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.
Read article
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.
Read article
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.
Read article
Congo, Democratic Republic
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.
Read article
Indonesia
The Mentawai, the flower men tribe of Indonesia
The Mentawai is a tribe native to the Mentawai Islands, off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. This group is made up of about 64,000 individuals spread over different islands, highlighting the island of Siberut, northern Pagai and southern Pagai and the island of Sipura.
Read article
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.
Read article
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.
Read article
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.
Read article
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.
Read article
Benin, Nigeria
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.
Read article
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.
Read article
ES
