The Amazon tribe finally connects to the Internet and has unexpected consequences

Specifically, the Marubo Tribe of 2,000 members living along the Ituí River in Brazil experienced the Internet for the first time, connecting to the world web thanks to the Starlink service, with a low orbit satellite system.

Initially, the tribe welcomed the Internet as a useful tool, helping them contact the outside world in emergencies and contact relatives.

However, things gradually got worse. Tsainama Marubo, 73 years old, expressed concern that tribal youth have become lazy because of the Internet, and 'they are learning the white man's ways'.

Alfredo Marubo, another member of the tribe, expressed concern that some young people, after being exposed to adult content online, had more "aggressive sexual behavior". He said the raunchy sex acts they see on screen make many people worry that young people will want to try it. In addition, people sometimes do not talk to their families because they are all connected online.

Many people just want to spend the afternoon on their phones without hunting, fishing and farming for food, Enoque said.

Kâipa Marubo, a tribal father, expressed concern when he saw his children playing violent shooting games. Some others said they had become victims of online scams due to a lack of digital literacy.

These things make parents worry that their children will lose their cultural identity due to the rapid changes in lifestyle since the emergence of the Internet.

To control the situation, tribal leaders have introduced regulations limiting people's Internet access time. Accordingly, people are only allowed to use the Internet two hours each morning, five hours each evening and all day Sunday.

Flora Dutra, a Brazilian social activist who helped connect the Marubo tribe to the internet, also acknowledged these concerns. However, she asserted that most tribal people "want and deserve" access to the online world.

The Marubo tribe has opened a new chapter thanks to the emergence of the Internet, with both opportunities and challenges. But whether they can preserve their cultural identity while taking advantage of technology is still an open question.

Samuel Daniel

Update 06 June 2024