New Images Show Indigenous Tribe in Brazilian Amazon Rainforest

rondônia - Recently surfaced photos reveal the previously unseen, 'flourishing' indigenous community Massaco living in the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, near the border with Bolivia.

The photos were captured by an automatic camera placed in the Amazon Rainforest in 2019 by the Brazilian National Indigenous Peoples Foundation (FUNAI). The images portray the isolated life of the community in the Brazilian state of Rondônia.

According to FUNAI, the 'flourishing' community is thriving despite pressure from farmers and illegal occupation of many areas in the forest. The tribe is estimated to consist of around 200 to 300 people, a number that has doubled since the 1990s, as reported by FUNAI.

FUNAI has been studying and protecting the tribe for over 30 years. 'Yet there is much that we still do not know,' said Altair Algayer from the organization to The Guardian. The tribe was named after the river ('Rio') Massaco flowing through their territory. Their own name, language, social structure, and beliefs remain a mystery.

It is known that the tribe keeps unwanted visitors at bay by placing wooden spikes that can pierce their feet. The Massaco are also highly skilled with bows and arrows.

According to FUNAI, these images serve as evidence that the indigenous population of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest, despite being greatly reduced due to years of occupation and ecological destruction, displays remarkable resilience.