"Modernization"

          While in Brazil, Salgado visited a tribe of indigenous people in Roraima, Brazil. These people lived near an army base that had been constructed near an airstrip, so they had been coming into closer contact with the outside world than ever before. Rather than being nomadic and moving from place to place, the Yanomami built a communal hut and settled down. Instead of making hammocks from forest materials, they trade with the soldiers to get synthetic hammocks. Salgado writes that, "these Indians are becoming beggars on their own land" (Salgado 255).
          While having access to some of the things that come from industrialization, such as better hammocks, is a good thing, being in contact with the outside world has dramatically changed these peoples' way of life. They are no longer nomadic, so they cannot live off the land as they used to and are now dependent on trading with the soldiers. I think that it is tragic that these people have lost a large part of their culture and way of life. Their lives are definitely easier and safer now, but they have lost out on many other important things that life has to offer. Our culture helps us to connect with each other and to find a lot of joy in life.

From page 255

Work Cited

Salgado, Sebastião. Migrations. 1st ed. New York, NY: Aperture Foundation, Inc., 2000. Print.