Internet arrives in tribal villages in Brazil

Friday, July 6, 2007  

The Internet is slowly making its way to remote tribal villages in Brazil.

The government is providing satellite Internet access to 150 remote communities to help tribes communicate and to report illegal logging and ranching. Another federal program is bringing electricity to villages.

Some tribal leaders are welcoming the change. Chief Almir Narayamoga Surui of the Surui Tribe has already made a deal with Google to provide high-quality images of the reservation to help stop illegal logging.

Others believe technology will have a negative impact. "I don't think it's a good thing, because it's a threat to our culture," Alexandre Tsereptse, 74, the leader of a Xavante village, told The Washington Post.

Get the Story:
Awaiting Internet Access, Remote Brazilian Tribes Debate Its Promise, Peril (The Washington Post 7/6)
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