We already knew for a long time about Elon Musk's plan for Starlink: thousands of satellites orbiting the planet and providing internet connection around the globe. The intention could be good, but practice has shown that not everything that glitters is gold: the Marubo people of the Amazon have been able to Connect for the first time to the World Wide Web and already have many of the bad modern habits.
Inhabitants of the Javari River basin, the Marubo number about 2,000 people and little is known about their past, which leads to speculation that it is a “fusion” of different towns decimated by gold and rubber seekers. When The Marubo began to connect, everything seemed to be going very well. In such a remote area, which requires several days of arduous walking to reach, instant and effortless communication is life-changing.
For them, they say in an interview, new unknown paths have been opened: job opportunities, the possibility of coordinating with very remote villages, communicating with local authorities…
“Lives have already been saved – Enoque Marubo, one of the first of the tribe to use and promote an Internet connection, explains in the interview. One case involved poisonous snake bites, which need immediate medical treatment. Leaders have been clear: we cannot live without the Internet”.
But very soon the other side of the coin could be seen: the connection to networks opened doors that The Marubo, a society in which kissing in public is taboothey had never suspected.
“When it arrived, everyone was happy – adds Tsainama Marubo, 73 years old – but now things have gotten worse. Young people have their own group chats and exchange explicit images and videos. He worries us that young people want to try everything they see there.”
The Marubo have been using Starlink since September, after an American volunteer bought them some antennas to connect to the satellite network. Now, some members of The tribe fears that the Internet represents an existential threat to their culture.. Young people kill time fiddling with their smartphones and expose themselves to a world that they ignore and that also ignores them. Tsainama Marubo fears that this could mean that the tribe's culture and history, which until now had been passed down orally, will be lost.
“Everyone is so connected that sometimes they don't even talk to their own family – concludes this group leader -. Young people have become lazy because of the Internet. They are learning the customs of the white people. But please don't take away the Internet from us”. Without a doubt it is a network that connects, yes, but also traps.