I can imagine how crazy that would be if they saw one.
You can literally read up on ancient peopleβs myths, deities, etc. that are build around eclipses, or even just the sun itself.
That being said. A lot of uncontacted tribes are not completely oblivious to the outside world because they are by proxy in contact through other tribes that are contacted, exchanging knowledge.
Unless the tribe was formed this year, theyβve probably seen them before.
Good point. Total eclipses, however, are very rare, occurring at a given location on the Earth only once every 400 years (or so). Given how small a range any modern uncontacted tribe would be, itβs unlikely that anyone but their remote ancestors experienced a total eclipse. And thereβs a massive, inexplicable difference between a 99% eclipse and a total eclipse. A 99% eclipse briefly makes things darker, a total eclipse changes reality; the visual effects of what you see are disorienting, at best.
So: yes, uncontacted tribes may have seen the sun get briefly dimmer. But even in more βmodernβ cultures, total eclipses have been cause for hysteria and panic. And maybe thatβs the best answer to OPβs question: take a look at recorded history, e.g. Ephraim Miller and the total eclipse that passed over Texas in 1878.
They probably have oral histories about them, as most cultures did before developing or adopting astronomy.
They probably do get nervous. One of my favorite eclipse stories to read about is in Guna tradition in indigenous central America, where albinos, who are all said to descend from a single Zoroaster-like sage, are said to be imbued with magic powers from birth because theyβre seen as being born of the moon. And when a solar eclipse happens, itβs up to them to decide if the Earth is worth saving from the dragon thatβs eating the sun. The tradition lives on enough that almost half the population is albino as their popularity there was self-boosted in ancient times.
I wonder if this is the inspiration of the moon arc from Avatar.
Iβll go to North Sentinel Island and ask them. They seem chill.
