Photographer Jimmy Nelson travels the world capturing wild and semi-wild tribes who manage to maintain a traditional way of life in modern world. Every year it becomes more and more difficult for these peoples, but they do not give up and do not leave the territories of their ancestors, continuing to live the same way they lived.

Asaro tribe

Location: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Filmed in 2010. The Asaro Mudmen ("Mud-Covered People of the Asaro River") first encountered the Western world in the mid-20th century. Since time immemorial, these people have been smearing themselves with mud and wearing masks to instill fear in other villages.

“Individually they are all very nice, but because their culture is under threat, they are forced to fend for themselves.” - Jimmy Nelson.

Chinese fishermen tribe

Location: Guangxi, China. Filmed in 2010. Fishing with a cormorant is one of the oldest methods fishing with the help of waterfowl. To prevent them from swallowing their catch, fishermen tie their necks. Cormorants easily swallow small fish, and bring large ones to their owners.

Maasai

Location: Kenya and Tanzania. Filmed in 2010. This is one of the most famous African tribes. Young Maasai go through a series of rituals to develop responsibility, become men and warriors, learn to protect livestock from predators, and provide security for their families. Thanks to the rituals, ceremonies and instructions of the elders, they grow up to be real brave men.

Livestock are central to Maasai culture.

Nenets

Location: Siberia – Yamal. Filmed in 2011. The traditional occupation of the Nenets is reindeer herding. They lead a nomadic lifestyle, crossing the Yamal Peninsula. For more than a millennium, they have survived at temperatures as low as minus 50°C. The 1,000 km long annual migration route lies across the frozen Ob River.

“If you don’t drink warm blood and don’t eat fresh meat, then you’re doomed to die in the tundra.”

Korowai

Location: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Filmed in 2010. The Korowai are one of the few Papuan tribes that do not wear kotekas, a type of sheath for the penis. The men of the tribe hide their penises by tightly tying them with leaves along with the scrotum. Korowai are hunter-gatherers who live in tree houses. This people strictly distributes rights and responsibilities between men and women. Their number is estimated at approximately 3,000 people. Until the 1970s, the Korowai were convinced that there were no other peoples in the world.

Yali tribe

Location: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Filmed in 2010. The Yali live in the virgin forests of the highlands and are officially recognized as pygmies, since the men are only 150 centimeters tall. The koteka (gourd sheath for the penis) serves as part of traditional clothes. It can be used to determine whether a person belongs to a tribe. Yali prefer long thin cats.

Karo tribe

Location: Ethiopia. Filmed in 2011. The Omo Valley, located in Africa's Great Rift Valley, is home to approximately 200,000 indigenous peoples who have inhabited it for thousands of years.

Here, tribes have traded among themselves since ancient times, offering each other beads, food, cattle and fabrics. Not long ago, guns and ammunition came into circulation.

Dasanech tribe

Location: Ethiopia. Filmed in 2011. This tribe is characterized by the absence of a strictly defined ethnicity. A person of almost any background can be admitted to Dasanech.

Guarani

Location: Argentina and Ecuador. Filmed in 2011. For thousands of years, the Amazonian rainforests of Ecuador were home to the Guarani people. They consider themselves the bravest indigenous group in the Amazon.

Vanuatu tribe

Location: Ra Lava Island (Banks Islands Group), Torba Province. Filmed in 2011. Many Vanuatu people believe that wealth can be achieved through ceremonies. Dance is an important part of their culture, which is why many villages have dance floors called nasara.

Ladakhi tribe

Location: India. Filmed in 2012. Ladakhis share the beliefs of their Tibetan neighbors. Tibetan Buddhism, mixed with images of ferocious demons from the pre-Buddhist Bon religion, has underpinned Ladakhi beliefs for over a thousand years. The people live in the Indus Valley, engage mainly in agriculture, and practice polyandry.

Mursi tribe

Location: Ethiopia. Filmed in 2011. “It is better to die than to live without killing.” Mursi are pastoralists, farmers and successful warriors. Men are distinguished by horseshoe-shaped scars on their bodies. Women also practice scarring and also insert a plate into the lower lip.

Rabari tribe

Location: India. Filmed in 2012. 1000 years ago, representatives of the Rabari tribe were already roaming the deserts and plains that today belong to Western India. Women of this people devote long hours to embroidery. They also manage the farms and decide all financial issues, while the men tend the herds.

Samburu tribe

Location: Kenya and Tanzania. Filmed in 2010. The Samburu are a semi-nomadic people, moving from place to place every 5-6 weeks to provide pasture for their livestock. They are independent and much more traditional than the Maasai. Equality reigns in Samburu society.

Mustang tribe

Location: Nepal. Filmed in 2011. Most of the Mustang people still believe that the world is flat. They are very religious. Prayers and holidays are an integral part of their lives. The tribe stands apart as one of the last strongholds of Tibetan culture that has survived to this day. Until 1991, they did not allow any outsiders into their midst.

Maori tribe

Location: New Zealand. Filmed in 2011. Maori are adherents of polytheism and worship many gods, goddesses and spirits. They believe that the spirits of ancestors and supernatural beings are omnipresent and help the tribe in difficult times. In originated in distant times Maori myths and legends reflected their ideas about the creation of the Universe, the origin of gods and people.

“My tongue is my awakening, my tongue is the window of my soul.”

Goroka tribe

Location: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Filmed in 2011. Life in high mountain villages is simple. Residents have plenty of food, families are friendly, people honor the wonders of nature. They live by hunting, gathering and growing crops. Internecine clashes are common here. To intimidate the enemy, Goroka warriors use war paint and jewelry.

“Knowledge is just rumors while they are in the muscles.”

Huli tribe

Location: Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Filmed in 2010. These indigenous people fight for land, pigs and women. They also spend a lot of effort trying to impress their opponent. Huli paint their faces with yellow, red and white dyes, and also have a famous tradition of making fancy wigs from their own hair.

Himba tribe

Location: Namibia. Filmed in 2011. Each member of the tribe belongs to two clans, father and mother. Marriages are arranged for the purpose of expanding wealth. Vital here appearance. It talks about a person's place within a group and their phase of life. The elder is responsible for the rules in the group.

Kazakh tribe

Location: Mongolia. Filmed in 2011. Kazakh nomads are descendants of the Turkic, Mongolian, Indo-Iranian group and the Huns, who inhabited the territory of Eurasia from Siberia to the Black Sea.

The ancient art of eagle hunting is one of the traditions that the Kazakhs have managed to preserve to this day. They trust their clan, count on their herds, believe in the pre-Islamic cult of the sky, ancestors, fire and in the supernatural powers of good and evil spirits.

In today's world where everyone lives on a schedule, working around the clock and glued to their cell phones, there are some groups of people who focus on nature. The way of life of these tribes is no different from the one they led several centuries ago. Climate change and industrial development have significantly reduced their numbers, but at the moment, these 10 tribes still exist.

Kayapo Indians

The Kayapo are a Brazilian tribe that lives along the Xingu River in 44 separate villages connected by barely visible paths. They call themselves mebengokre, which means “people big water" Unfortunately, their “big water” is about to change dramatically as the huge Belo Monte Dam is being built on the Xingu River. The 668 square kilometer reservoir will flood 388 square kilometers of forest, partially destroying the Kayapo tribe's habitat. The Indians fought against infiltration modern man for many centuries, they fought with everyone, from hunters and animal catchers, to lumberjacks and rubber miners. They even successfully prevented the construction of a major dam in 1989. Their population was once only 1,300 people, but has since grown to almost 8,000. The question today is how people will survive if their culture is threatened. Members of the Kayapo tribe are famous for their body painting, agriculture and colorful headdresses. Modern technologies are already penetrating their lives - the Kayapo are driving motorboats, watching TV, or even logging on Facebook.

Kalash

Situated in the Pakistani mountains, on the border with the Taliban-controlled region of Afghanistan, is the most... unusual tribe white, European-looking people known as Kalash. Many Kalash have blond hair and blue eyes, a stark contrast to their darker-skinned neighbors. Not only does the Kalash tribe differ in physical signs, they have a very different culture from Muslims. They are polytheistic, have a unique folklore, produce wine (which is forbidden in Muslim culture), wear brightly colored clothing, and give much more freedom to women. They are decidedly happy, peace-loving people who love to dance and have numerous annual festivals. No one knows for sure how this fair-skinned tribe came to be in remote Pakistan, but the Kalash claim they are long-lost descendants of the army of Alexander the Great. Evidence from DNA tests shows that they had an infusion of European blood during the time of Alexander's conquests, so there is a possibility that their stories are true. For many years the surrounding Muslims persecuted the Kalash and forced many to convert to Islam. Today, approximately 4,000-6,000 members of the tribe remain, engaged primarily in agriculture.

Cahuilla Tribe

While southern California is most often associated with Hollywood, surfers and actors, the area is home to nine Indian reservations inhabited by the ancient Cahuilla people. They lived in the Coachella Valley for over 3,000 years and settled there when prehistoric Lake Cahuilla still existed. Despite problems with disease, gold rushes and persecution, the tribe managed to survive, although it was dwindled to 3,000 people. They have lost much of their heritage, and the unique Cahuilla language is on the verge of extinction. This dialect is a mixture of Yuta and Aztec languages, which can be spoken by only 35 elderly people. Nowadays, elders are trying hard to pass on their language, “bird songs” and other cultural characteristics. to the younger generation. Like most indigenous peoples North America, they faced the challenge of assimilating into the wider community in an attempt to maintain their old traditions.

Spinifex tribe

The Spinifex tribe, or Saw Nguru, are indigenous people living in the Great Victorian Desert. They have lived in some of the harshest climates for life for at least 15,000 years. Even after Europeans settled in Australia, this tribe was not affected as they occupied an environment that was too dry and inhospitable. Everything changed in the 1950s, when Spinifex Land, unsuitable for agriculture, chosen for nuclear testing. In 1953, the British and Australian governments detonated nuclear bombs in the Spinifex homeland, without any consent and after short warning. Most Aboriginal people were displaced and did not return to their homeland until the late 1980s. After returning, they faced heavy opposition when trying to legally recognize the area as their property. Interestingly, their beautiful works of art helped prove the deep connection of the Spinifex people to this land, after which they were recognized as indigenous people in 1997. Their works of art received mass recognition and appeared on art exhibitions all over the world. It is difficult to count how many members of the tribe currently exist, but one of their largest communities, known as Tjuntyuntyara, has an estimated population of 180-220.

Batak

The Philippine island of Palawan is home to the Batak people, the most genetically diverse tribe of people on the planet. They are believed to belong to a Negroid-Australoid race, distantly related to those people from whom we are all descended. This means that they are descendants of one of the first groups that left Africa approximately 70,000 years ago and traveled from the Asian mainland to the Philippines approximately 20,000 years later. Typical of Negroids, Bataks have short stature and strange, unusual hair. Traditionally, women wear sarongs, while men cover their body only with a loincloth and feathers, or jewelry. The entire community works together to hunt and harvest, followed by celebrations. In general, Bataks are shy, peaceful people who prefer to hide deep in the jungle without engaging in confrontations with outsiders. Like other local tribes, disease, territorial seizures, and other modern invasions devastated the Batak population. Currently there are approximately 300-500 people. Surprisingly, environmental protection was among the tribe's biggest concerns. The Philippine government has banned logging in certain protected areas, and the Batak have traditionally practiced tree felling. Without the ability to grow food efficiently, many suffer from malnutrition.

Andamanese

Andamanese are also classified as Negroids, but due to their extremely short height (adult males are under 150 centimeters), they are usually referred to as pygmies. They inhabit the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Like the Bataks, the Andamanese are one of the first groups to migrate from Africa, and developed in isolation until the 18th century. Up until the 19th century, they didn't even know how to start a fire. The Andamanese are divided into separate tribes, each with their own culture and language. One group disappeared when it last participant died aged 85 in 2010. Another group, the Sentinelese, are so fiercely resistant to outside contact that even in the modern technological world very little is known about them. Those who have not integrated into the larger Indian culture still live like their ancestors. For example, they use a single type of weapon - a bow and arrow - to hunt pig, turtle and fish. Men and women collect roots, tubers and honey together. Clearly, their lifestyle is working for them, as doctors rate the health and nutritional status of the Andamanese as “optimal.” The most big problems What they have is the impact of Indian settlers and tourists who force them off the land, bring diseases and treat these people like animals in a safari park. Although the exact size of the tribe is not known, as some still live in isolation, there are approximately 400-500 existing Andamanese.

Piraha tribe

Although there are many small primitive tribes throughout Brazil and the Amazon, the Pirahã stand out because they have their own culture and language, unlike many other people on the planet. This tribe has some quirky features. They don't have colors, numbers, past tense or subordinate clauses. While some might call the language simplistic, these features are a result of Piraha values ​​of living only in the moment. In addition, because they live completely together, they have no need to ration and divide property. A lot of unnecessary words are eliminated when you have no history, don't have to track anything, and only trust what you see. In general, the Pirahã differ from Westerners in almost every way. They sincerely rejected all missionaries, like everyone else modern technologies. They have no leader and do not need to exchange resources with other people or tribes. Even after hundreds of years of external contact, this group of 300 people has remained largely unchanged since ancient times.

People of Takuu Atoll

The people of Takuu Atoll are Polynesian in origin, but are considered one of the isolated cultures as they live in the Melanesian region instead of the Polynesian triangle. Takuu Atoll has a particularly distinct culture, which some call the most traditionally Polynesian. This is because the Takuu tribe are extremely protective of their way of life and protect themselves from suspicious outsiders. They even enforced the ban on missionaries for 40 years. They still live in traditional thatched buildings. Unlike most of us, who spend most of our time working, Takuu devotes 20-30 hours a week to singing and dancing. Surprisingly, they have over 1,000 songs that they repeat from memory. The 400 members of the tribe are somehow connected with each other, and they are controlled by one leader. Unfortunately, climate change may destroy the Takuu's way of life as the ocean soon engulfs their island. Rising sea levels have already polluted freshwater sources and drowned crops, and although the community has created dams, they are proving ineffective.

Spirit Tribe

The Duha are the last group of nomadic herders in Mongolia with a history dating back to the Tang Dynasty. About 300 members of the tribe remain, carefully protecting their cold homeland and believing in a sacred forest where the ghosts of their ancestors live. This cold, mountainous region has very few resources, so the Dukha rely on reindeer for milk, cheese, transportation, hunting and to attract tourists. However, due to the small size of the tribe, the Spirit's way of life is in jeopardy as the reindeer population rapidly declines. There are many factors contributing to this decline, but the most important are overhunting and predation. To make matters worse, the discovery of gold in northern Mongolia has brought a mining industry that is ravaging the local wildlife. With so many problems, many young people are leaving their ancient roots and choosing life in the city.

El Molo

The ancient El Molo tribe of Kenya is the smallest tribe in the country and also faces many threats. Due to the almost constant persecution of other groups, they have already isolated themselves in a remote coastline Lake Terkana, but still can't breathe easy. The tribe depends solely on fish and aquatic animals for survival and trade. Unfortunately, their lake evaporates by 30 centimeters every year. This contributes to water pollution and a decrease in fish populations. It now takes them a week to catch the same amount of fish they previously caught in a day. El Molo must take risks and dive into crocodile-infested waters to catch his catch. There is fierce competition for fish, and the El Molo are under threat of invasion by warring neighboring tribes. In addition to these environmental hazards, the tribe experiences cholera outbreaks every few years that wipe out most of the people. The average lifespan of an el molo is only 30-45 years. There are approximately 200 of them, and anthropologists estimate that only 40 of them are “pure” El Molo.

Multifaceted Africa, on a vast territory in 61 countries, with a population of more than a billion people, surrounded by cities of civilized countries, in the secluded corners of this continent more than 5 million people of almost completely wild African tribes still live.

Members of these tribes do not recognize the achievements of the civilized world and are content with the modest benefits that they received from their ancestors. Poor huts, modest food and a minimum of clothing suit them, and they are not going to change this way of life.

Cooking...

Children of the tribe...

Dancing men...

There are about 3 thousand different tribes and nationalities in Africa, but it is difficult to name their exact number, since most often they are either densely mixed together, or, on the contrary, radically separated. The population of some tribes is only a few thousand or even hundreds of people, and often inhabit only 1-2 villages. Because of this, on the territory of the African continent there are adverbs and dialects that sometimes only representatives of a particular tribe can understand. And the variety of rituals, cultural systems, dances, customs and sacrifices is enormous and amazing. In addition, the appearance of the people of some tribes is simply amazing.

However, since they all live on the same continent, all African tribes still have something in common. Some cultural elements are characteristic of all nationalities living in this territory. One of the main defining features of African tribes is their focus on the past, that is, the cult of the culture and life of their ancestors.

Majority African peoples denies everything new and modern, withdraws into himself. Most of all, they are attached to constancy and immutability, including in everything that concerns everyday life, traditions and customs that originate from our great-grandfathers.

It’s hard to imagine, but among them there are practically no ones who wouldn’t do subsistence farming or cattle breeding. Hunting, fishing or gathering are completely normal activities for them. Just like many centuries ago, African tribes They fight among themselves, marriages most often take place within the same tribe, intertribal marriages are very rare among them. Of course, more than one generation leads such a life; every new child from birth will have to live the same fate.

Tribes differ from each other by their own unique system of life, customs and rituals, beliefs and prohibitions. Most tribes invent their own fashion, often stunningly colorful, the originality of which is often simply amazing.

Among the most famous and numerous tribes today are the Maasai, Bantu, Zulus, Samburu and Bushmen.

Maasai

One of the most famous African tribes. They live in Kenya and Tanzania. The number of representatives reaches 100 thousand people. They are most often found on the side of a mountain, which features prominently in Maasai mythology. Perhaps the size of this mountain influenced the worldview of the tribe members - they consider themselves the favorites of the gods, the highest people, and are sincerely confident that there are no more beautiful people in Africa than them.

This opinion of oneself gave rise to a contemptuous, often even derogatory attitude towards other tribes, which became the cause of frequent wars between tribes. In addition, it is the Maasai custom to steal animals from other tribes, which also does not improve their reputation.

The Maasai dwelling is built from branches coated with dung. This is done mainly by women, who also, if necessary, take on the duties of pack animals. The main share of nutrition is milk or animal blood, less often meat. A distinctive sign of beauty among this tribe is their elongated earlobes. Currently, the tribe has been almost completely exterminated or dispersed; only in remote corners of the country, in Tanzania, are some Maasai nomads still preserved.

Bantu

The Bantu tribe lives in Central, Southern and Eastern Africa. In truth, the Bantu are not even a tribe, but an entire nation, which includes many peoples, for example, Rwanda, Shono, Konga and others. They all have similar languages ​​and customs, which is why they were united into one large tribe. Most Bantu people speak two or more languages, the most commonly spoken of which is Swahili. The number of members of the Bantu people reaches 200 million. According to research scientists, it was the Bantu, along with the Bushmen and Hottentots, who became the progenitors of the South African colored race.

Bantus have a peculiar appearance. They have very dark skin and an amazing hair structure - each hair is curled in a spiral. Wide and winged noses, a low bridge of the nose and high stature - often above 180 cm - are also distinctive features of people from the Bantu tribe. Unlike the Maasai, the Bantu do not shy away from civilization and willingly invite tourists on educational walks around their villages.

Like any African tribe, a large part of Bantu life is occupied by religion, namely, traditional African animist beliefs, as well as Islam and Christianity. The Bantu home resembles a Maasai house - the same round shape, with a frame made of branches coated with clay. True, in some areas Bantu houses are rectangular, painted, with gable, lean-to or flat roofs. Members of the tribe are mainly engaged in agriculture. Distinctive feature Bantu refers to an enlarged lower lip into which small discs are inserted.

Zulus

The Zulu people, once the largest ethnic group, now has only 10 million people. The Zulus enjoy own language- Zulu, which comes from the Bantu family and is the most common in South Africa. In addition, English, Portuguese, Sesotho and other African languages ​​are in circulation among members of the people.

The Zulu tribe suffered a difficult period during the apartheid era in South Africa, when, being the most numerous people, was defined as a second-class population.

As for the beliefs of the tribe, most of the Zulus remained faithful to national beliefs, but there are also Christians among them. Zulu religion is based on the belief in a creator god who is supreme and separate from everyday routine. Representatives of the tribe believe that they can contact the spirits through fortune tellers. All negative manifestations in the world, including illness or death, are considered as the machinations of evil spirits or the result of evil witchcraft. In the Zulu religion, the main place is occupied by cleanliness, frequent bathing is a custom among representatives of the people.

Samburu

The Samburu tribe lives in the northern regions of Kenya, on the border of the foothills and the northern desert. About five hundred years ago, the Samburu people settled in this territory and quickly populated the plain. This tribe is independent and confident in its elitism much more than the Maasai. The life of the tribe depends on livestock, but, unlike the Maasai, the Samburu themselves raise livestock and roam with them from place to place. Customs and ceremonies occupy significant place in the life of the tribe and are distinguished by the splendor of colors and shapes.

Samburu huts are made of clay and skins; the outside of the home is surrounded by a thorny fence to protect it from wild animals. Representatives of the tribe take their houses with them, reassembling them at each site.

Among the Samburu, it is customary to divide labor between men and women, this also applies to children. Women's responsibilities include gathering, milking cows and fetching water, as well as collecting firewood, cooking and looking after children. Of course, the female half of the tribe is in charge of general order and stability. Samburu men are responsible for herding livestock, which is their main means of subsistence.

The most important detail in the life of the people is childbirth; sterile women are subjected to severe persecution and bullying. It is normal for the tribe to worship the spirits of ancestors, as well as witchcraft. The Samburu believe in charms, spells and rituals, using them to increase fertility and protection.

Bushmen

The most famous African tribe among Europeans since ancient times is the Bushmen. The name of the tribe consists of the English “bush” - “bush” and “man” - “man”, however, calling members of the tribe this way is dangerous - it is considered offensive. It would be more correct to call them “san,” which means “stranger” in the Hottentot language. Externally, the Bushmen are somewhat different from other African tribes; they have lighter skin and thinner lips. In addition, they are the only ones who eat ant larvae. Their dishes are considered a specialty national cuisine of this people. The way of society of the Bushmen also differs from that generally accepted among wild tribes. Instead of chiefs and sorcerers, the ranks choose elders from among the most experienced and respected members of the tribe. The elders lead the lives of the people without taking any advantage at the expense of others. It should be noted that the Bushmen also believe in the afterlife, like other African tribes, but they do not have the cult of ancestors adopted by other tribes.

Among other things, the Sans have a rare talent for stories, songs and dances. Musical instrument they can make almost all of them. For example, there are bows strung with animal hair or bracelets made from dried insect cocoons with pebbles inside, which are used to beat the rhythm during dance. Almost everyone who has the opportunity to observe the musical experiments of the Bushmen tries to record them in order to pass them on to future generations. This is all the more relevant given that present century dictates its own rules and many Bushmen have to deviate from centuries-old traditions and go to work as workers farms for the sake of providing for family and tribe.

This is a very small number of tribes living in Africa. There are so many of them that it would take several volumes to describe them all, but each of them can boast unique system values ​​and way of life, not to mention rituals, customs and costumes.

Video: Wild tribes of Africa:...

In the modern world on Earth, every year there are fewer and fewer secluded places where civilization has not set foot. It's coming everywhere. And wild tribes are often forced to change the places of their settlements. Those of them that make contact with the civilized world are gradually disappearing. They, libor, dissolve in modern society, or simply die out.

The thing is that centuries of life in complete isolation did not allow the immune system of these people to properly develop. Their body has not learned to produce antibodies that can resist the most common infections. A common cold can be fatal for them.

Nevertheless, anthropologists continue to study wild tribes whenever possible. After all, each of them is nothing more than a model ancient world. Sort of, possible option human evolution.

Piahu Indians

The way of life of wild tribes generally fits within the framework of our idea of ​​primitive people. They live mainly in polygamous families. They engage in hunting and gathering. But the way of thinking and language of some of them is capable of striking any civilized imagination.

Once upon a time, the famous anthropologist, linguist and preacher Daniel Everett went to the Amazonian Piraha tribe for scientific and missionary purposes. First of all, he was struck by the language of the Indians. It had only three vowels and seven consonants. They had no idea about singular and plural. There were no numerals in their language at all. And why would they need them if the Piraha didn’t even have a clue about more and less. It also turned out that the people of this tribe live outside of any time. Such concepts as present, past and future were alien to him. In general, the polyglot Everett had a very difficult time learning the Pirahu language.

Everett’s missionary mission was in for a big embarrassment. First, the savages asked the preacher whether he personally knew Jesus. And when they found out that he was not, they immediately lost all interest in the Gospel. And when Everett told them that God himself created man, they fell into complete bewilderment. This bewilderment could be translated something like this: “What are you doing? Isn’t he as stupid as people are?”

As a result, after visiting this tribe, the unfortunate Everett, according to him, almost turned from a convinced Christian into a complete one.

Cannibalism still exists

Some wild tribes also have cannibalism. Now cannibalism among savages is not as common as it was about a hundred years ago, but still cases of eating their own kind are not uncommon. The savages of the island of Borneo are the most successful in this matter; they are famous for their cruelty and indiscriminateness. These cannibals happily eat tourists too. Although the last outbreak of kakibalism dates back to the beginning of the last century. Now this phenomenon among wild tribes is episodic.

But in general, according to scientists, the fate of wild tribes on Earth has already been decided. In just a few decades they will finally disappear.

Amazingly, in this age of atomic energy, laser guns and Pluto exploration, there still exist primitive people, almost unfamiliar with the outside world. Scattered all over the world except Europe huge amount such tribes. Some live in complete isolation, perhaps not even knowing about the existence of other “bipeds”. Others know and see more, but are in no hurry to make contact. And still others are ready to kill any stranger.

What should we do? civilized people? Try to “make friends” with them? Keep an eye on them? Completely ignore?

Just these days, the disputes resumed when the Peruvian authorities decided to make contact with one of the lost tribes. Defenders of Aboriginal people are strongly against it, because after contact they may die from diseases to which they have no immunity: it is not known whether they will agree to medical help.

Let's see who we are talking about and what other tribes that are infinitely far from civilization are found in the modern world.

1. Brazil

It is in this country that the largest number of uncontacted tribes live. In just 2 years, from 2005 to 2007, their confirmed number immediately increased by 70% (from 40 to 67), and today there are already more than 80 on the lists of the National Foundation of Indians (FUNAI).

There are extremely small tribes, only 20-30 people, others can number 1.5 thousand. Moreover, together they make up less than 1% of the population of Brazil, but the “ancestral lands” that are allotted to them are 13% of the country’s territory (green spots on the map).


To find and count isolated tribes, authorities periodically fly over the dense Amazon forests. So in 2008, hitherto unknown savages were spotted near the border with Peru. First, anthropologists noticed from an airplane their huts, which looked like elongated tents, as well as half-naked women and children.



But during a repeat flight a few hours later, men with spears and bows, painted red from head to toe, and the same warlike woman, all black, appeared in the same place. They probably mistook the plane for an evil bird spirit.


Since then, the tribe has remained unstudied. Scientists can only guess that it is very numerous and prosperous. The photo shows that people are generally healthy and well-fed, their baskets are full of roots and fruits, and even something like orchards were spotted from the plane. It is possible that this people have existed for 10,000 years and have preserved their primitiveness since then.

2. Peru

But the very tribe with which the Peruvian authorities want to come into contact are the Mashco-Piro Indians, who also live in the wilderness of the Amazon forests in the territory national park Manu in the southeast of the country. Previously, they always rejected strangers, but in recent years They began to often leave the thicket into the “outside world.” In 2014 alone, they were spotted more than 100 times in populated areas, especially along river banks, where they pointed at passersby.


“They seem to be making contact on their own, and we can’t pretend we don’t notice. They also have the right to this,” the government says. They emphasize that under no circumstances will they force the tribe to make contact or change their lifestyle.


Officially, Peruvian law prohibits contact with the lost tribes, of which there are at least a dozen in the country. But many people have already managed to “communicate” with the Mashko-Piro, from ordinary tourists to Christian missionaries, who shared clothes and food with them. Maybe also because there is no punishment for violating the ban.


True, not all contacts were peaceful. In May 2015, the Mashko-Piros came to one of the local villages and, having met the residents, attacked them. One guy was killed on the spot, pierced by an arrow. In 2011, members of the tribe killed another local and wounded a national park ranger with arrows. Authorities hope the contact will help prevent future deaths.

This is probably the only civilized Mashco-Piro Indian. As a child, local hunters came across him in the jungle and took him with them. Since then he has been named Alberto Flores.

3. Andaman Islands (India)

The tiny island of this archipelago in the Bay of Bengal between India and Myanmar is inhabited by the Sentinelese, who are extremely hostile to the outside world. Most likely, these are direct descendants of the first Africans who ventured to leave the black continent approximately 60,000 years ago. Since then, this small tribe has been engaged in hunting, fishing and gathering. How they make fire is unknown.


Their language has not been identified, but judging by its striking difference from all other Andamanese dialects, these people have not come into contact with anyone for thousands of years. The size of their community (or scattered groups) is also not established: presumably, from 40 to 500 people.


The Sentinelese are typical Negritos, as ethnologists call them: quite short people with very dark, almost black skin and short, fine curls of hair. Their main weapons are spears and bows with different types arrow Observations have shown that they accurately hit a human-sized target from a distance of 10 meters. The tribe considers any outsiders enemies. In 2006, they killed two fishermen who were sleeping peacefully in a boat that accidentally washed up on their shore, and then greeted a search helicopter with a hail of arrows.


There were only a few "peaceful" contacts with the Sentinelese during the 1960s. Once coconuts were left on the shore for them to see if they would plant them or eat them. - Ate. Another time they “gifted” live pigs - the savages immediately killed them and... buried them. The only thing that seemed useful to them were the red buckets, as they hurried to carry them deeper into the island. But the exact same green buckets were not touched.


But do you know what is the strangest and inexplicable? Despite their primitiveness and extremely primitive shelters, the Sentinelese generally survived the terrible earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004. But almost 300 thousand people died along the entire coast of Asia, making this the deadliest natural disaster in modern history!

4. Papua New Guinea

The vast island of New Guinea in Oceania holds many unknown secrets. Its inaccessible mountainous regions, covered with dense forests, only seem uninhabited - in fact, they are home for many uncontacted tribes. Due to the peculiarities of the landscape, they are hidden not only from civilization, but also from each other: it happens that there are only a few kilometers between two villages, but they are not aware of their proximity.


The tribes live so isolated that each has its own customs and language. Just think - linguists distinguish approximately 650 Papuan languages, and in total more than 800 languages ​​are spoken in this country!


There may be similar differences in their culture and lifestyle. Some tribes turn out to be relatively peaceful and generally friendly, like a funny nation to our ears bullshit, which Europeans learned about only in 1935.


But the most ominous rumors are circulating about others. There were cases when members of expeditions specially equipped to search for Papuan savages disappeared without a trace. This is how one of the richest American family members, Michael Rockefeller, disappeared in 1961. He became separated from the group and is suspected to have been captured and eaten.

5. Africa

At the junction of the borders of Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan live several nationalities, numbering about 200 thousand people, who are collectively called Surma. They raise livestock, but do not roam and share general culture with very cruel and strange traditions.


Young men, for example, engage in stick fights to win brides, which can result in serious injuries and even death. And the girls, decorating themselves to future wedding, the lower teeth are removed, the lip is pierced and stretched so that a special plate fits there. The larger it is, the more cattle they will give for the bride, so the most desperate beauties manage to squeeze in a 40-centimeter dish!


True, in recent years, young people from these tribes have begun to learn something about the outside world, and that’s all. more girls Surma now refuse such a ritual of “beauty”. However, women and men continue to decorate themselves with curly scars, which they are very proud of.


In general, the acquaintance of these peoples with civilization is very uneven: they, for example, remain illiterate, but quickly mastered the AK-47 assault rifles that came to them during civil war in Sudan.


And one more interesting detail. The first people from outside world who came into contact with the Surma in the 1980s were not Africans, but a group of Russian doctors. The Aborigines were then frightened, mistaking them for the living dead - after all, they had never seen white skin before!