A remote tribe who have been provided with high-speed internet for the first time ever had a pretty surprising reaction.
The Marubo people, living in a remote spot along Brazil's Ituí River, were given access to Elon Musk’s satellite-internet service Starlink.
But the response hasn't been what you would expect.
The Brazilian tribe who live in communal huts have never had access to the internet, until last year.
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But after Musk launched Starlink in Brazil in 2022, the 2,000 member community have been browsing the web for the past nine months.
Their tribesmen took the responsibility to carry two antennas on their backs through the thick and difficult conditions of the Amazon rainforest.
“When it arrived, everyone was happy,” Tsainama Marubo, 73, a member of the tribe, told The New York Times.
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The isolated group has now had access to social media, web browsing, video streaming, all the things we in Western society take for granted.
I mean, what would we do without our phones?
However, despite all of its advantages, the tribeswoman thinks the internet is making her people 'lazy'.
“But now, things have gotten worse," she said.
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“Young people have gotten lazy because of the internet.
“They’re learning the ways of the white people.
“But please don’t take our internet away.”
On the one hand, father-of-three, Kâipa Marubo, was grateful for the educational benefits of having internet access.
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On the other hand, he was concerned by the first-person-shooter video games his children have started playing.
“I’m worried that they’re suddenly going to want to mimic them,” he said
Marubo leader Enoque Marubo, 40, explained: "It changed the routine so much that it was detrimental.
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"In the village, if you don’t hunt, fish and plant, you don’t eat."
Alfredo Marubo, leader of a Marubo association of villages, also expressed concern over adult film content available on social media apps, saying he's worried young people are 'going to want to try' the graphic sex depicted in internet porn.
But, most importantly, it means the tribe can reach out for help much quicker in emergencies, having previously relied on amateur radio relayed between several villages before reaching authorities.
Helicopters can now rapidly rescue people bitten by venomous snakes, for instance.
"I think the internet will bring us much more benefit than harm," Enoque said. "At least for now.
"The leaders have been clear. We can't live without the internet.
"It's already saved lives."
Topics: Elon Musk, World News
Anish Vij