For ages, the Marubo tribe led a secluded way of life in harmony with nature deep inside the Amazon rainforest. Elon Musk‘s satellite internet service, Starlink, is twisting that traditional lifestyle. The Marubo, with its new connectivity through technology, is suddenly changing and opening up to new horizons, which shakes at the core of its cultural fabric.
Nine months ago, Starlink‘s service-connected the 2,000-member Marubo community along the Ituí River to the internet for the first time. This connection, facilitated by American entrepreneur Allyson Reneau, who donated the necessary antennas, was celebrated as a game-changer.
The ability to communicate with the authorities quickly in case of an emergency and access educational services never available before seemed like being thrown into a room full of windows that opened to alternative worlds for this community that practiced age-old customs, hunting, and fishing, living off the land.
However, with these advantages came some rather unforeseen consequences. The Internet, a double-edged sword, exposed the Marubo to the flip side of the coin in this digital age. Bored with perfecting their survival skills and listening to the elders, young members started to lose themselves in the virtual world. Hunting and fishing began to subside as more time was spent online.
One of the most disturbing changes is the access to explicit content. There are reports where young men have shared pornographic videos in group chats to increase more aggressive sexual behavior in the community. The issue of an addiction to social media also dramatically plagued the community, with the younger members being absorbed in virtual interaction more than they would communicate with their families.
Remote Amazon tribe connects to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet and becomes hooked on porn and social media. PIC.TWITTER.COM/2CL8BA7TMW
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) JUNE 5, 2024
Marubo leaders quickly realized that unchecked access to the internet was having a very negative impact. They had brought in some control measures: internet use would be limited to two hours each morning, five hours each evening, and all day on Sundays. However, concerns for the long-term cultural impact remain high: the generational divide is widening, and preserving their traditions is a high risk.
The Marubo tribe has undergone several cycles of peaks and troughs. Early in the 20th Century, the rubber trade destroyed the community with debts and reduced their ancient way of life to shreds. More recently, many Marubo families have moved to Atalaia do Norte City in pursuit of improved services in education and economic prospects, but only to get stuck in city slums.
The Marubo have a history and rich culture in relations deeply rooted in the environment; they speak the language of the Panoan family and hold distinctive spiritual beliefs. Their cosmology is based on spirits, yové, benevolent, and Kochi, malevolent. Their attachment to nature is profound; it is believed that it runs deep because they consider themselves part of the natural world, not separated from it.
Shamans are vital players in spiritual practices, reciting curing chants and conducting ceremonies to celebrate momentous occasions like the maize harvest. But that tradition is now threatened by modern technology. Tribal elders feared that the rise of the digital world, which had so enthralled the youngest members of their society, would lead to the loss of this knowledge and the weakening of community bonds.
This extends Marubo’s experience with Starlink to provide a progressive reminder of the stages and complexities of introducing present-day technology to isolated communities. The internet has brought many valuable resources and connectivity and introduced elements that question the tribe’s cultural integrity and social structure.
As the Marubo struggle to balance how to benefit from modern connectivity against the backdrop of such a rich heritage, they now navigate their way in this new era. Their journey says it all about how traditional societies can fight rapid technological advancement; hence, integration must be done carefully so that cultural identities are not lost.
The future of the Marubo tribe remains uncertain. They will try to tune their levels of adaptation in the digital epoch while safeguarding their traditions and values. How the introduction of Starlink will affect life among their community is yet to be seen; how they will integrate this powerful tool into their lives without losing the very essence of who they are is also an exciting area that shall be studied.
The Marubo’s journey raises red flags and support for care in introducing modern technologies into traditional base societies. Theirs is a compelling story that underlines the importance of cultural preservation in a fast-moving, interconnected world.
