Latest news with #hunter-gatherers
News.com.au
07-06-2025
- Science
- News.com.au
6000 year old skeletons with no connection to modern humans found in Colombia
We don't know where they came from. We don't know where they went. The unique DNA of an ancient tribe of hunter-gatherers is adding to the confusion surrounding the source of South America' s first inhabitants. The story of the region's human settlement is already confusing enough. Some argued it was colonised by Stone Age clans crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Africa and the Pacific Ocean from as far away as Australia. But the prevailing argument is that a migration of Clovis peoples out of Siberia followed an Alaskan ice bridge into North America some 20,000 years ago. Scientists have been squabbling over who went where, when, for decades. The modern discipline of genetics can offer answers. And add to the confusion. A new analysis of mitochondrial DNA (inherited from mothers) alongside complete genome data of 21 ancient burials presents a connect-the-dots puzzle of migration spanning millennia. One group, however, stands out. A tribe of hunter-gatherers who settled the Bogotá Altiplano mountains in what is now Colombia were different. But their isolated plateau sits near the exit from the narrow land bridge that linked Central and South America. Anthropologists don't know where they fit. They're not directly related to the ancient North American Clovis peoples. And their genetic heritage is yet to be found in subsequent Native South American populations. They appeared some 6000 years vanished about 2000 years ago. And there's no hint as to why. First arrivals The oldest human remains found in South America are those of 'Luzia', otherwise dubbed 'The First Brazilian'. This 12,000-year-old woman was most likely from among the first wave of settlers to reach the southern continent. DNA shows they were descendants of the Clovis migration – not African or Australian seafarers as previously believed. A second wave of North American tribes arrived around 9000 years ago, and a third some 5000 years later. 'However, a region that has not been investigated through ancient genomics so far is Colombia, the entry point into South America,' the authors of the study, published in the May edition of the journal Science Advances, state. And that's what they sought to address. They examined five archaeological sites across the Bogota Altiplano plateau. Genetic material was extracted from teeth and bones of 21 skeletons dating from 6000 to 500 years old. The researchers argue the oldest remains must have been from a lingering branch of the first migration of humans into South America. But even then, their clan must have been unique. 'We show that the hunter-gatherer population from the Altiplano dated to around 6000 yr B.P. lack the genetic ancestry related to the Clovis-associated Anzick-1 genome and to ancient California Channel Island individuals,' the study finds. 'The analysed Preceramic individuals from Colombia do not share distinct affinity with any ancient or modern-day population from Central and South America studied to date.' Whatever the case, their isolated mountain plateau could have contributed to its longevity. Until it didn't. 'We couldn't find descendants of these early hunter-gatherers of the Colombian high plains — the genes were not passed on,' explains Kim-Louise Krettek of the University of Tubingen. 'That means in the area around Bogotá there was a complete exchange of the population.' Inevitability of change Who were these people? What did they look like? How did they settle in their strange new homeland? By the time the descendants of the Clovis tribes that crossed the Bering Strait out of northern China and Siberia reached South America, 7000 years of genetic mutation and evolution were already well down the path towards creating distinct new communities. The Bogota Altiplano was among them. Then, their mountaintop plateau home likely kept them isolated from external influence. Until strange new people began climbing the slopes 4000 years ago. The march of progress is relentless. The high tableland transitioned from its hunter-gatherer society into an agrarian economy in a process completed within 2000 years. DNA shows the new people came from Central America. Archaeology reveals they brought with them innovations including pottery and planting seeds. 'In addition to technological developments such as ceramics, the people of this second migration probably also brought the Chibchan languages into what is present-day Colombia. Branches of this language family are still spoken in Central America today,' says co-author Andrea Casas-Vargas of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Whether exterminated through war or overwhelmed in numbers, the earlier Bogota Altiplano people vanished. 'The cultural transition between the Preceramic and Herrera periods is associated with a seemingly complete replacement of the local genetic profile,' the study reads. 'That genetic traces of the original population disappear completely is unusual,' adds National University of Colombia study participant Andrea Casas-Vargas.
Malay Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘This is our land': Indonesia's last forest tribe fights for survival as EV nickel rush devours their home
LELILEF SAWAI, May 28 — Sitting deep in east Indonesia's lush jungle, Bokum, one of the country's last isolated hunter-gatherers, has a simple message for the nickel miners threatening his home: 'This is our land.' He belongs to the Hongana Manyawa Indigenous tribe, which includes around 3,000 'contacted' members like him, and another 500 who reject contact with the modern world. Their home on Halmahera Island was once a breathtaking kaleidoscope of nature that provided sanctuary and sustenance. But it is being eaten away by the world's largest nickel mine, as Indonesia exploits vast reserves of the metal used in everything from electric vehicles to stainless steel. 'I'm worried if they keep destroying the forest,' Bokum told AFP in a clearing in central Halmahera. 'We have no idea how to survive without our home and food.' The plight of the Hongana Manyawa, or 'People of the Forest', started gaining attention in Indonesia last year after a video widely shared on Facebook showed emaciated, uncontacted members emerging from their rapidly changing forest home to beg for food. But the remote region — about 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometres) from capital Jakarta — mostly remains far from the public consciousness. AFP travelled into the Halmahera jungle to see how the sprawling Weda Bay Nickel concession has affected the once-pristine tribal lands that the Hongana Manyawa call home. During a three-day, 36-kilometre (22-mile) trek across parts of the 45,000-hectare concession, the mining operation's impacts were starkly clear. Booms from controlled explosions to expose nickel shook birds from trees, while helicopters buzzing overhead shared the skies with green parrots, Moluccan owls, hornbills and giant bees. Tree stumps provided evidence of logging, and off-duty mine guards were seen hunting tropical birds with air guns. Throughout the night, the sound of excavators scratching the topsoil penetrated the thick vegetation, competing with frog calls and the drone of insects. Mud that locals say is stirred up by mining has stained rivers copper, and the water leaves skin irritated. Ngigoro, 62, an elder of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe who left the forest and now lives in a village with his mother. — AFP pic In 22 river crossings, only a few fish were visible. Tribe members say they have mostly disappeared. AFP did not seek to meet uncontacted Hongana Manyawa. Bokum emerged from isolation earlier in his life, but still has very limited contact with the outside world. He and his wife Nawate agreed to meet AFP around 45 minutes from his home deeper in the jungle. But he could not stay long: en route, he spotted miners and wanted to return to ward them off. 'The company workers have been trying to map our territory,' he told AFP, wearing a black cowboy hat, shirt and rolled-up jeans. 'It's our home and we will not give it to them.' 'Prevent their annihilation' Indonesia's constitution enshrines Indigenous land rights, and a 2013 Constitutional Court ruling promised to give local communities greater control of their customary forests. But environmental groups say the law is not well enforced. With no land titles, the Hongana Manyawa have little chance of asserting their claims to stewardship of forest that overlaps with Weda Bay's concession. According to Weda Bay Nickel (WBN), its mine on Indonesia's Maluku islands accounted for 17 percent of global nickel production in 2023, making it the largest in the world. WBN is a joint venture of Indonesia's Antam and Singapore-based Strand Minerals, with shares divided between French mining giant Eramet and Chinese steel major Tsingshan. WBN told AFP it is 'committed to responsible mining and protecting the environment', and trains employees to 'respect local customs and traditions'. It said there is 'no evidence that uncontacted or isolated groups are being impacted by WBN's operations'. This photo taken on April 13, 2025 shows smoke rising from Weda Bay Industrial Park (WBIP), a major nickel processing and smelting hub, forming a manmade cloud in Central Halmahera, North Maluku. — AFP pic Eramet told AFP it has requested permission from WBN's majority shareholders for an independent review of 'engagement protocols' with Hongana Manyawa, expected this year. Further review of how the tribe uses the area's forests and rivers is also underway, it added, though it said there was currently 'no evidence' of members living in isolation in its concession. The Indonesian government, which acknowledges most of the concession was previously protected forest, told AFP otherwise. There is 'recognition of evidence of the existence of isolated tribes around Weda Bay', said the directorate general of coal and minerals at Indonesia's energy ministry. It said it was committed to 'protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and ensuring that mining activities do not damage their lives and environment'. Indigenous rights NGO Survival International said that was Jakarta's first acknowledgement of uncontacted, or 'isolated', Hongana Manyawa in the area. It called the admission a 'hammer blow' to Eramet's claims and said a no-go area to protect the tribe was 'the only way to prevent their annihilation'. Both WBN and Eramet said they work to minimise impact on the environment. Eramet's new CEO will be in Indonesia this week, seeking permission to expand the mine's capacity. Tsingshan and Antam did not respond to AFP requests for comment. Bokum said mining has driven away the wild pigs, deer and fish he once caught for food. Now, he looks for shrimp and frogs in less-affected smaller streams. 'Since the company destroyed our home, our forest, we've been struggling to hunt, to find clean water,' he said in the Indigenous Tobelo language. 'If they keep destroying our forest we cannot drink clean water again.' 'Go away' Nickel is central to Indonesia's growth strategy. It banned ore exports in 2020 to capture more of the value chain. The country is both the world's largest producer, and home to the biggest-known reserves. This aerial photo taken on April 16, 2025 shows a general view of a nickel mining site and the edge of the forest where Bokum, a member of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe, regularly patrols to monitor mining activity in East Halmahera, North Maluku. — AFP pic Mining — dominated by coal and nickel — represented nearly nine per cent of its GDP in the first quarter of 2025, government data shows. Nickel mined in the Halmahera concession is processed at the Weda Bay Industrial Park. Since operations began in 2019, the area has transformed rapidly, into what some call a 'Wild West'. At a checkpoint near the industrial park, men stopped AFP to demand cash and forced their vehicle to move elsewhere, before a local government official intervened. The towns on the mine edge — Lelilef Sawai, Gemaf and Sagea — form a chaotic frontier. Employees in hard hats crisscross muddy roads that back up with rush-hour traffic. Shops catering to labourers line the roadside, along with prostitutes looking for business in front of bed bug-infested hostels. The mining workforce has more than doubled since 2020 to nearly 30,000 people. Locals say these are mostly outsiders whose arrival has sparked tensions and coincided with rising cases of respiratory illness and HIV/AIDS. Smelter towers belch a manmade cloud visible from kilometres away. 'Mining companies have not implemented good practices, have violated human rights and there is rarely any evaluation,' said Adlun Fiqri, spokesman for the Save Sagea campaign group. Inside the jungle, a similar story is playing out, said Hongana Manyawa member Ngigoro, who emerged from the uncontacted as a child. 'Long before the mining, it was really quiet and good to live in the forest,' said the 62-year-old, as he marked his route by slicing pock-marks into trees with his machete. He remains at ease in the forest, using reeds for shade and bamboo shoots to boil water. 'There was no destruction. They were not afraid of anything,' he said. He climbed nimbly down a steep slope by clinging to tree roots before crossing a riverbed peppered with garnierite — green nickel ore. 'This land belongs to the Hongana Manyawa,' he said. 'They existed living in the rainforest before even the state existed. So go away.' That sentiment echoes elsewhere on Halmahera. At least 11 Indigenous people were recently arrested for protesting mining activity in the island's east, Amnesty International said Monday. 'We will not give our consent' Despite their 'contacted' status, Bokum and Nawate have rarely met outsiders. They approached haltingly, with Nawate refusing to speak at all, instead surveying her visitors with a cautious smile. Bokum described moving at least six times to outrun encroaching miners. Bokum and his wife Nawate, members of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe, walking through their cassava field in East Halmahera, North Maluku. — AFP pic NGOs fear the mine operation risks wiping out the tribe. 'They rely entirely on what nature provides for them to survive and as their rainforest is being devastated so too are they,' said Callum Russell, Asia research and advocacy officer at Survival International. 'Any contact with workers in the forest runs the risk of exposing them to deadly diseases to which they have little to no immunity.' The government told AFP it has 'conducted documentation' to understand isolated tribes near Weda Bay, and involved them 'in the decision-making process'. Activists say this is impossible given most of the group do not use modern technology and limit contact with outsiders. Amid growing scrutiny, there have been rumblings of support for the tribe, including from some senior politicians. Tesla, which has signed deals to invest in Indonesian nickel, has mooted no-go zones to protect Indigenous peoples. And Swedish EV company Polestar last year said it would seek to avoid compromising 'uncontacted tribes' in its supply chain. For Bokum however, the problem is already on his doorstep. A 2.5-kilometre-long (1.5 miles) open pit lies just over the hill from a plot where he grows pineapple and cassava. Bokum and Nawate received mobile phones from mine workers—in an unsuccessful attempt to convince them to approve mining operations. They and other tribe members use numerical codes to identify contacts and make calls. They must approach the concession to pick up signal, but when mine workers near his home, Bokum wields his machete to scare them off. 'This is our land. Our home,' he said. 'We will not give our consent to destroy it.' — AFP
Japan Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Nickel rush for stainless steel guts Indonesia tribe's forest home
Sitting deep in east Indonesia's lush jungle, Bokum, one of the country's last isolated hunter-gatherers, has a simple message for the nickel miners threatening his home: "This is our land." He belongs to the Hongana Manyawa Indigenous tribe, which includes around 3,000 "contacted" members like him, and another 500 who reject contact with the modern world. Their home on Halmahera Island was once a breathtaking kaleidoscope of nature that provided sanctuary and sustenance. But it is being eaten away by the world's largest nickel mine, as Indonesia exploits vast reserves of the metal used in everything from electric vehicles to stainless steel. "I'm worried if they keep destroying the forest," Bokum said in a clearing in central Halmahera. "We have no idea how to survive without our home and food." The plight of the Hongana Manyawa, or "People of the Forest," started gaining attention in Indonesia last year after a video widely shared on Facebook showed emaciated, uncontacted members emerging from their rapidly changing forest home to beg for food. But the remote region — about 2,414 kilometers from capital Jakarta — mostly remains far from the public consciousness. AFP traveled into the Halmahera jungle to see how the sprawling Weda Bay Nickel concession has affected the once-pristine tribal lands that the Hongana Manyawa call home. During a three-day, 36-kilometer trek across parts of the 45,000-hectare concession, the mining operation's impacts were starkly clear. Smoke rises from WBIP, a major nickel processing and smelting hub, in Lelilef Sawai, Central Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, on April 18. | AFP-JIJI Booms from controlled explosions to expose nickel shook birds from trees, while helicopters buzzing overhead shared the skies with green parrots, Moluccan owls, hornbills and giant bees. Tree stumps provided evidence of logging, and off-duty mine guards were seen hunting tropical birds with air guns. Throughout the night, the sound of excavators scratching the topsoil penetrated the thick vegetation, competing with frog calls and the drone of insects. Mud that locals say is stirred up by mining has stained rivers copper, and the water leaves the skin irritated. In 22 river crossings, only a few fish were visible. Tribe members say they have mostly disappeared. AFP did not seek to meet uncontacted Hongana Manyawa. Bokum emerged from isolation earlier in his life but still has very limited contact with the outside world. He and his wife Nawate agreed to meet around 45 minutes from his home deeper in the jungle. But he could not stay long: en route, he spotted miners and wanted to return to ward them off. "The company workers have been trying to map our territory," he said, wearing a black cowboy hat, shirt and rolled-up jeans. "It's our home, and we will not give it to them." 'Prevent their annihilation' Indonesia's constitution enshrines Indigenous land rights, and a 2013 Constitutional Court ruling promised to give local communities greater control of their customary forests. But environmental groups say the law is not well enforced. With no land titles, the Hongana Manyawa have little chance of asserting their claims to stewardship of forest that overlaps with Weda Bay's concession. Smoke surrounds WBIP, a major nickel processing and smelting hub, forming a human-made cloud in Gemaf, Central Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, on April 13. | AFP-JIJI According to Weda Bay Nickel (WBN), its mine on Indonesia's Maluku islands accounted for 17% of global nickel production in 2023, making it the largest in the world. WBN is a joint venture of Indonesia's Antam and Singapore-based Strand Minerals, with shares divided between French mining giant Eramet and Chinese steel major Tsingshan. WBN said it is "committed to responsible mining and protecting the environment," and trains employees to "respect local customs and traditions." It said there is "no evidence that uncontacted or isolated groups are being impacted by WBN's operations." Eramet said it has requested permission from WBN's majority shareholders for an independent review of "engagement protocols" with Hongana Manyawa, expected this year. Further review of how the tribe uses the area's forests and rivers is also under way, it added, though it said there was currently "no evidence" of members living in isolation in its concession. The Indonesian government, which acknowledges most of the concession was previously protected forest, said otherwise. There is "recognition of evidence of the existence of isolated tribes around Weda Bay," said the directorate general of coal and minerals at Indonesia's energy ministry. It said it was committed to "protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and ensuring that mining activities do not damage their lives and environment." Indigenous rights nongovernmental organization Survival International said that was Jakarta's first acknowledgement of uncontacted, or "isolated," Hongana Manyawa in the area. It called the admission a "hammer blow" to Eramet's claims and said a no-go area to protect the tribe was "the only way to prevent their annihilation." Both WBN and Eramet said they work to minimize the impact on the environment. Eramet's new CEO will be in Indonesia this week, seeking permission to expand the mine's capacity. Tsingshan and Antam did not respond to requests for comment. A nickel mining site, constructed after forests were cleared, sits next to a river locals say has been contaminated by mining operations in Central Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, on April 14. | AFP-JIJI Bokum said mining has driven away the wild pigs, deer and fish he once caught for food. Now, he looks for shrimp and frogs in less-affected smaller streams. "Since the company destroyed our home, our forest, we've been struggling to hunt, to find clean water," he said in the Indigenous Tobelo language. "If they keep destroying our forest, we cannot drink clean water again." 'Go away' Nickel is central to Indonesia's growth strategy. It banned ore exports in 2020 to capture more of the value chain. The country is both the world's largest producer and home to the biggest-known reserves. Mining — dominated by coal and nickel — represented nearly 9% of its GDP in the first quarter of 2025, government data shows. Nickel mined in the Halmahera concession is processed at the Weda Bay Industrial Park. Since operations began in 2019, the area has transformed rapidly, into what some call a "Wild West." At a checkpoint near the industrial park, men stopped AFP to demand cash and forced their vehicle to move elsewhere, before a local government official intervened. The towns on the mine edge — Lelilef Sawai, Gemaf and Sagea — form a chaotic frontier. Employees in hard hats crisscross muddy roads that back up with rush-hour traffic. Shops catering to laborers line the roadside, along with prostitutes looking for business in front of bed bug-infested hostels. The mining workforce has more than doubled since 2020 to nearly 30,000 people. Locals say these are mostly outsiders whose arrival has sparked tensions and coincided with rising cases of respiratory illness and HIV/AIDS. Smelter towers belch a human-made cloud visible from kilometers away. "Mining companies have not implemented good practices, have violated human rights and there is rarely any evaluation," said Adlun Fiqri, spokesperson for the Save Sagea campaign group. Inside the jungle, a similar story is playing out, said Hongana Manyawa member Ngigoro, who emerged from the uncontacted as a child. "Long before the mining, it was really quiet and good to live in the forest," said the 62-year-old, as he marked his route by slicing pock-marks into trees with his machete. He remains at ease in the forest, using reeds for shade and bamboo shoots to boil water. "There was no destruction. They were not afraid of anything," he said. He climbed nimbly down a steep slope by clinging to tree roots before crossing a riverbed peppered with garnierite — green nickel ore. "This land belongs to the Hongana Manyawa," he said. "They existed living in the rainforest before even the state existed. So go away." That sentiment echoes elsewhere on Halmahera. At least 11 Indigenous people were recently arrested for protesting mining activity in the island's east, Amnesty International said Monday. 'We will not give our consent' Despite their "contacted" status, Bokum and Nawate have rarely met outsiders. They approached haltingly, with Nawate refusing to speak at all, instead surveying her visitors with a cautious smile. Bokum described moving at least six times to outrun encroaching miners. Nongovernmental organizations fear the mine operation risks wiping out the tribe. "They rely entirely on what nature provides for them to survive, and as their rainforest is being devastated, so, too, are they," said Callum Russell, Asia research and advocacy officer at Survival International. "Any contact with workers in the forest runs the risk of exposing them to deadly diseases to which they have little to no immunity." A nickel mining site and the edge of the forest where Bokum, a member of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe, regularly patrols to monitor mining activity in East Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, on April 16. | AFP-JIJI The government said it has "conducted documentation" to understand isolated tribes near Weda Bay, and involved them "in the decision-making process." Activists say this is impossible given most of the group do not use modern technology and limit contact with outsiders. Amid growing scrutiny, there have been rumblings of support for the tribe, including from some senior politicians. Tesla, which has signed deals to invest in Indonesian nickel, has mooted no-go zones to protect Indigenous peoples. And Swedish EV company Polestar last year said it would seek to avoid compromising "uncontacted tribes" in its supply chain. For Bokum however, the problem is already on his doorstep. A 2.5-kilometer-long open pit lies just over the hill from a plot where he grows pineapple and cassava. Bokum and Nawate received mobile phones from mine workers — in an unsuccessful attempt to convince them to approve mining operations. They and other tribe members use numerical codes to identify contacts and make calls. They must approach the concession to pick up signal, but when mine workers near his home, Bokum wields his machete to scare them off. "This is our land. Our home," he said. "We will not give our consent to destroy it."
