BBC’s Amazon - Matis: Death in Javari
by Toby
Bruce Parry is back in the Amazon for a new BBC TV series, and he’s been learning from the Matis what it was like during the terrible epidemics they suffered after first contact in the 1970s.
The Amazon website has a great background to the current health crisis in the Javari Valley which is enveloping not only the Matis but other recently contacted - and still uncontacted - peoples living in this huge area of the Amazon. Read more about the crisis on the series website.
Survival’s recent Uncontacted Tribes film opens with some dramatic, previously unseen footage of first contact with the Korubo of the Javari Valley - one of the only genuine first contact video clips in existence.
Last year, I spoke to Survival campaigner Fiona Watson about a visit she made to the Matis, and she told me about the current situation in the Javari Valley:
To help the Matis and other peoples of the Javari Valley, please write a letter using Survival’s online letter-writing tool. Your letters really do make a difference.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:00 am
It’s funny because all you from survival org say that the disease is the most threat to uncontacted tribes like Matis because they are vulnerable to western diseases. You also said that those tribes should be kept isolated but you went to Brazil and had a direct contact to that tribe and you possibly brought new diseases to the people that you are “trying” to help!!! That is a real paradox don’t you think?? And I’m sure to advise all of you that your effort should be kept in industrial countries like USA an UK, Countries that buy for example wood from countries like Brazil!! That’s another interesting paradox because like you said the logging pressure also treats those people
For now I would like to thanks’ survival org to give me the chance to express myself and say that I’m not against you effort, but I’m against the way that you guys do it and I would be glad to have more conversations about this
May 30th, 2008 at 3:12 am
Hi Eduardo,
Survival hasn’t visited isolated or uncontacted tribal peoples anywhere where they may be at risk from introduced diseases. The Matis were contacted in the 1970s - and this contact was nothing to do with Survival. Recent visits by Survival to the Matis have been at their invitation, and pose no risk from introduced diseases.
Survival presses for land rights to be recognised - this is surely the best way to prevent the logging that often threaten tribal peoples’ lands, as you rightly point out.
If you have any other queries about Survival’s work, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Toby