An unidentified and charismatic Indigenous man thought to have been the last of his tribe has died in the Brazilian Amazon, causing consternation among activists lamenting the loss of another ethnic language and culture.
Officials know very little about the man, but his determined independence and evident solace helped create a mystique around him that captured the attention of activists and media across Brazil and around the world.
“He didn’t trust anyone because he had many traumatising experiences with non-Indigenous people,” said Marcelo dos Santos, a retired explorer who monitored his wellbeing for Funai, Brazil’s national Indigenous foundation.
A Funai official who monitored the man’s wellbeing from a distance found his body lying in a hammock in a state of decomposition. Because he had placed brightly coloured feathers around his body, the official believes the man had prepared for death. He estimated the man was about 60 years old.
How incredibly sad…but at least he lived and died the way he wanted to.
Yes, apparently people who wanted the land left gifts of sugar for the tribe, then later on rat poison was left, and it was this which killed most of the tribe. Shameful and disgusting behaviour from so-called human beings. Makes me so mad
Apologies is this is slightly off-topic, but it reminded me of this guy who lived alone on an island for 29 years, was forced back to civilization and was allowed to return for a visit to the island. The joy is palpable.
Oh I saw that video, yes! I think if someone is perfectly happy with their life, just leave them alone! They clearly aren’t missing anything - despite what other people might assume.
When I first saw it, they said the government moved him because he couldn’t take care of himself. But he looks fine and how are they supporting him? Sad story.
Governments assume that because you are “old”, that you cannot take care of yourself and need help. Help for what?
These men were at home…the Japanese man was so happy when he returned to his Island. He knows he will die there and that is his choice. I don’t know if he is getting supported now? Is he, I’ll have to look into it. But heck, he managed all those years without govt aid, so I’m sure he can again.
The Brazilian guy lived by himself after people killed his tribe. No wonder he didn’t want anything to do with human contact!
I never realised there were still so many uncontacted or hidden tribes still about.
It’s a sad fact though that now the world is getting smaller there isn’t the room left for tribes … someone must own the land, and it won’t be them … and if there’s any financial or mineral wealth to the land the fact that they see it as their home will mean nothing.
It’s not unlike the Native American Indians … without the timewarp of the world moving on.
The whole power grab is ridiculous.
“We are better than you, more civilised than you, so we are more entitled than you to have this land which you call home”
No wonder the tribes fire upon them with bows and arrows! I’d be doing the same.
Yes…me too. But there are skills to that, which take a lifetime to learn.
I’m perfectly happy living on a hill and having online shopping delivered every week. It’s a bit of a cheat compared to these guys, but it works for me.
You do wonder what goes through their minds though…did he know he was the last, or did he have hope that there were others like him? It must be quite freeing though, to live purely day to day with no thought of “what if’s”
I disagree about the hopeless life. Yes he was probably angry, but he could have ended his life at any point. He didn’t, he kept on hunting and going about his daily business. I reckon he might have had an air of resignation, mind you, and sadness. But we are just putting emotions on him
