Joan Riera Joan Riera - Last Places

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INDIA

The Hindu ceremony Ganga Aarti

The Ganga Aarti is a Hindu ceremony held at dusk on the steps or ghats of cities such as Varanasi. The Ganga Aarti is a symbolic tribute to the power and sanctity of the Ganges River, which is considered the manifestation of the goddess Ganga, mother, purifier and protector of life.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

The syncretic bwiti religion

Bwiti is a cult or spiritual movement practiced by the Fang tribe of Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Gabon, as well as other ethnic groups such as the Punu and Mitsogo. The bwiti would be that which allows a person to obtain freedom from it. The bwiti incorporates animism, ancestor worship, and, in some cases, Christianity into a syncretic belief system.

INDIA

The Bonda people, inhabitants of the remote hills of Orissa

The Bonda people of India are a fascinating group with a rich cultural tradition and a deep connection to their natural environment. Their way of life, aesthetics and religious practices offer a unique window into one of the oldest and most resilient tribal cultures of the Indian subcontinent.

ETHIOPIA

The Mursi tribe, struggling to survive in a changing world

The Mursi are fighting because their lifestyle is under threat and they are suffering abuse by the dominant society. Despite the constant pressure, most Mursi are adapting to the new situation. That is a characteristic of the Human species: to survive or die. The Mursi want to continue living.

INDIA

The Baiga, inhabitants of Indian forests

The Baiga are a forest-dwelling indigenous tribal community in eight states of central India. In the local mythologies, they are often recognized as the original inhabitants of the Earth. They lived in intimacy with the elements of nature, and even at present, their everyday lives and livelihoods continue to be closely intertwined with their forest.

NIGERIA

The Dukkawa people of Nigeria: tattoo artists and architects

Today, the Dukkawa that we visit during the trips continue to file their teeth and, only in remote communities, facial and body tattoo is still being practiced.

D. R. CONGO & R. CONGO

Sapeurs, urban fashionistas

According to historians, the Sapeurs dressing code comes from Bakongo employees working for European colonists. During the weekends, they imitated their masters by using European-style clothing.

MADAGASCAR

The Mikea people, inhabitants of the thorny forest

The large island of Madagascar is associated with floral endemisms and rare species of arboreal mammals, such as the famous lemurs. Last Places' vocation to explore the lesser-known areas of countries' ethnography has led us to design an alternative trip to Madagascar, focused on its tribes, such as the Mikea people.

AFGHANISTAN

The Hazara people, the Mongoloids who came from the east

With more than 6 million souls, the Hazara tribe is the third-largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. Most of the Hazara live in what is known as Hazarajat, in central Afghanistan. They are also found in Kabul and in Quetta, in neighboring Pakistan.

ANGOLA

The Gambue tribe of Angola, the people in cultural transition

The Gambue tribe has the tradition of wearing beaded clay necklaces and shaping their hair into complex forms to show their marital status. Nowadays, the Gambue can only be found in remote villages and only in the older generations can traditional tribal clothing be seen,

IVORY COAST

The Baule people, masters of masks, pottery and fabric

The Baule people (also known as Baoulé) are an Akan group representing one of the largest ethnic groups on the Ivory Coast, made up of about 4,085,000 people. They live in a triangle-shaped region (the Baoule “V”) between the Bandama, N'Zi and Komoé Rivers.

CAMEROON

The Baka people of Cameroon, the inhabitants of the rainforest

The Baka people (Aka is the term used to designate themselves) are a seminomadic ethnic group inhabiting the Central African rainforests. The Baka have a deep relationship with their environment. For the Baka people, the forest is living and communicates with them. The foundation of the Baka is to live in harmony with nature.

BENIN

The Ije tribe of Benin, tattoo masters

The Ije tribe of Benin, also known as Ohori or Holi, are a subgroup of the Yoruba people. This ethnic group live in the South-eastern Benin, in the surroundings of Onigboló, in between Pobe and Ketou. Ije women have a distinctive way of self-fashioning; displayed in hairstyles, dressing and body decorations such as scarifications and tattoos.

Nigeria

The Igbo people of Nigeria, founders of Biafra

The Igbo people are an ethnic group native to the central and southeastern Nigeria. Geographically, the Igbo homeland is divided into two unequal sections by the Niger River. The Igbo people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa.

Bangladesh

The resilient Tripura people from the Chittagong Hills of Bangladesh

In the hills of Chittagong, close to the Myanmar border, we find what we at Last Places like to describe as an “island of resistance”. There live the Tripura people, a small animist and Hindu ethnic group made up of about 60,000 people. This ethnic group proudly clings to its own customs, regardless of who rules Bangladesh.

Cameroon

The Dowayo people of Cameroon, worshipers of skulls

About 18,000 members make up the unknown Dowayo or Namchi people of Cameroon, who live around the city of Poli in the northern region of the country. The English anthropologist Nigel Barley put them on the map by describing their rites and customs in the novel 'Innocent Anthropologist' (1983).

Afghanistan

The Kochi people, the last nomadic tribe of Afghanistan

About a million and a half people make up the Kochi or Kuchi people, the last nomadic tribe living between central and southern Afghanistan. About 60% of them continue to lead a nomadic lifestyle. The instability of the country during the last 30 years and the recurring droughts are modifying the customs of the Kochi, who increasingly choose to settle in permanent places.

NIGERIA

The Hausa people of Nigeria: ornate architecture, Durbar Festival and Hyena Men

The Hausa people of Nigeria are one of the largest ethnic groups in all of Africa. Mainly, they are found in the Sahel region of northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger.

CHAD

The colorful Gerewol Festival of the Mbororo tribe

During the month of October, the Mbororo or Wodaabe nomads gather in the region near N'Djamena, the capital of Chad. This event consists of a large annual courtship ceremony, which lasts several days. Its objective is that the mbororo women choose their partner. In addition, this meeting serves to unify and unite the clans.

IVORY COAST

The power of the Anyi tribe Komian priestesses of the Ivory Coast

The Anyi tribe of the Ivory Coast use the word ‘Komian’ to refer to those people, mainly women, who have been initiated to communicate with the world of spirits. According to tradition, the Anyi tribe Komian priestesses of the Ivory Coast also play the role of healers, resolve conflicts and enthrone the king or tribal chief.

ANGOLA

The Hakaona tribe of Angola, “the black Himba”

They are mainly goat shepherds, their heads of cattle being a marker of social status. They tend to take charge of the herds of the Himba as a sign of social submission. The Hakaona men are renowned traditional doctors and the women are valued as excellent craftswoman. The women wear a striking headdress and they usually removed some of the lower teeths.

Pakistan

The Gypsies or Khana Badosh of Pakistan, the landless people

Gypsies or Khana Badosh often set up their mobile camps on the outskirts of big cities like Peshawar, Lahore and Sukur. They are considered great artisans for their skills in weaving and making metal jewelry. They are also excellent dancers and musicians.

ERITREA

Asmara, testimony of Modernist architecture in Eritrea

Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017, as it constitutes "an exceptional testimony of early 20th century modernist architecture and its application in an African context."

D. R. CONGO

The Walé women of the D. R. of Congo

After being mothers for the first time, the young women of the Ntombe and Ngombe tribes (originating from the region of Ecuador in the D. R. of Congo) become Walé (women who breastfeed) and begin a life of seclusion in which they will spend several years dedicating themselves exclusively to the care of their children.

VENEZUELA

The Yanomami tribe, defenders of the Amazonia in Venezuela

The Yanomami make up the largest relatively isolated indigenous people in South America, numbering 38,000. They live in the jungles and mountains of northern Brazil and southern Venezuela. These two areas together form the largest jungle indigenous territory in the world. In Venezuela, the Yanomami live in the Alto Orinoco-Casiquiare Biosphere Reserve.

ERITREA

The Rashaida tribe, the most conservative tribe in Eritrea

Some 80,000 Rashaida or Bani Rashids live along the desert coast of Eritrea. They are dedicated to the grazing and commercialization of dromedaries, as well as to the general trade with Arab countries. The Rashaida tribe arrived on the coasts of Eritrea and Sudan a century ago from Saudi Arabia. The reason for their displacement was tribal wars and the Ottoman pressure.

Uganda

The Batwa tribe, the oldest in Uganda

The Batwa or Twa tribe lives in the jungle hills between Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the D.R. of the Congo. Until the 1960s, most Batwas lived by gathering and hunting. Population pressure exerted by the different Bantu ethnic groups, who live in this fertile region of Central Africa, has marginalized the Batwa to remote areas with few resources and has forced them to change their lives almost completely.

Kenya

The Pokot of Kenya, the Lake Baringo tribe

The Pokot are a semi-nomadic tribe living near Lake Baringo in Kenya. The decorative arts, and especially body decoration, are highly prized among the Pokot. Most of the Pokot still follow their traditional religion. Ceremonies mark transitions in the social life of the Pokot. The most important is the rite of passage of circumcision for boys and clitoridectomy for girls.

Gulf of Guinea

The Yoruba people, the most powerful ethnic group in the Gulf of Guinea

The Yoruba people stand as the dominant ethnic group in the Gulf of Guinea with more than 44 million people, as well as one of the most prominent in Africa. His homeland is in southwestern Nigeria, which is the epicenter of Yoruba culture, and in the adjacent parts of Benin and Togo. This region is known as Yorubaland.

Pakistan

The Kalash people of Pakistan, the last animists of the Hindu Kush

The Kalash are an ethnic group that lives in the Chitral Valleys, in the Hindu Kush mountain range in Pakistan. According to legend, the Kalasha have Caucasian features, fair complexions, and light eyes because they are descendants of Alexander the Great. The Kalash people are noted for their unique culture, animistic rituals, and incredible clothing. They have a strong sense of their identity and fervently defend their culture and religion.

ANGOLA

The Ngendelengo of Angola, the forest tribe

The Ngendelengo inhabit the Serra da Chela mountains in southwestern Angola. They are semi-nomadic subsistence herders, hunters and farmers. Living in a forested environment has allowed them to develop a rudimentary charcoal business. Machetes are an essential part of their attire, as well as large crests for unmarried boys and multiple topknots for women. The rest of their traditional culture includes two-storey barns and bull worship rituals.

Projects

Revival of the glass beads corset and poncho of Dinka and Mundari

In 2017 we started a project to revive the ponchos and corsets that both the Dinka and the Mundaris of South Sudan used to wear before the Islamist government banned their use under Sharia law in 1984.

CAMEROON

The Dupa tribe, the last highlanders of Cameroon

The Dupa tribe inhabits the remote Vokre Mountains in northern Cameroon. These fertile lands allow them to live from subsistence agriculture that they combine with some livestock, hunting and gathering. The Dupa continue to make cloth from native cotton. Some men still wear the penile case and some women cover their private parts with acacia leaves.

Sudan

The Nubian, the oldest black culture in Africa

The Nubian are an ancient people from the north-central region of Sudan and southern Egypt. They are often confused with another people of Sudan, the Nubas, who live in an area far removed from Nubia, in the mountains of Kordofan (border with South Sudan).

Pakistan

The Mohana tribe of Pakistan, the descendants of Mohenjo Daro

The Mohana tribe of Pakistan dominate the calm waters of the Middle Indus River, as it passes through the ancient city of Sukkur. Discover their fascinating villages, houseboats and ancient fishing and hunting techniques.

Angola

The Plain Muila of Angola; the rainbow tribe

The Last Places team of anthropologists has been working in Angola since 2014. In this period he has been able to differentiate 4 different Nyianeka groups (ethnolinguistic nation of the Huíla Plateau): the Handa, the Gambue and he has divided the Muila into 2.

South Sudan

The Larim tribe of South Sudan, artisans of the hills

The Larim, known to their Toposa neighbors as Boyas, split from the great Murle nation after an argument over dinner. One Murle clan had invited another clan, but the other clan was not satisfied by how little gazelle meat was in the soup. They were offended and decided to migrate west. They settled in a mountainous area with plenty of water and fertile land. This is how the Larim tribe emerged, one of the most beautiful and unknown in South Sudan.

Ethiopia

The Menit tribe, the Nuba of Ethiopia

The Menit tribe lives between the fertile mountains of Shasha and the Omo River Valley. Its economy is based on agriculture. Within this village, the 'kola' group lives more isolated and is dedicated to raising cattle. The 'kola' spend part of their free time decorating their bodies. The beauty of these paintings and the physiognomy remind us of the images of the Nuba of Sudan photographed in 1974 by Leni Riesfenstahl.

Angola

Art Deco, sixteen tribes, and the oldest desert in the world

Angola is a beautiful country full of contrasts, with desert giant dunes, stunning rivers, misty mountains, and impenetrable jungles. You have a huge diversity of traditional tribes inhabit its territory and are barely known to the outside world. Angola is beginning to have the same success Ethiopia had fifteen years ago.

Tanzania

Khoisan, Nilotic and Bantu peoples

After 3 years working in Tanzania LAST PLACES has classified 11 different traditional tribal groups. Each with its own particularity. These 11 tribes, some of several million and others of only a few hundred individuals, are concentrated in the central and northern region of the country.

Chad

The African Yemen

At Last Places we like to describe Chad as the Yemen of Africa for being a country of proud people, an immense territory largely occupied by desert and for being a complex, beautiful and exciting destination. Chad and Yemen are states with their own roadmap, parallel and out of step with boring globalization.

South Sudan

The most extreme Africa

Traveling to South Sudan is one of the most exciting and exciting experiences that can be experienced today in this globalized world.

Mali

The country of masks that hides much more

This region presents an outstanding gradient of ecosystems, from the majestic Sahara desert -which functions as the country's northern border-, passing through the arid zones of the Sahel, to the green and fertile southern region, bathed by the colossal Niger River. And in relation to ethnic groups, it should be noted the nomadic group of the Fulani, who populate much of the Sahel, and of course the Dogon people, one of the most enigmatic tribal groups in sub-Saharan Africa.

Myanmar

The country of Buddhist relics that is home to more than 100 ethnic groups

In Myanmar we find societies that until barely a decade ago did not know tourism. Magical animistic rituals make their way through animal bones, like totems. Body modification practices linked to the afterlife, some very peculiar musical traditions, minority semi-nomadic ethnic groups and Tibeto-Burmese aesthetic representations complete the mosaic of this Asian region.

Benin

Lake cities, voodoo and tattoed tribes

Tattoos and scarification, Afro-Brazilian architecture and traditional tribes make Benin a must-see Last Places destination. It is an ideal destination to enter Africa. We find lake cities known as the African Venice, the unique Afro-Brazilian style in Benin and Nigeria and the mythologized voodoo, commonly preconceived from a Eurocentric point of view.

Pakistan

Ggypsies, panthers and kalashnikovs

Nomadic gypsy tribes move freely through the Punjab, in the forests of Chitral the last snow panthers prowl, and the border with Afghanistan is a slob territory...

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