ABC Discovers 'Uncontacted Peoples' — Ignores the 'Uncontactable' Ethics of Empire
The story laments threats to these isolated communities, citing illegal logging and mining, as if these are random acts of nature. Conveniently omitted is the historical, ongoing role of Western economic expansion and resource extraction, often enabled by geopolitical arrangements and aid packages. It’s hard to talk about preserving Indigenous land in Brazil when U.S. administrations are
simultaneously greenlighting expansion for logging companies, or quietly backing regimes that prioritize profit over protected territories. One might wonder about the journalistic curiosity (or lack thereof) that allows mainstream outlets to 'discover' these peoples while ignoring the plight of Indigenous communities within the U.S. itself, whose treaty rights are routinely violated for pipelines
and corporate interests. Perhaps focusing on remote tribes offers a comfortable distance, allowing for performative concern without having to confront the structures of power and extraction that funded both historical colonial ventures and today's 'modern' development.