What Happened to the Brazilian Tribe's Men on the Brink of Extinction After Getting Internet Access?

The Marubo tribe from Brazil is on the brink of extinction. Now, instead of hunting and fishing, the tribe's men prefer to lie in hammocks playing shooting games on smartphones. The tribe has lived for centuries in isolated jungles along the Ituí River, a tributary of the Amazon. Nine months ago, a Starlink satellite internet system was installed in their village, which has a population of around 2,000.

Initially, the Marubo were excited, as they could quickly call for rescue workers and doctors, as well as connect with relatives who had moved to cities. However, elders are now raising alarms. Young men have started to become lazy, spending half their day on smartphones in hammocks.

“When the internet came, everyone was happy. But now everything has gotten worse. Young people have become lazy because of the internet; they are adopting the customs of white people,” said 73-year-old elder Tsainama Marubo in an interview with The New York Times.

The Marubo are a pure tribe that even disapproves of public displays of affection, but Alfredo Marubo (all Marubo share the same surname) expressed concern about the arrival of systems that provide ultra-fast internet in remote corners of the planet, as they can completely change the standards of decency. Alfredo noted that many young men from the Marubo tribe have become addicted to pornography. He also stated the men have been drawn into playing online shooting games on their smartphones.

As a result, the elders have imposed restrictions on internet use—no more than two hours in the morning and five in the evening. “If you don’t hunt, don’t catch fish, and don’t grow plants, you will have nothing to eat,” the elder warned.