Tomas Anez Dos Santos was working in a small clearing in the Peruvian Amazon when he heard footsteps approaching in the forest. He realized he was surrounded and froze. One was standing, aiming with an arrow, he says. And somehow he noticed I was here and I started to run. He had come face to face with the Mashco Piro.
For decades, Tomas - who lives in the small village of Nueva Oceania - had been practically a neighbor to these nomadic people, who shun contact with outsiders. However, until very recently, he had rarely seen them. The Mashco Piro have chosen to be cut off from the world for more than a century. They hunt with long bows and arrows, relying on the Amazonian rainforest for everything they need.
They started circling and whistling, imitating animals, many different types of birds, Tomas recalls. He felt a mix of fear and respect, stating, Let them live as they live; we can't change their culture. That's why we keep our distance.
A new report by the human rights organization Survival International states that there are at least 196 uncontacted groups left in the world, with the Mashco Piro believed to be the largest. The report warns that half of these groups could face extinction in the next decade due to increasing threats from logging, mining, and contact with outsiders.
In Nueva Oceania, situated 10 hours from the nearest settlement by boat, villagers express conflicting feelings toward the Mashco Piro. On one hand, they fear their arrows but feel protective towards them as 'brothers' living in the forest. The logging activities nearby disturb the Mashco Piro's habitat, and villagers like Tomas are worried about exposing them to diseases due to interactions with outsiders.
Amidst these concerns, the Peruvian government maintains a policy of no contact with isolated groups, recognizing the severe risks posed by such interactions, as seen in past cases where entire tribes perished due to diseases.
As the community of Nueva Oceania grapples with the complex relationship with the Mashco Piro, there is a growing call for recognition and protection of their forests, to ensure their way of life endures against the odds.
For decades, Tomas - who lives in the small village of Nueva Oceania - had been practically a neighbor to these nomadic people, who shun contact with outsiders. However, until very recently, he had rarely seen them. The Mashco Piro have chosen to be cut off from the world for more than a century. They hunt with long bows and arrows, relying on the Amazonian rainforest for everything they need.
They started circling and whistling, imitating animals, many different types of birds, Tomas recalls. He felt a mix of fear and respect, stating, Let them live as they live; we can't change their culture. That's why we keep our distance.
A new report by the human rights organization Survival International states that there are at least 196 uncontacted groups left in the world, with the Mashco Piro believed to be the largest. The report warns that half of these groups could face extinction in the next decade due to increasing threats from logging, mining, and contact with outsiders.
In Nueva Oceania, situated 10 hours from the nearest settlement by boat, villagers express conflicting feelings toward the Mashco Piro. On one hand, they fear their arrows but feel protective towards them as 'brothers' living in the forest. The logging activities nearby disturb the Mashco Piro's habitat, and villagers like Tomas are worried about exposing them to diseases due to interactions with outsiders.
Amidst these concerns, the Peruvian government maintains a policy of no contact with isolated groups, recognizing the severe risks posed by such interactions, as seen in past cases where entire tribes perished due to diseases.
As the community of Nueva Oceania grapples with the complex relationship with the Mashco Piro, there is a growing call for recognition and protection of their forests, to ensure their way of life endures against the odds.
