“Even in this era when information moves at a lightning-fast speed, there are tribes in many parts of the world that still follow their traditional ways. From their dress to their hunting style – everything about them inspires curiosity and awe.
Want to know which five tribes we are talking about? Here is your answer:
Tribe name
Huli Wigmen
Where it resides
Tari Highlands in Papua New Guinea
An overview
A tribe is having strength of 40,000, the members are seen wearing hats made of their hair, along with yellowish face paint, leave apron, pigtail belt, and clawed axe. The dangling pigtail is used to intimidate rivals. They have a tradition of performing bird dance – closely associated with the birds of paradise seen in their island.
Future prospects
This tribe is embracing tourism, mainly in an attempt to preserve their traditions and customs. Many can be seen wearing western clothes and merging the new with the old ways.
Tribe name
Dogon
Where it resides
Mali in West Africa
An overview
Scaling the Bandiagara cliffs, the men collect bat and pigeon excrements using baobab bark ropes. The excrements are sold as fertilisers, and the Tellem artefacts collected get purchased by art collectors, mostly Western. The tribe of 400,000 resides in about 700 small villages, established along the cliff escarpment extending for nearly 200kms.
Future prospects
Even though tourism helped the tribe immensely in the past, recent unrest seems to have decreased tourism. Also, poor harvest of crops is making their situation worse.
Tribe name
Nenet
Where it resides
Yamal Peninsula in Siberia
An overview
Consisting of nearly 10,000 members, this tribe moves 300,000 reindeer through a migration of 1,100kms. They do it in an area that is bigger than the whole of France and in temperatures as extreme as 50 Degrees Celsius. For travelling, they use sledges that are anointed using fresh reindeer blood. The trains stretch as long as 8kms.
Future prospects
They are slowly adjusting to the various political, social and natural changes that are taking place on their existence.
Tribe name
Asaro Mud Men
Where it resides
Goroka in Papua New Guinea
An overview
Aiming to appear like spirits, the men of this tribe slap on their skin, ruining their complexion, and that terrifies their rivals. They have existed for over one millennium. This group, isolated by terrains, was discovered quite recently – nearly 75 years ago.
Future prospects
The tribe’s ability to attract tourists immensely has contributed to the possibility of it being regarded as national symbol.
Tribe name
Kazakh Golden Eagle Hunters
Where it resides
Bayan-Olgii Province in Mongolia
An overview
This semi-nomadic tribe is having about 100,000 members, of which about 250 are actual eagle hunters, has been around the Altai since 19th century. Known to hunt marmots, foxes and wolves using eagles, the members wear grey furs. Boys aged 13 can go hunting if they prove that they can carry a golden eagle.
Future prospects
Even though many young males are distancing themselves from the tribe, females are actively trying to get involved in the masculine activities in order to keep their tradition alive.”