NEWS – Rare photographs of the Mashco Piro, an uncontacted Indigenous tribe residing in the remote Peruvian Amazon, were published recently.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Largest Uncontacted Tribe: The Mashco Piro are believed to be the largest uncontacted tribe on Earth, with a population exceeding 750 individuals.
• Location: They inhabit the Amazon jungles of the Madre de Dios Region, near the border of Peru with Brazil and Bolivia.
• Historical Context: The tribe is thought to have retreated into the jungle during the Amazon Rubber Boom in the late 1800s, a period marked by significant exploitation and violence against indigenous tribes.
• Current Habitat: They live along the banks of the Las Piedras River in the Alto Purús National Park. During the rainy season, they move to huts constructed in the rainforest.
• Dialect: The Mashco Piro speak a dialect of the Piro language, which is part of their cultural identity and communication.
• Clothing:
  • Minimal Attire: Members of the tribe typically wear very little clothing.
  • Traditional Wear: Both men and women wear a yellowish-brown cloth above the waist and may have matching arm and leg bands.
• Physical Characteristics:
  • Stature and Build: They have a medium stature and an athletic build.
  • Hair: All tribe members have straight black hair, usually worn shoulder-length or longer.
• Hunting and Tools:
  • Weapons: Men are observed carrying bows and arrows, and possibly spears, which they likely use for hunting.
• Contact Restrictions: The Peruvian government has imposed a ban on contact with the Mashco Piro to prevent the spread of diseases to which the tribe has no immunity.