Marubo Tribe Sues The New York Times Over Defamation.
The Marubo tribe, an Indigenous group living deep in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, is taking on three major U.S. media outlets in a $540 million defamation lawsuit, accusing them of publishing false and degrading claims about their people.
The Marubo live on the upper course of the Curuçá and Ituí rivers, in the Javari basin, within the Amazonian municipality of Atalaia do Norte.
The region is remote and mountainous, with forested ridges and small hills stretching through the tropical rainforest.
Their home is one of the most isolated parts of the world, and until recently, almost entirely disconnected from modern infrastructure.
In 2023, that began to change when the tribe gained access to Starlink internet…
“That’s Not Our Story”
The Marubo live in the Javari Valley, one of the most isolated regions in the world. When they connected to the internet in 2023, they hoped to use it for emergency health communication, educational support, and staying in contact with extended family members.
Instead, what followed was a media firestorm that they say twisted their reality. Tribal leaders say the reporting was reckless, exaggerated, and left lasting damage on how their community is viewed around the world.
“They didn’t ask us anything. They didn’t try to understand,” said a tribal elder in a statement. “They just judged us.”
The lawsuit accuses the outlets of relying on unverified sources and promoting harmful stereotypes.
The Marubo are seeking $180 million in damages from each defendant.
From Tech Hope to Media Blowback
After gaining access to Starlink internet in 2023, Marubo leaders, alongside Brazilian journalist and sociologist Flora Dutra, who helped organize the installation, worked to ensure the rollout was safe and culturally respectful.
Enoque Marubo, a prominent tribal leader and co-plaintiff in the lawsuit, helped craft internal policies to guide how the internet would be used in the village.
Together, they implemented usage hours, led digital literacy sessions, and kept the focus on preserving Marubo culture while cautiously embracing technology.
Still, media outlets latched onto a more sensational narrative, ignoring the Marubo’s planning and portraying them as overwhelmed by explicit online content.
“That article made us look like a joke,” said a youth leader. “But we were careful. We respected the internet, we just wanted to be part of the modern world on our own terms.”
A Case That Could Make Legal History
It’s rare for an Amazonian tribe to take legal action against major international media, but the Marubo say enough is enough.
“They want justice, not fame,” said Ana Paula Muniz, a Brazilian lawyer working on Indigenous media rights. “And they want the world to understand that Indigenous people have dignity, boundaries, and voices of their own.”
Legal experts say the lawsuit could spark new conversations about how Indigenous communities are represented in global journalism and what happens when those stories go wrong.
Who Are the Marubo? 5 Things You Didn’t Know
As the legal battle unfolds, many are discovering the rich and unique culture of the Marubo people. Here are some of the most fascinating things about them:
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Matrilineal Society: In Marubo culture, lineage and property pass through the mother’s line—not the father’s.
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Anaconda Spirits: Their mythology centers around “yube,” sacred anaconda beings that link the physical and spiritual world.
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Belt Code Messaging: Long before cell phones, the Marubo sent messages between villages using hand-woven belts with visual codes.
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Oral Tradition: Their language has no writing system. Every law, story, and teaching is passed down by word of mouth.
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Jungle Medicine: Marubo shamans have deep knowledge of Amazonian plants—some with properties scientists are only beginning to study.
So far, The New York Times, TMZ, and Yahoo haven’t issued any public statements in response to the lawsuit.
“We are not a story for someone else to write,” said one Marubo elder. “We are our own story. And this time, we are the ones telling it.”
7 Interesting Facts About the Marubo Tribe
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They Used Woven Belts to Send Messages
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Before phones or radios, the Marubo created woven belts with symbolic patterns that messengers would carry between villages. Each design conveyed specific messages—an early form of visual communication.
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They’re Matrilineal
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In Marubo society, lineage and inheritance are passed down through the mother’s side. Children are considered part of their mother’s clan, not their father’s—a rare structure in the Amazon.
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They Believe in Sacred Anaconda Spirits (Yube)
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Central to Marubo mythology are powerful serpent spirits called Yube, often represented as giant anacondas. These beings are believed to connect the tribe to the spiritual and natural world.
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No Written Language – Everything is Oral
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The Marubo language is completely oral. Tribal knowledge, laws, and stories are passed down through generations by storytelling, chants, and ritual performance, no alphabet, no writing system.
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Shamans Are Jungle Pharmacists
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Marubo shamans are deeply knowledgeable about Amazonian plant medicine. Some of the herbs and treatments they use are being studied by modern scientists for their potential medical applications.
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They Live in Massive Communal Longhouses
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Entire extended families live under one roof in traditional longhouses called malocas. These large structures are made from local materials and function as both homes and ceremonial centers.
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Music Is a Sacred Language
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Music and chanting are vital to Marubo ceremonies, especially during healing rituals and storytelling. Traditional flutes, drums, and voices carry spiritual meaning, not just entertainment.
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