Julie Christie at a Survival demonstration

Last year Survival asked me to narrate a short film about the plight of uncontacted peoples living in some of the most remote parts of the world. I’ve long been a supporter, and thought this would be one way that I could make a valuable and lasting contribution.

I was unprepared for just how deeply moved I would be by the footage Survival had put together, and the intimate stories of these vulnerable peoples struggling to survive. Amongst the remarkable scenes filmed by Survival researchers, one above all has stayed with me. A pitiful group of just six individuals, the last survivors of a once-proud tribe called the Akuntsu, sit forlornly in a forest clearing.

Having witnessed the massacre of all the other members of their tribe by cattle ranchers desperate for their land, their lethargy and utter despondency is hardly surprising. Yet still they rouse themselves to perform a shuffling dance of welcome. Heartbreaking.

Words seem woefully inadequate to convey their despair; but this short piece of film strikes at the heart of their story, helps us to understand and moves us to act. Survival is appealing for support to create a film unit, to ensure scenes like this reach many more people.

This need not be overly expensive; Survival researchers gather a wealth of video footage when visiting tribal communities, but it takes time and resources to edit, produce and distribute a film like Uncontacted Tribes.

Already this film has generated worldwide interest. For example, a newspaper in India recently gave one of our DVDs to all its readers. This has been one of many fantastic opportunities to get our message across using film, but of course there are cost implications.

With more resources, Survival could produce numerous films showing the reality of life for many of the world’s tribes; the deforestation of their homes, the sickness and disease they suffer as a result of invasions of their land, but also their dignity and endurance.

Survival’s goal is to get more people to see and understand more about tribal peoples. Such a groundswell of support will make it impossible for governments to sweep tribes aside and deny them what is rightfully theirs.

Tragically, it is too late for the Akuntsu; there simply is no way back for such a tiny group of survivors. But for every story like theirs, there are others – because of you – that are more encouraging.

Next year will be Survival’s 40th anniversary. I have been a supporter for most of that time and have seen just how many peoples Survival has helped. In the 1980s, the Yanomami were facing a bleak future, following invasions of their land by goldminers.

In fact more than a fifth of the tribe were wiped out. Decades of campaigning by Survival resulted in an historic victory, with almost 10 million hectares of rainforest secured for the tribe. In the words of Davi Kopenawa, Yanomami leader and shaman, ‘Without Survival, we’d all be dead’.

I’m proud to have been a part of the Uncontacted Tribes project, and I hope this film – and those that follow – will help make the world more aware, and help to secure the future of tribal peoples for generations to come.

Following the success of Bruce Parry’s ‘Tribe‘ series, the BBC is back with another anthropological style series: ‘Tribal Wives’. This time British women from a variety of backgrounds are sent to live with different tribes to experience the life of tribal women, including the Kuna in Panama, Waorani in Ecuador, Afar in Ethiopia, and Himba in Namibia.

The programme is an interesting insight into tribal life, but mainly focuses on the British women themselves, rather than highlighting the problems that tribal peoples are facing.

Survival works with both the Waorani and the Himba who face real threats: the Waorani from oil exploration and logging, and the Himba from a proposed dam which will flood their lands. The programmes are on BBC 2 at 9pm on the following dates:

Episode 1: 18 June - Kuna in Panama
Episode 2: 25 June - Waorani in Ecuador
Episode 3: 2 July - Afar in Ethiopia
Episode 4: 9 July - Himba in Namibia

Further info at: www.tribalwives.com

The British newspaper The Observer claimed this weekend that it’s now ‘emerged’ that the uncontacted tribe whose photos went around the world were neither ‘lost’, nor ‘undiscovered’ nor ‘unknown’.

This is a classic example of journalists getting the wrong end of the stick. The only people who ever claimed that the Indians photographed were ‘lost’ or ‘undiscovered’ were…. the press, despite the fact that Survival has been campaigning for the protection of the many isolated Indian tribes on the Peru-Brazil border for more than twenty years.

Indeed, you might have thought that the fact that the Indians are living in a government reserve set aside for isolated Indian groups would tend to indicate that they weren’t exactly ‘unknown’.

For the avoidance of doubt, let’s just make it clear – yes, the tribe is uncontacted, that is to say, has no peaceful contact with outsiders. But no, they’re not ‘lost’ – they know where they are, and anthropologists, Survival, other NGOs and the Brazilian government have known that there are many isolated Indian tribes living in that region for decades.

What is undoubtedly true is that many people, not least the President of Peru, had publicly questioned whether there were any uncontacted Indians there at all, which is why the fact that Peru’s government has now been pushed into sending a team to investigate is such welcome news.

I guess we should be used by now to the fact that quite a few journalists are incapable of writing on this subject without resorting to stereotypes about ‘lost’ tribes, but one might have hoped that The Observer would know better.

Tribal land could enjoy greater protection
under international law. © Survival

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, UNPO, has launched a campaign for countries to ratify the only international law for tribal peoples.

International Labour Organisation Convention 169, or ILO 169, recognises tribal peoples’ land ownership rights and says they should be consulted about projects that affect them. Unlike UN Declarations, it is legally binding. The more countries that ratify the Convention, the more force it will have.

Survival’s own campaign for ILO 169 is also gaining momentum; so far, 119 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion calling on the UK government to ratify the Convention.

At the moment the UK refuses to sign up to the law, saying that it has nothing to do with this country. But they are wrong – if the UK were to ratify ILO 169, it would be a major step forward in recognising and protecting tribal peoples’ rights everywhere.

Find out if your MP has signed the Early Day Motion. If they haven’t, write to them today!

From global news front-pages to Facebook, the media has come alive in recent days at the sight of the uncontacted tribe on Brazil’s border with Peru. Thanks to the impact of these photographs, many millions of people have become aware of the dangers facing these unique people.

Here’s a collage from the web and media storm as viewed from Survival’s offices in London.



		“ They are so brave. instead of running from something that must be terrifying to them, they stand their ground and defend themselves. ”

Entrancing annatto seeds await preparation, © Fiona Watson/Survival

Bixa orellana, or annatto to the English-speaking food industry, is a tree giving a wonderful and widespread dye. Its red seeds (pictured), once processed, are often used for the yellowing of cheese, smoothies, cereals and other food stuffs.

Being a plant native to South America among other places, it also brings colour to tribal peoples. This photograph was taken in Brazil where many tribes turn the seeds into body paint for rituals, celebrations and general beautification.

Vedanta Resources, the British-based resources firm, faced a whirlwind of criticism in recent weeks. Coverage of its attempted installation of a mining facility in the hillside home of Indian tribal peoples has swept the web and beyond.

The Dongria Kondh live in the Niyamgiri Hills of Orissa, India. The planned mine will strip them of their livelhoods, culture and religious heartlands.

Survival has just launched a campaign in defence of these people as the Indian Supreme court prepares to announce their fate.



Various British newspapers acknowledged the ‘social and environmental catastrophe’ on the drawing board:

The Telegraph: ‘…mining company is about to end a way of life forever.’

The Independent: ‘…Norway has already excluded Vedanta from its national pension fund investments.’

Indian magazine Tehelka tells the troubling tales of similar Vedanta projects in the past that caused the sort of destruction now on the cards.



A number of colourful videos from human rights organisations highlight the campaign and cultural stories. Action Aid offer a fascinating account of the push to have Vedanta shareholders realise what’s going on.

Another video gives a stirring musical outlook on life in the Nyamgiri hills and the danger it faces.



The finance community raised the alarm on the project with articles highlighting Vedanta’s new scheme as a dodgy investment. Commodityonline.com notes that the company is in ‘a tight spot’.

Meanwhile Vedanta’s own website makes no mention of the tragedy it’s proposing.



With the global outcry ringing in the courts and boardrooms that matter, it’s time to add your voice to the throng. We face another urgent moment of action to defend a people on the brink of destruction. Please use our tool to send a letter by mail to the Prime Minister of India.

Portrait of a Yanomami shaman, © Claudia Andujar

Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, a Shaman himself, speaks of the xapiripë (the spirits):

‘Only those who know the xapiripë can see them because the xapiripë are very small and bright like light. There are many, many xapiripë, thousands of xapiripë like stars.

‘They are beautiful and decorated with parrot feathers, painted with urucum (annatto). Others have oraikok and others still have earrings and use black dye. They dance very beautifully and sing differently.’

As hyponotic as the portrait is, the Yanomami find themselves threatened by ranchers, goldminers, soya growers and others in the business of stealing Yanomami land.

The latest threat is the mining bill making the rounds in the debating hall of Brazil’s congress. You can help: write to the Brazilian president expressing your concern. It really works.

Last Sunday saw the centenary of the London Marathon and another Survival team run one of the most famous races on earth, through rain and hail, for the lives of threatened tribal peoples everywhere.

Survival supporters go wild on the sidelines.

2008 has been a brilliant year for the Survival team. Not only did they smash all previous fundraising records by raising over £32,000, but each one of them struggled through months of training and injuries, ending up a hero.



Darren didn’t slow to a walk once and then helped a flagging stranger make it over the finish line.

Doug beat Olympic rower James Cracknell and his own 3 hour target by over five minutes.

Sam ran the hardest race of his life but raised more money for Survival than any individual ever has.

Tulls did a great time and sacrificed his i-phone to the marathon gods.

Rachel ran a brilliant race and passed a teetotal 25th birthday the week before because of her alcohol ban.

Rusty did 15 miles on crutches after having struggled through months of training with a knee injury but still finished with his head held high.


They made us all so proud and the money they raised will make a massive difference to the work we can do in the coming year.

If you’d like to take on the challenge of a lifetime, visit the Saa! Saa! Saa! Team section of the website and register your details for one of our Golden Bond places in the 2009 Flora London Marathon.

You don’t have to be Superman to do it and it isn’t going to be easy for anyone (except Doug perhaps, although we’re not sure he’s entirely human), but it really is a huge achievement and something you’ll always be proud of having done.

In the words of Darren, “it’s a world of pain… but totally worth it”.

In recent days Latin Finance, a digest of Latin American financial affairs, made Peruvian president Alan Garcia its ‘Man of the Year’.
President Garcia is keen to promote oil exploration on the lands of uncontacted Indians in the Peruvian Amazon. He’s not so keen, however, to even admit the existence of the peoples whose lands are being invaded.
Latin Finance’s award spurred Survival to send the magazine a short letter:

In recent days US magazine Latin Finance made Peruvian president Alan Garcia its ‘Man of the Year’.

President Garcia is promoting oil exploration on the lands of uncontacted Indians in the Peruvian Amazon. He’s not so keen, however, to even admit the existence of the peoples whose lands are being invaded.

Latin Finance’s award spurred Survival to send the magazine a short letter:

Dear Sir,

Peru’s economy may well be making ‘admirable progress’, as your magazine’s ‘Man of the Year’, Alan Garcia, Peru’s president, says, but at what cost.

The oil exploration and production his government is encouraging is endangering the lives of tribal peoples in the Peruvian rainforest who have had no contact with the outside world.

These ‘uncontacted’ tribes are extremely vulnerable to any form of contact with outsiders, like oil workers, because of their lack of immunity to western diseases, and it is very common for more than half of a newly-contacted tribe to die.

Moreover, this land is recognised as belonging to the tribes by international law - a law which Peru has ratified and which President Garcia’s government is choosing to ignore.

What do you think? Should President Garcia be awarded ‘Man of the Year’ while at the same time plotting the destruction of entire peoples?

Share your comments here, or you might wish to speak up for tribal people suffering in Peru over at the living in Peru website.