslipper]

Excellent video. Thank you Survival International.

[eriknorberg]

Thanks for this important video! (Shared by a friend of mine who always was extremely interested in the Indians in the Amazonas...)

[nickdawson]

lovely & thanks so much for all yous do

[thefacelessone]

how do you know you never contacted them

[PierreEmmanuelBaudoux]

They are sovereign nations, aren't they?

[KlausRiede]

not quite clear about resulting strategy...certainly depends on country. In addition: fight missionaries? Oil multies? Or consumer boycot of tropical hardwood?

[seeking]

Would you like me to contribute and translate the subtitles to Polish?

[humanwolf]

After the past 3 years i can see why they would want to be left alone. 😢😥😷

[GreenOilBike]

Is there a movement to raise £billions to buy the land these people live on - then to give it to them in law in trust so they 'legally' own their land and will be protected? (The current situation seems to be no legal rights, then cattle ranchers and companies sweep in, then claim legal ownership over 'un owned' land where these people live.

[amhaines]

Often times the chiefs of uncontacted tribes have put together travel parties from their tribe to go out to river trade routes in order to make contact with outsiders, hoping for medicine and tools. This is in order to save their tribes of dwindling numbers due to sickness and hunger. A Brazilian anthropologist once said something that changed minds about contact. He said, “who are we to withhold progress from them if they are out seeking it?” So in contrast to leaving them uncontacted as “we” think is in their best interest, they may feel they are ready for contact in order to progress. They must be able to decide for themselves. We have simple medicines that can bring them great relief and save lives. If they ask.
On a side note, missionaries have been the number one source of help to tribal chiefs to teach them how to represent themselves before their local governments in order to legally mark territorial lines and protect their tribal lands.

[louisemitchell]

Love this!! Thank you for your critical work. Sharing!!

[theroadupward]

Do these tribes ALSO have the right to join the rest o fthe world if they wish? Because it seems when they do, it slaps our Noble Savage trope down and we make them stay in the woods.

[tubewatcher]

Mankind itself is an uncontacted tribe in the Universe!

[milkytardis]

Was the pixellation to protect their modesty or ours?

[not-yet-now]

One piece of this story is missing: their ancient wisdom is the key to our future survival if we can earn their respect and trust for just long enough to receive some knowledge from their teachings about how to live with the land, not on it.

[eriksnip]

At 2.50 another myth is perpetuated, that we have no immunity against sarscov2 virus, most of us do, average age of death is around 80! That these tribal people are vulnerable i do believe however. For the record, the ordinary flu killed around 8000 people in the netherlands in 2017/8....Hospitals were overflowing. Nothing was done to increase capacity, everything was done to decreas capacity...costcutting they said. I wish all people great health and freedom. Regards, Erik the Netherlands