Bruce, the Matis and their enemies
by Matthew
A Matis boy carefully wields an implement.
© Fiona Watson/Survival
Another Monday brings another trek with Bruce Parry on his way down the Amazon river on BBC2’s stunning Amazon.
Bruce visits more tribal peoples in Brazil and meets the illegal loggers who are amongst their biggest threat. He catches up with the Matís, who appeared on his earlier series Tribe.
The Matís, a tiny tribe of just 300 people, live in the Javari valley in one of the remotest parts of the Brazilian Amazon, where at least six uncontacted tribes also live.
After first contact in the 1970s, more than half the Matís died, mainly from colds, flu and other respiratory infections. Their health remains the most urgent threat to them today.
A massive 90% of the Indians in their region suffered from malaria just two years ago, while 85% of them had contact with hepatitis A. The Matís are now staring an epidemic in the face.
Survival campaigner Fiona Watson speaks about the Matis in the following video.
If you miss the programme, you can catch it again on the BBC’s iPlayer up to 27 days after it shows.
To experience a different side of the journey, get the album by Bruce alongside stars of the music world, like Johnny Borrell, KT Tunstall and Will.i.am. Amazon/Tribe – Songs for Survival includes tracks with tribal samples from his trip and is a fundraiser for Survival.