 |
Awá women bathe their pet turtles. |
In the eastern Amazon region of Maranhão state, Brazil, the Awá people, also known as Awá-Guajá, have long been known as one of the last surviving hunter-gatherer groups in Brazil and the world .
According to the NGO Instituto Socioambiental, dedicated to the protection of the environment, culture, and rights of indigenous peoples, the Awá people speak a language belonging to the Tupi-Guarani group. Currently, some groups have had contact with the outside world and live in settlements, while others still live deep in the forest, almost completely isolated from the outside world.
Data from Brazil's indigenous health system indicates that this community had approximately 520 people in 2020, but the exact number of people who have not been in contact remains undetermined.
What makes the Awá people frequently mentioned in international media is not only their isolated lifestyle, but also the fact that they are one of the most critically endangered indigenous communities in the world. According to The Guardian , this small population is under immense pressure from illegal logging, forest fires, and increasing encroachment into the remaining forests.
    |
The isolated life of the Awá tribe in the eastern Amazon, in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. |
For the Awá people, the forest is not just their home, but the foundation of their entire life. Survival International, an international organization dedicated to protecting the rights of indigenous communities, describes them as living in small groups, directly dependent on the forest for hunting, gathering, transportation, and raising their children.
Some untouched Awá groups still live nomadic or semi-nomadic lives in the forest, avoiding outsiders due to the risk of violence and disease. Their almost absolute dependence on the forest means that any changes in the ecosystem directly impact their livelihoods and survival.
However, viewing the Awá people solely through the lens of poverty, a wild lifestyle, or the threat of extinction would fail to provide a complete picture of this community.
According to National Geographic , despite the surrounding threats, the Awá people are also reflected in their daily lives with morning river baths, children playing with pet monkeys, moments of relaxation by the water's edge, and a community life closely intertwined with nature.
 |
Some young Awá people know how to use and carry smartphones. |
Furthermore, the documents even indicate that young Awá people carry and use smartphones. This detail suggests that they are not entirely isolated from the modern world as many people believe.
However, the presence of smartphones does not mean that the Awá people have left their old world. At the core of their community life remains a close connection to the forest, with hunting, migration, livestock, and small-scale communal activities.
Smartphones only reveal that a segment of young Awá people are caught between two worlds: on one side, indigenous traditions maintained for generations, and on the other, the onslaught of modernity.
The biggest challenge facing the Awá people today remains the ever-shrinking forest land. Reuters reports that in areas inhabited by the Awá, indigenous groups and forest rangers face the risk of violence from illegal loggers. The community has few options as their living space shrinks due to exploitation and encroachment. Once the forest is gone, the Awá will lose not only their land, but also their food sources, transportation corridors, and the cultural foundation that has sustained them for generations.
Source: https://znews.vn/bo-toc-song-co-lap-o-amazon-nhung-van-dung-smartphone-post1638297.html
Comment (0)