In the video, the NELK Boys are seen meeting members of the isolated tribe with adventurer Forrest Galante, who cautioned that the tribe might regard the visitors as a ‘war party’.
The group set out for a Pacific island near Fiji to begin their journey and soon faced potential conflict as tribal members approached with bows and arrows.
After receiving the chief’s permission, the YouTubers explored the community’s customs and lifestyle, participating in activities like hunting and sampling local cuisine.
Near the video’s conclusion, the NELK Boys offered the chief a bottle of bourbon, which was then shared among the tribe. They also presented packs of cigarettes, remarking: “Watch if they find out about vapes.”
The team introduced a cherry apple vape pen to the tribe, with one of the creators commenting: “He’s about to get hooked on them.”
They further demonstrated how to use vapes and encouraged the tribe to try snus, a smokeless tobacco product delivering nicotine without smoke.
Following the video’s release, the creators faced backlash from critics who disapproved of them offering new substances to the tribe.
Viewers accused the YouTubers of ‘polluting their authenticity’ and described scenes as ‘sickening’, as clips circulated on Twitter.
“This is messed-up,” wrote one viewer, while another commented: “That was a trashy move.”
“Tribal communities are surprisingly healthy, and many live long lives. Introducing them to harmful products is not beneficial,” another critic noted.
One viewer remarked, “You’re corrupting the tribe,” while others praised the video as one of their ‘favorites’ from the NELK Boys and suggested it appeared ‘staged’.