Zhu Jingning Comprehensive report
Since taking the video of his last figure in 2018, goodbye to him, he has passed away.
The Brazilian National Indigenous Peoples Foundation confirmed on the 27th that the last person of an isolated tribe in the Amazon rainforest has died.
He lives in the rainforest of the native area of Tanalu in the Brazilian state of Rondônia, and the outside world does not know the name of his tribe or his name, because he often digs holes, so he is called "Cave Man", and some people call him "Indian in the Cave".
Climb into a hammock and cover it with feathers
He was about 60 years old, lying in a hammock outside a thatched hut, covered with the brightly colored feathers of macaws.
The macaw is the prettiest and largest parrot in the tropical Americas and is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The body of the "Cave Man" was found on the 23rd.
There were no signs of violent attacks at the scene and no others were found nearby. Brazil's National Indigenous Foundation speculates that he died of natural causes. The medical examiner will conduct an autopsy on him to determine if he is sick.
Marcelo dos Santos, an expert on Indigenous Brazilians and an explorer, said the man knew he was dying and put feathers on himself.
A cave dug by a lone survivor
The interior of the hut of the lone survivor
Dos Santos was commissioned by the Brazilian National Indian Foundation to help monitor the health of the mysterious "cave man". "He was waiting to die, there was no sign of violence, his body may have been dead for 40 to 50 days when it was found," he said. ”
Grow corn cassava, build huts and dig holes
In 2018, foundation staff encountered a "cave man" in the jungle and filmed him cutting down trees with tools similar to axes. He walked around half-naked, wearing only a loincloth.
Since then, I have not seen him again, only a few of his thatched huts.
Survival International, a nonprofit that protects indigenous peoples' rights, said in late 2009 he had been "maliciously attacked by gunmen" and left behind shell casings were found locally.
He built 53 huts on the hill using wheat straw and thatch, each with only one door, and dug holes three meters deep, partly with spikes to trap animals, and partly for storage and hiding. There are also experts from the Aboriginal Foundation who say the cave has some kind of spiritual significance to him.
He grew corn and cassava, collected honey and fruits such as papayas and bananas, hunted with bamboo arrows, and lived like this.
Refuse gifts, refuse contact with others
He roamed his territory for a long time and did not speak a word to anyone.
Aboriginal Foundation staff have tried for decades to contact him, leaving him food, tools and gifts. He refused contact, set traps, and shot arrows at anyone who approached.
One of the huts that lone survivors built for themselves
At one point, he reportedly shot an arrow at an Aboriginal Foundation official, piercing his lungs. From then on, the officials decided to let him live alone in the forest and not disturb him.
The staff believes that and does not blame him for being so distrustful of strangers, that the gift can be fatal:
Sarah Schenck, a global tribal movement activist, said that in the 1980s, some illegal ranchers pretended to provide sugar products with rat poison to indigenous people, poisoning tribal indigenous people, and the demise of the "cave people" tribe may also be the reason.
Six of his people were killed, leaving him alone
"He doesn't trust anyone because he's had a lot of painful experiences with non-indigenous peoples." Marcelo dos Santos said.
The Tanalu Indigenous Area, nestled in the jungles of Brazil bordering Bolivia, is surrounded by huge pastures.
Survival International says that since the 1970s, farmers, prospectors and loggers have attempted to plunder indigenous lands and resources, killing most members of the tribes to which the Cavemen belong.
In 1995, six tribal members were killed by illegal miners. Since then, the tribe has only one "cave man" left.
Lone survivors in 2009 are hiding from photographers in huts
At the time he estimated to be in his 30s.
The remains of their village, which were discovered in the 1990s, were destroyed by tractors.
So the "cave people" refuse to contact the outside world. After discovering his presence, the Brazilian National Indigenous Foundation carried out remote surveillance of him for security reasons, creating the Tanalu Sanctuary in 1997, expanding the area of his jungle home to 8,070 hectares.
Another tribe is extinct
"After a brutal slaughter and land invasion, refusing to engage with outsiders was his best chance to survive," Sarah Schenck said, "and he was the last member of the tribe." Another tribe is extinct. ”
"Because he was adamant in resisting any contact during his lifetime, we can't know which race he belongs to or what his motives for digging the crypt." Upon learning of the death of the Cave Man, the Aboriginal Rights Observatory called for the conservation to remain in its current state, asking local officials to conduct archaeological and anthropological studies to understand his background and way of life.
Fiona Watson, a Researcher at Survival International, visited the Tanalu Aboriginal Area in 2004. "No outsider knows this man's name, not even much about his tribe — with his death, the genocide against his people is over," she said. ”
They are contemporaries
"They are not lost in the distortion of time, they are contemporary people who represent a huge and important part of human diversity." After photographing the Cave People in 2018, Fiona Watson said, "They should be valued and respected for their vast knowledge and unique way of life." ”
According to the 2010 census, Brazil has about 900,000 indigenous people, less than 0.5% of the total population. According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, there were 72,861 indigenous people legally employed in Brazil in 2020, 1,080 fewer than in 2019 and 7,554 fewer than in 2018. Under the Brazilian Constitution, indigenous peoples have the right to use their traditional lands.
Amazon rainforest
The number of extant indigenous tribes in Brazil is roughly between 235 and 300, and the exact number is difficult to determine, as some tribes have little contact with non-indigenous societies. At least 30 tribes live deep within the Amazon rainforest, and outsiders know little about their numbers, languages or cultures.
Indigenous territories are registered every few years, and now that the Cave Man has passed away, taking his language and culture with him, what about the territories left behind? Indigenous rights groups are calling for permanent protection of the Tanalu territory.
Source: FM93 Traffic Voices