The number of tribes of the Peruvian Amazon is something that no one knows for sure.  What we do know form years of research by anthropologists and native rights groups is that perhaps thousands of these tribesmen thrive in the very remote areas of the Amazon River Basin located in South America.  Although the estimate is somewhere in the thousands, this too remains a mystery since finding the exact answer means someone would have to go deep into the isolated area of the Amazon, which creates serious challenges and potential danger.

Interestingly, Brazil is believed to be the one part of South America where large populations of natives live although they too prefer to remain isolated away from the real world.  In fact, many of these groups are literally untouched by the outside world.  While the natives are aware of the outside world with technology, transportation, and modern living, they choose to ignore it, preferring their rugged ways and isolation, something most of us do not understand.

The tribes of the Peruvian Amazon for instance are actually very skilled people, able to hunt, fish, and be alerted to danger.  In addition, these tribesmen have developed a system for taking care of the sick by using plants and their medicinal properties.  However, because these people live in such remote and rough conditions, they have been plagued by disease and death for years.

Initial contact with the tribes of the Peruvian Amazon was first made in the 16^th century.  Unfortunately, this meant that the native’s communities were hit hard, causing thousands to vanish.  In 1836, a US inventor by the name of Charles Goodyear had discovered a way to keep rubber from melting in hot weather or cracking in cold weather.

In the beginning, rubber was used just for engine seals and bike tires but eventually, it moved to automobiles.  With this, many entrepreneurs made their way to the Amazon to begin the process of harvesting sap from rubber trees.  To help with this harvesting and the labor it took, natives from the Amazon were captured and forced into slavery.  However, for the natives to survive, the escaped and retreated even deeper into the forests where many of them still live today.

In fact, the tribes of the Peruvian Amazon are fighters but in a good way.  They even have rights groups sticking up for them in the movement to have land set aside where they live to protect them from outside developers and other forms of intrusions.  With that, these tribesmen can live their life peacefully and in the manner that they find to be right for them.  While some people need high society and gold, the natives find riches in the natural resources of the Amazon where they live.