Unforgettable incident

The air was unusually warm and humid when Jane and I took the first step out of the jeep. Sunlight filtered through the thick forest canopy. We started our research with no clues, but as explorers, our natural instinct guided us through the monstrous overgrowth. It was as though something was calling out for us, from deep within the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Follow your intuition, as Jane, my partner had always said. So we pressed on, venturing into the unknown.
It took an eternity before the both of us finally stumbled upon a muddy trail of footprints, signs of human activity. I was staring blankly at the river ahead when Jane’s pair of sharp eyes caught something. A distance away, what seems like a human figure was darting across the jungle with a net filled with fish. Without delay, Jane and I followed the man from behind, making sure we stayed out of earshot. Slowly and painfully, we struggled to keep up, the endless dangling vines and low branches hindering our every move.
I was close to collapsing due to the unbearable heat and humidity when Jane let out a cry of excitement. I turned my head. Almost instantly, my overwhelming exhaustion was overtaken by indescribable joy as the tribe’s settlement came into sight. Then I felt a pair of heavy hands failing on my shoulders. I froze. At that point, my mind went blank when two huge guards forcefully dragged us to the largest tribe hut. Trouble. We though. Deep trouble.
To my surprise, the tribe leader welcomed our arrival warmly. Unable to communicate verbally, the three of us resorted to hand signs.
“We come in peace,” we gestured, careful not to offend the leader.
The man, tall and dark, replied with a creepy, broad smile. Nodding approvingly, he struck the ground hard with his solid-looking staff thrice, gathering the entire tribe. The tribe leader announced something before the crowd cheered and yelled. This is peculiar. I though. Looking at how the tribe was dressed and listening to how the leader