In a statement, Funai said it was with “boundless sorrow” that the unnamed man, who was better known as the “Hole Man”, was found dead in a hammock outside his hut on August 23. He earned the nickname “Man of the Hole” because he is believed to have spent many hours hiding or sheltering in holes he dug in the earth, the Guardian reported.
Read more: Fake psychics helped woman steal $180 million in art from elderly mom, police say
Man of the Hole’s death is believed to be of natural causes, Funai said. The Guardian said the hole man, who was in his 60s, had placed brightly colored feathers around his body in the hammock. Officials now believe this is because the man prepared himself for his death. Story continues below ad He lived in isolation for about 26 years in the Tanaru Indigenous Territory in the state of Rondônia, which borders Bolivia. He was the sole survivor of his community, whose nationality is unknown. According to the BBC, the remaining six members of the man’s tribe were killed in 1995. The Hole Man has lived in solitude ever since. The majority of the breed is believed to have been killed by ranchers looking for land in the 1970s. Funai has been following the Man of the Hole since 1996, although very little is known about him. Trending Stories
An investigation is underway amid reports of poisoning at a Markham, Ont., restaurant ‘They had so much life ahead of them’: Barry mourns 6 young adults killed in crash
During his lifetime, he resisted all attempts to contact him. He was even known to set traps and shoot arrows at anyone who approached his territory. Police are investigating his death, although there are no signs of trespassing on his property, and nothing in his hut had been occupied or disturbed. His body will undergo a forensic examination by the federal police, according to Funai. Story continues below ad Survival International, an indigenous rights group, tweeted about Man of the Hole’s death, writing that “the genocide of his people is complete.” He endured terrible violence in which all his relatives were killed. He lived completely alone for many years, resisting all attempts at contact. Now he is dead and the genocide of his people is complete. — Survival International (@Survival) August 28, 2022
Read more: Monkeys in Brazil under attack amid growing monkeypox fears and outbreaks
There are at least 30 indigenous groups likely living in the Brazilian jungles, according to multiple sources. Land invasions and resource theft on indigenous territory have tripled since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019. In 2021, 305 invasions of indigenous land occurred in 22 Brazilian states, compared to just 109 the previous year year. Story continues below ad Bolsonaro has made calls for the development of indigenous lands in Brazil, arguing that any natural resources there should be used to benefit Brazil’s economic prosperity. Brazilian indigenous rights groups have now called for the Man of the Hole’s land to be preserved for archaeological and anthropological study in the area. The preservation, according to the organizations, would be to “remind everyone of the tragedy of the indigenous genocide — so that it never happens again.” 1:27 Authorities in Brazil arrest man believed to be last surviving member of isolated indigenous tribe Authorities in Brazil arrest man believed to be last surviving member of isolated indigenous tribe – July 20, 2018 © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
