Before the giant trees in the area were discovered, the Smangus tribe was completely cut off from the outside world. The fact that it is so far removed from "civilization" does nothing but promote an air of mystery about the area and the people who live there, which is why they've earned the nickname "Black Tribe".
As far as modern conveniences go, the tribe has had an interesting history of development. The area didn't have electricity until 1979. Their homes are made mostly of wood or bamboo, in stark contrast to their city counterparts. Making the group even more remote is the fact that the only road to the outside world wasn't even completed until 1995. Before that, the closest road was about 500 meters away from the tribe's main area and people had to carry anything they couldn't make in the village on their backs. Children also had to walk three hours across the valley to go to school.