Examples Of Assimilation By Joshua Hummer

Main Argument and Thesis
The main point of the article is that while many groups of Indians might have assimilated to the modern world, there are still Indians who have been living the way that their ancestors have for thousands of years, desperately avoiding assimilation.

Supporting Evidence
The author, Joshua Hummer, supports the main idea through providing details of an expedition to find suspected isolated tribes within the Amazon, and then offering more background to the reader. After Hummer explains the initial spotting of the Yuri and the Passé, he continues to provide more information about the history of the tribes and other Indian groups in the Amazon region. Hummer also offers examples of the difficulties forced upon indigenous peoples by the modern world. These accounts add an element of uniqueness to the status of the Yuri and the Passé, but also suggest that assimilation might be an unwelcome reality for the tribes.

Brief Summary
A group of researchers, including an expert, a photographer, and a pilot, set off from Colombia to explore the possibility of several groups of isolated Indians in the Amazon region.
Though the group was not expecting to discover much, they were able to find several maloca, later determined to belong to the Yuri and the Passé tribes. Following citing the discovery, Hummer provides more information about the Yuri and the Passé through detailing information related to their past history and contrasting the tribes with other Indian groups. Hummer goes on to explain that he believes that although these tribes have managed to maintain their heritage and culture so far, assimilation is hard to resist. The author furthers his argument by suggesting that the Yuri and the Passé are bound to experience the prevalent poverty, alcoholism, and unemployment that are frequent consequences of
assimilation.

Critique/Reflection
I found this article to be quite difficult to read though. Compared to other article we have read, I found this article seemed more like a history textbook article and less like a pointed story or memory. As I was reading and considered what was hindering my interest and comprehension, I realized the importance of solid structure and vivid details in the papers we produce for class. I now feel as though I better understand how writing style and mechanics really can impact the overall effectiveness of a piece. Based on the information within the article, I was surprised to read that Indian tribes have been able to resist assimilation to the modern world, especially after the atrocities that many have faced. I found this to be empowering, as it shows that these Indian tribes are so passionate about their culture and lifestyle that they are doing what they can to prevent the modern world taking it away from them. I am somewhat offended by the title of the article, as referring to these tribes as “lost” signifies that they need to be found.