This remarkable footage shows a man who is believed to be the last known survivor of a murdered Amazonian tribe. Filmed in the Brazilian state of Rondonia, it shows a man believed to be in his 50s eking out an existence 22 years after his tribe was murdered by farmers. He is known as ‘the indigenous man in the hole’ and was filmed by government officials. Altair Algayer, from indigenous agency Funai, told The Guardian: ‘I understand his decision. It is his sign of resistance, and a little repudiation, hate, knowing the story he went through.’
He was first discovered by experts in 1996, a year after farmers and land grabbers are thought to have killed the other five members of the tribe. However, he does not want to have anything to do with mainstream society. At the centre of his patch of forest he has a hut made out of wood from the trees that surround him and he has his own papaya and corn plantation. He uses a bow and arrow to spend his time hunting pigs, monkeys and birds.
The man in the hole
Members of the research and conservation group have been monitoring his behaviour since 1996, but he has only been seen on film once before now- in a Brazilian documentary called Corumbiara shot in 1998. They regularly check to see he is still alive and often find him building holes in the earth, which is how he got his nickname, – to trap animals or hide in himself. He spends time felling trees, hunting animals to eat and walks around half-naked covered only by a loin cloth. His 8,070 hectare estate is surrounded by ranches on all sides and Survival International say it is ‘extraordinary’ he has been able to keep himself cut off from mainstream society for so long, given land grabbers and farmers are keen on his jungle land. They have helped expand his land and lay down handmade weapons for him to use. It is believed there are 113 uncontacted tribes in the Brazilian Amazon with 27 confirmed sightings
Metro