Despite legal protections designed to prevent contact with uncontacted tribes, some missionary groups continue with unauthorized visits and the deployment of discreet technological tools to share their faith, according to a report from The Guardian.
A solar-powered audio device carrying messages from the Bible and sermons in Portuguese and Spanish was recently discovered with Maya, the Korubo community matriarch in the Javari Valley. The Korubo made their initial voluntary contact with Brazil’s Indigenous agency, Funai, in 1996, yet challenges from outside influences remain, particularly health risks from diseases introduced following contact, which continue to impact the community decades later.
The audio device plays sermons, including reflections such as: “God is a God of love... I would like to remind you of something important—death and being accepted by God.”
Organizations like New Tribes Mission and Youth With A Mission (YWAM) have a long history of activity in the area. In Touch Ministries, a U.S.-based group, confirmed it distributes this “Messenger” device to remote Indigenous populations. While their COO, Seth Grey, stated they avoid deploying these devices in restricted regions, he acknowledged that other groups may not adhere to such restrictions. Their range of products includes USB drives and microSD cards designed for discreet use.
“We heard about a case in the late 1980s where a missionary from the New Tribes Mission approached and made contact with the Korubo people. There are even photos of this. What we know is that he managed to leave before being beaten,” said Fabrício Amorim, former Funai coordinator in the Javari Valley.
“During my time as coordinator, we had no record of any missionary attempts in the Korubo villages. Now, there is no doubt they’re planning new incursions,” Amorim said.
In June, Nelly Marubo, a Funai regional coordinator, encountered a man named Samuel Severino da Silva Neto constructing a church in the Flores village within Indigenous territory.
Marubo suspects his intention was to reach an isolated group living along Maia Creek—people who have avoided contact since the 1970s. Severino, who lacked official authorization, denied being a missionary and did not respond to follow-up inquiries.
