Uncontacted People - How do they still exist?

[Orlong]

Ive been reading up on unconacted peoples lately as I find it interesting that they can still exist in today's world. There are many more tribes than I wouldve thought according to Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncontacted_peoples

Uncontacted peoples, also referred to as isolated peoples or lost tribes, are communities who live, or have lived, either by choice (peoples living in voluntary isolation) or by circumstance, without significant contact with globalized civilization. Few peoples have remained totally uncontacted by global civilization. Indigenous rights activists call for such groups to be left alone, stating that it will interfere with their right to self-determination. Most uncontacted communities are located in densely forested areas in South America, New Guinea and India. Knowledge of the existence of these groups comes mostly from infrequent and sometimes violent encounters with neighboring tribes, and from aerial footage. Isolated tribes may lack immunity to common diseases, which can kill a large percentage of their people after contact.

I wonder how in thousands of years, the first world has progressed to make nuclear power, traveled to space, invented transportation, the internet, computers, etc..... Yet these peoples havent even invented clothing yet. How can they still not have figured out the most basic of inventions after thousands of years. When a helicopter flies over them to photograph them or research them, they act like its a giant loud bird. Are they really that ignorant of the world?

Also why dont the countries that they live in make them adhere to their laws? Many of these tribes KILL anyone who comes anywhere close to them and yet they are never arrested for murder.

[Crissi]

Probably cause in Brazil, its actually against the law to make those tribes assimilate or even make contact

[Deleted]

Some land locations in the world have remained unvisited and untouched, some people eke out an existence in much the same way we did before industrialization and whatnot hit us.

And, these very people are afforded protections not usually seen, that being no visitors (As we could inadvertently wipe them out with any illness we'd bring) and that they're hostile to the point of unknowing our language and intent.

We're pretty much the version of god to them, beings dressed in impractical garb, with magical items and able to conjure food out of thin air (Rations, radios, purification methods ect).

Trying to "Convert" these people into the modern age was deemed immoral and impossible, some have gently accepted outside visitors but never full merging.

[Masark]

I wonder how in thousands of years, the first world has progressed to make nuclear power, traveled to space, invented transportation, the internet, computers, etc..... Yet these peoples havent even invented clothing yet.

1. Those things require having a lot of people pulling in the same direction to achieve. A group of 50 isn't going to achieve those.

2. What do they need clothing for? Certainly not to keep warm, as they're near the equator. Why would you invent something you don't need?

[Orlong]

Some land locations in the world have remained unvisited and untouched, some people eke out an existence in much the same way we did before industrialization and whatnot hit us.

And, these very people are afforded protections not usually seen, that being no visitors (As we could inadvertently wipe them out with any illness we'd bring) and that they're hostile to the point of unknowing our language and intent.

We're pretty much the version of god to them, beings dressed in impractical garb, with magical items and able to conjure food out of thin air (Rations, radios, purification methods ect).

Trying to "Convert" these people into the modern age was deemed immoral and impossible, some have gently accepted outside visitors but never full merging.

But my question is if we were able to evolve and learn how to do all these things, why havent they been able to do so as well? Its like they are living like we did in the caveman days. We learned industrialization 200 years ago, and yet they havent even figured out how to make metals to make their weapons from.

[Crissi]

1. Those things require having a lot of people pulling in the same direction to achieve. A group of 50 isn't going to achieve those.

2. What do they need clothing for? Certainly not to keep warm, as they're near the equator. Why would you invent something you don't need?

something something naked bodies = sexuality, even if their culture actually doesn't associate nakedness with sexual stuff.

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But my question is if we were able to evolve and learn how to do all these things, why havent they been able to do so as well? Its like they are living like we did in the caveman days

That came from being exposed to many other cultures, and having large populations to exchange ideas. WHen you have a population of about 50 or less, you arent going to do much more than just survive in an isolated environment like the rainforest.

[Orlong]

1. Those things require having a lot of people pulling in the same direction to achieve. A group of 50 isn't going to achieve those.

2. What do they need clothing for? Certainly not to keep warm, as they're near the equator. Why would you invent something you don't need?

If they live in a rain forest clothing would make quite the difference. In addition to providing modesty, it could help prevent them from getting bug bites and bee stings (which can cause disease and allergen deaths), It can prevent scratches and scrapes from bushes and trees, as well as protection from abrasions if they slide down a hill or something.

[Simulacrum]

If they live in a rain forest clothing would make quite the difference. In addition to providing modesty, it could help prevent them from getting bug bites and bee stings (which can cause disease and allergen deaths), It can prevent scratches and scrapes from bushes and trees, as well as protection from abrasions if they slide down a hill or something.

That's a lot of time and effort spent doing something very trivial.

[Deleted]

But my question is if we were able to evolve and learn how to do all these things, why havent they been able to do so as well? Its like they are living like we did in the caveman days

I see.

Geographical location helps immensely, i'm unsure if you're acquainted with the geography present where the tribes generally reside; But it's vast, and packed, and very hard to get into and live.

These people were left alone by virtue of living in such locations, these aren't massive population groups either; They're at most 500 people, typically they tend to number less than 200.

And in a place like the amazon jungle, it's very easy to never be found.

They never experienced contact with outsiders during the resurgence of our industrialization, they never experienced invasion by European powers and the technological growth with all that entails, they lived in a primal state outside of our influence.

Geniuses transformed our societies in the west, and they were rare enough given our population size.

[Orlong]

something something naked bodies = sexuality, even if their culture actually doesn't associate nakedness with sexual stuff.

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That came from being exposed to many other cultures, and having large populations to exchange ideas. WHen you have a population of about 50 or less, you arent going to do much more than just survive in an isolated environment like the rainforest.

I guess so, but I just find it strange that they havent even had the desire to explore and see what else is in the world around them, like Columbus, Magellan, Vaspucci, and all the other famous explorers did. Perhaps we have the things we do because of seeing other cultures, but why wouldnt they want to explore?

[Slant]

Some land locations in the world have remained unvisited and untouched, some people eke out an existence in much the same way we did before industrialization and whatnot hit us.

And, these very people are afforded protections not usually seen, that being no visitors (As we could inadvertently wipe them out with any illness we'd bring) and that they're hostile to the point of unknowing our language and intent.

We're pretty much the version of god to them, beings dressed in impractical garb, with magical items and able to conjure food out of thin air (Rations, radios, purification methods ect).

Trying to "Convert" these people into the modern age was deemed immoral and impossible, some have gently accepted outside visitors but never full merging.

Fascinating to think about them, isn't it. Makes you feel like us having a prime directive.

[Simulacrum]

I guess so, but I just find it strange that they havent even had the desire to explore and see what else is in the world around them, like Columbus, Magellan, Vaspucci, and all the other famous explorers did. Perhaps we have the things we do because of seeing other cultures, but why wouldnt they want to explore?

Who's to say they didn't? Could've given up, died, never returned, not brought back any interesting ideas if they did return, etc.

[Deleted]

If they live in a rain forest clothing would make quite the difference. In addition to providing modesty, it could help prevent them from getting bug bites and bee stings (which can cause disease and allergen deaths), It can prevent scratches and scrapes from bushes and trees, as well as protection from abrasions if they slide down a hill or something.

In addition to providing modesty

Sexuality tends to be a foreign thing to these people, they sometimes wear loincloths and whatnot, but only for minor protection from the elements.

They're motivated by practicality really, not societal shame associated with such things.

In addition to providing modesty, it could help prevent them from getting bug bites and bee stings

They have naturally made ointments and the like to keep them away, and in addition they can also light fires as smoke is a natural deterrent to insects.

[Deleted]

How can they still not have figured out the most basic of inventions after thousands of years.

Maybe they just don't care? If they are happy, why would they even think about inventing stuff?

[Vanyali]

I guess so, but I just find it strange that they havent even had the desire to explore and see what else is in the world around them, like Columbus, Magellan, Vaspucci, and all the other famous explorers did. Perhaps we have the things we do because of seeing other cultures, but why wouldnt they want to explore?

Exploring is very much a luxury thing - it's easy to lose 1 person to exploring when you have 100 people, and have everyone survive. When your group is 10, losing 1 person could mean death for everyone.

As everyone else has said, it's a numbers and practicality thing. Sitting around inventing luxury items comes when you're not dealing with survival issues. It requires time to just sit and do nothing, as well as the materials to do so. The idea of mining and smelting in a forest is.. amusing. Doable, certainly, but the effort it requires would be so, so, SO expensive that it would be utterly impractical for anything more than super basic things.

[Slant]

As for inventions... isn't the main motivator for inventions either necessity/need or money? There's curiousity, but I'd wager that if you live in paradise, you'd have little need for a nuclear reactor, electric power, computers, internet. Not saying they're not in danger by nature, but... if they perceive their life to be the apex of existance...

[Deleted]

Fascinating to think about them, isn't it. Makes you feel like us having a prime directive.

Really does make you appreciate how impressive earth is, we've barely tapped anything in exploration of our home; Yet we're already building and residing in space stations

[Sam the Wiser]

OP, how do these people living their lives hurt you? Leave them be, if anything they are living a simpler and better life.

[Kalis]

I guess so, but I just find it strange that they havent even had the desire to explore and see what else is in the world around them, like Columbus, Magellan, Vaspucci, and all the other famous explorers did. Perhaps we have the things we do because of seeing other cultures, but why wouldnt they want to explore?

Lots of people in the industrialised world don't go off to see the world, they are born in their village, live their whole life never straying far, then die in their village, and those people have access to modern knowledge and transportation systems, so what is so strange about people who don't have those advantages doing the same thing?

[Vanyali]

http://www.unbelievable-facts.com/20...e-of-most.html

This is one of the cooler uncontacted tribe stories - these are people that have no close language to theirs on earth (so can only communicate with themselves) and no real exposure to anything off the island for a couple thousand years. One island, with a maximum of 400 people, and death to anyone that comes too close to them (even by accident).