-
Peru Is Not Protecting Its Uncontacted Tribes, Witnesses Say
Houses built by Indians from Peru were found three miles (five kilometers) within the Brazilian border. Illegal logging is displacing uncontacted tribes in Peru and forcing them into Brazil, conservation groups say. Photo by Gleison Miranda/FUNAI There have been several major shakeups in Peru’s capital these last few weeks — bribery scandals toppling the Peruvian Cabinet, President Alan Garcia hiring a new prime minister and assembling a new Cabinet lineup, the Lima stock market suffering its worst losses ever — and so the world’s attention has been focused on Lima. Meanwhile, a historic struggle deep in the Amazon has receded from public view: that of uncontacted tribes fleeing illegal logging efforts. The story broke in May…
-
Hey, Police Dude! Don’t Shoot My Shaman!
Lately I’m struck by the enormous disparity between the sudden crises that erupt in Peru – the events that make news headlines — and the idyllic, often mystical image of Peru that’s promoted by the tourism industry. As I write this post, thousands of travelers around the globe are busy planning their once-in-a-lifetime visit to The Land Where Time Stands Still. They’re salivating over glossy images of Machu Picchu at sunrise, of colorful handicrafts markets in the Sacred Valley, of gentle Shipibo women embroidering sarongs in the Amazon, and of red-cheeked Andean kiddies hugging llamas. They’re reassured by brochures that show tourists eating The Complimentary Continental Breakfast at The Recommended…
