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Natives of the Amazon
An unknown tribe of Indians was discovered in the Amazon jungle
By specially conducting reconnaissance from the air, the Brazilian authorities were able to confirm the fact that in the jungle, not far from the border with Peru, a primitive tribe of about 200 people lives in complete isolation from the civilized world.
Scientists were able to find out where the Brazilian aborigines live by carefully examining images from space. And then, in the Vale do Javari reservation, large areas of tropical forest were noticed, cleared of woody vegetation. From the air, the expedition members managed to photograph the dwellings and the aborigines themselves. The men of this tribe paint themselves red and cut the hair on their heads at the front, leaving it long at the back. However, attempts to contact representatives modern civilization they did not undertake this with the aborigines, fearing that it could harm the primitive people.
Currently, in Brazil, the affairs of primitive tribes are handled by a special government organization - the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI). Its functions mainly include an attempt to protect the savages from outside interference and from all kinds of encroachments on the lands they occupy by farmers, loggers, as well as poachers, missionaries, and of course those businessmen who grow narcotic plants in the wild wilds. Essentially, the National Indian Trust protects and protects Aboriginal people from any outside interference.
It is part of the current official policy of the Brazilian government to locate and protect isolated indigenous groups in the Amazon jungle. Here, to date, 68 groups cut off from civilization have already been discovered, including fifteen of them in the Vale do Yavari reservation. From the air, the expedition members managed to photograph the dwellings and the aborigines themselves of the last discovered group. They live in large windowless thatched barracks and wear primitive clothing, although many wear nothing at all. In areas cleared of forest vegetation, the aborigines grow vegetables and fruits: mainly corn, beans and bananas.
In addition to the marked group of aborigines, space images revealed 8 more places of possible habitat of savages, which employees of the National Indian Foundation FUNAI undertake to “register” in the near future. To do this, they definitely fly there and take pictures of everything. For this purpose, they may use helicopters to take a closer look at the primitive Indians and the peculiarities of their life.
Almost unknown to science, the wild tribes of the Amazon Indians seem to be in danger due to constant unwanted contact with the outside world. These Indians - representatives of a once large tribe, were previously forced to move deeper into the forest due to constant invasions of their settlements. In the past few years, these Amazonians have often had to encounter other aboriginal tribes. Therefore, the ethnic issue that currently exists is difficult to resolve, and, unfortunately, it will soon be impossible to keep these tribes truly “wild” and protect them from all external contacts. And most of the wild settlements are concentrated on the border of Peru and Brazil, where there are more than 50 tribes that have never had contact with the outside world or with other tribes. Scientists believe that wild tribes need to be kept “wild” for as long as possible, although the aborigines are now at increasing risk as the development of tropical forests in Peruvian territory is gaining momentum...
Photographer Jimmy Nelson travels the world photographing wild and semi-wild tribes who manage to maintain their 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 them around 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 use.
Dasanech tribe
Location: Ethiopia. Filmed in 2011. This tribe is characterized by the absence of a strictly defined ethnicity. A person of almost any origin 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 Guaraní 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 life. 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 paints, 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.
Myths and legends about wild Amazons- women who formed a separate tribe, lived according to the rules of matriarchy and fought with men, have existed since ancient times. Archaeological excavations confirm this fact, however, debates about the authenticity of the existence of a militant society consisting exclusively of representatives of the fairer sex do not subside.
Myths and legends
According to ancient greek mythology, the kingdom of the Amazons, female warriors, existed for some time in the territory of Libya, on the banks Mediterranean Sea. For what reason they lived separately from men was not clear, but for a long time they managed on their own. Some sources talk about a nomadic tribe of women, others - about the existence of a kingdom led by the queen of the Amazons.
Their main occupations were: hunting for food, wars with neighboring tribes for enrichment. According to ancient legends, the Amazons originated from the union of the god Ares (or Mars) and his daughter Harmony, and the warriors themselves worshiped the goddess Artemis, a virgin huntress.
One of the labors of Hercules was a task during which he had to take a magic belt from warlike girls, which was intended as a ransom for the return of the daughter of Queen Antiope.
Tribes of Amazon women: life and reproduction
According to the opinion expressed in the 5th century. BC. According to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, such a matriarchal state existed on the shores of the lake. Meotids (modern territory of Crimea). They built several cities, including Smyrna, Sinop, Ephesus and Paphos.
The main occupation of the Amazons was participation in wars and raids against neighbors, and they wielded a bow, a double battle ax (labrys), and a shortened sword with great skill. The warriors made their own helmet and armor.
But in order to have children, for the purpose of reproduction, a tribe of Amazon women declared a truce every year in the spring and arranged meetings with men from the border lands, with whom they then paid off 9 months later with the born baby boys.
But according to another version, a sadder fate awaited male newborns: they were either drowned in the river or mutilated in order to be used as slaves in the future. Newborn girls were left in the tribe and raised as future warriors who were expected to wield all available weapons. They were also taught hunting and farming skills.
So that in the future, when drawing a bow in battle, their right breast would not be interfered with, they had it burned out in childhood. According to one version, the name of the tribe comes from a mazos, i.e. “breastless”, according to another - from ha-mazan, which is translated from Iranian as “warriors”, according to the third - from masso, meaning “untouchable”.
War with Dionysus
The battle victories of the Amazon tribe glorified them so much that even the god Dionysus decided to enter into an alliance with them so that they would help him fight the Titans. After the victory, he insidiously started a war with them and defeated them.
The few surviving women were able to hide in the temple of Artemis and then escape to Asia Minor. There they settled on the Fermodon River, creating a huge empire. Having participated in several wars, Amazon women captured Syria and reached the island of Crimea. Many of them took part in the siege of the famous Troy, during which the ancient Greek hero Achilles killed their queen.
During the battles with the Greeks, the enemy was able to capture several girls and, having loaded them onto a ship, wanted to take them to their homeland for demonstration. However, along the way, female warriors attacked the ship and killed everyone. But due to the lack of navigation skills, the Amazons could only sail with the wind, and ultimately they washed up on the shores of Ancient Scythia.
Education of the Sarmatian tribe
Having settled in a new place, the warriors began to plunder settlements and take away livestock, killing local residents. The Scythian warriors were very proud, therefore they considered waging war with female warriors to be an unworthy occupation. They acted differently: they gathered their best warriors and sent them to capture wild women in order to then get good offspring from them. Luck awaited them, after which a new people of Savramats or Sarmatians with a heroic physique were born.
The life of the tribe of Amazon women was active in military campaigns and hunting, and they dressed in men's clothing. And local men were assigned to household duties: cooking, cleaning, etc. The Sarmatians had interesting tradition: girls could get married only after killing any representative of the stronger half, but they usually found victims in neighboring tribes.
Homer and Herodotus about the Amazons
According to historians, the great ancient thinker Homer, who created famous works“Iliad” and “Odyssey”, also wrote about the country of the Amazon. However, this poem has not survived. Confirmation Greek myths are ancient amphorae and bas-reliefs decorated with drawings of Amazon women (photo below). Only in all the images the beautiful warriors have both breasts and sufficiently developed muscles. The Amazons are also mentioned in the tale of the Argonauts, but there Homer shows them as disgusting furies.
According to Herodotus, after participating in Trojan War The Amazons fell to the Scythians and formed the Sarmatian tribe, in which women and men had equal rights. Legends attribute to them not only excellent skill with weapons, but also the ability to stay in the saddle and incredible composure. The Scythians and Sarmatians, according to Herodotus, fought together in the 5th century. BC e. against King Darius.
The Roman historian Deodorus was of the opinion that Amazon women were descendants of the ancient Atlanteans and lived in Western Libya.
Archaeological data
Many finds of historians in different corners the world provide confirmation of ancient legends about the existence of Amazon women not only in Greece, but also in other countries and continents.
Thus, in 1928, on the shores of the Black Sea in the settlement of Zemo Akhvala, the burial of an ancient ruler in armor and weapons was discovered. After research, he turned out to be a woman, after which many made the assumption that the queen of the Amazons had been found.
In 1971, on the territory of Ukraine, the burial of a woman and a girl was found, who were luxuriously dressed and richly decorated. The grave contained gold, weapons, and the skeletons of 2 men who clearly did not die from illness. According to scientists, the remains belonged to another queen with her daughter and slaves who were sacrificed.
In the 1990s. During excavations in Kazakhstan, similar ancient burials of female warriors were discovered, dating back more than 2.5 thousand years.
Another sensation in the world of science was the latest discovery in Britain, when the remains of female warriors were found in Brougham (Cumbria). They clearly came here from Europe. According to English scientists, women fought in the ranks of the Roman army. According to them, tribes of Amazon women lived in the territory of Eastern Europe in the period 220-300 AD. e. After death, they were ceremoniously burned at the stake along with their equipment and war horses. Their origin comes from the territory of the current states of Austria, Hungary and the former Yugoslavia.
America: Tribal Life of Amazon Women
Stories of wild women warriors also tell of their discovery by Christopher Columbus after the discovery of the American continent. Having heard the stories of local Indians about a female warrior tribe, the great navigator tried to capture them on one of the islands, but was unable to do so. In memory of this incident, the name was given to the Virgin Islands (translated as “Islands of the Maidens”).
Spanish conquistador Fr. de Orellana in 1542 landed on the banks of a huge river in South America, where he met a tribe of wild Amazon women. The Europeans were defeated in the battle with them. Some scientists suggest that the error occurred due to long hair from local Indians. However, it was in memory of this incident that the proud name was given to the most majestic river of the American continent - the Amazon.
African Amazons
This unique phenomenon in world history - the tribe of Dahomey female Terminators - lived on the African continent south of the Sahara in the territory modern state Benin. They called themselves N’Nonmiton or “our mothers.”
African Amazons, female warriors, were among the elite troops who defended their ruler in the kingdom of Dahomey, for which European colonialists called them Dahomey. Such a tribe was formed in the 17th century. for hunting elephants.
The King of Dahomey, delighted with their skill and success, appointed them as his bodyguards. The N'Nonmiton army existed for 2 centuries, in the 19th century. The women's military corps consisted of 6 thousand soldiers.
Selection for the ranks of female warriors took place among 8-year-old girls, who were taught to be strong and ruthless, and also able to withstand any pain. They were armed with machetes and Dutch muskets. After many years of training, African Amazons became “fighting machines”, capable of successfully fighting and cutting off the heads of the defeated.
While serving in the army, they could not get married or have children and remained chaste, considered married to the king. If a man attacked a woman warrior, he was killed.
The British mission in West Africa was founded in 1863, when the scientist R. Barton arrived in Dahomey, who was going to make peace with the local authorities. For the first time, he was able to describe the life of the Dahomey tribe of Amazon women (photo below). According to his information, for some warriors this provided an opportunity to gain influence and wealth. The English researcher S. Alpern wrote a large treatise on the life of the Amazons.
At the end of the 19th century. The territory was occupied by French colonialists, whose soldiers were often found dead in the morning with their heads cut off. The Second Franco-Dahomean War ended with the surrender of the king's army and most of the Amazons were killed. Its last representative, a woman named Navi, who by that time was more than 100 years old, died in 1979.
Modern wild female tribes
There are still areas in the impenetrable jungle of the Amazon River where life is very different from modern civilization. From time immemorial, people have lived in the eastern part of Brazil, cut off from the outside world, but retaining their customs and skills.
Scientists regularly find here not only new species of animals and plants, but also settlements of wild tribes, which now, according to researchers from the FUNAI organization, number more than 70. They hunt, fish, collect fruits and berries, but do not want to come into contact with the civilized world, for fear of contracting unknown diseases. After all, even ordinary flu is fatal for them.
Women of the wild tribes of the Amazon usually perform all women's work, take care of everyday life and raising children. Sometimes they collect berries or fruits in the forest. However, there are also aggressive tribes in which women, along with men, hunt or participate in raids on neighbors, armed with clubs and spears, poisoned with the poison of local plants or snakes.
There is also wild tribe Kuna on the island of San Blas near the territory of Brazil, who moved from the mainland and live according to the rules of matriarchy. Traditions have been preserved and are supported by the inhabitants of the settlement sternly and unshakably. At the age of 14, girls are already considered sexually mature and must choose their own groom. The man usually moves into the bride's house. The main income of the tribe on the island comes from the collection and export of coconuts (about 25 million pieces annually); they also grow sugar cane, bananas, cocoa and oranges. But they go to the mainland for fresh water.
Amazons in art and film
Warrior women occupy an important place in the art of Ancient Greece and Rome; their images can be found on ceramics, sculpture and architecture. Thus, the battle of the Athenians and the Amazons is depicted in the marble bas-relief of the Parthenon, as well as in sculptures from the mausoleum from Halicarnassus.
The favorite activities of female warriors are hunting and war, and their weapons are a bow, a spear, an ax. To protect themselves from the enemy, they put on a helmet and took a crescent-shaped shield in their hands. As can be seen in the above photos, ancient masters depicted Amazon women riding a horse or on foot, in battle with a centaur or warriors.
During the Renaissance, they were resurrected again in the works of classicism and baroque poetry, paintings and sculptures. Plots of battles with ancient warriors are presented in the works of J. Palma, J. Tintoretto, G. Rennie and other artists. Rubens' painting "The Battle of the Greeks with the Amazons" shows them in a bloody horse battle with men. And copies of the originals of the “Wounded Amazon” sculpture are famous throughout the world and are kept in the Vatican and US museums.
The life and exploits of the Amazons became an inspiration for writers and poets: Tirso de Molina, Lope de Vega, R. Granier and G. Kleist. In the 20th-21st centuries they moved into popular culture: movies, cartoons and comics in the fantasy genre.
Contemporary cinema confirms the popularity of the theme of Amazon women. Beautiful and brave warrior girls are presented in the films: “Amazons of Rome” (1961), “Pana - Queen of the Amazons” (1964), “Goddesses of War” (1973), “Legendary Amazons” (2011), “Women Warriors” ( 2017), etc.
The latest film, released in 2017, is called “Wonder Woman” and is about a heroine named Diana, the queen of the Amazons, who is endowed with fantastic strength, speed and endurance. She communicates freely with animals, and wears special bracelets for protection, but she considers men changeable and deceitful.
Among modern women You can also meet “Amazons” who are smart, educated and dream of conquering the world. They can run a large corporation and raise children at the same time, and they treat men condescendingly, allowing themselves to be loved.
In our age, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a corner of the globe untouched by civilization. Of course, in some places the so-called national flavor still remains the main attraction for tourists. But all this is mostly feigned and artificial exoticism. Take, for example, the formidable Maasai - business card Kenya. Hearing the sound of an approaching bus engine, representatives of this tribe hide their TVs, phones and jeans away and urgently give themselves primitive look. It's a completely different matter Himba- small tribe in northern Namibia. They have preserved the traditions of the Stone Age in their everyday life not for the sake of tourists, but because they do not want to live differently.
The climate of the Kunene province, where the Himba roam, cannot be called mild. During the day, the thermometer inexorably tends to the +60° mark; at night, frost sometimes falls. The breath of the oldest desert on the planet - the Namib - takes its toll.
The Himba moved to northern Namibia about several hundred years ago from East Africa. Once it was a large tribe, but in mid-19th century it was divided. Most of it migrated south, to an area richer in water. The people who broke away from the Himba became known as the Herero. They came into contact with Europeans, which ultimately killed them.
Several decades ago, Namibia realized that there were only a few indigenous people left who had preserved the way of life and beliefs of their ancestors. In general, they decided to leave the Himba alone and let them live the way they want. Any laws of Namibia on their territory come into force only after the approval of the tribal leader, who is called the king.
Like hundreds of years ago, the tribe leads a semi-nomadic life. The main occupation is breeding cows, goats and sheep. The number of cows determines social status, Burenki also serve as a means of payment. The Himba are practically not interested in money, because they do not use any industrial goods in everyday life. The exception is plastic canisters for storing and carrying water and various small items that accidentally fall into your hands.
The Himba live in kraals that have a circular layout. In the middle is a barnyard surrounded by a wicker fence. There are round or square huts around. They are built from poles dug into the ground and held together leather straps. The frame is coated with clay, and the roof is covered with straw or reeds. The huts have earthen floors and no furniture. The Himba sleep on mattresses stuffed with straw. At the entrance to the hut there is a fireplace, which is heated in black.
As the pastures become depleted, they dismantle the huts and migrate. The Himba used to extract water by digging deep holes in the sand, and found suitable places for this in one way they knew. They never place the kraal close to the source, so that outsiders cannot see where the water comes from. Not long ago, by order of the government, artesian wells were dug along nomadic routes. But the aborigines do not drink this water, except to feed their flocks with it.
In the old-fashioned way, life-giving moisture can only be obtained for one’s own use, and even then only in short supply. There is no question of washing. A magic ointment helps, to which the Himba owe their red skin tint. This is a mixture of butter whipped from cows' milk, various plant elixirs and bright red volcanic pumice crushed into the finest powder. It is mined in one and only place - on a mountain on the border of the plateau occupied by the Himba. The mountain, naturally, is considered sacred, and they do not reveal the recipe for the ointment to anyone.
Himba women apply this mixture to their entire body and hair several times a day. The ointment protects against sunburn and insect bites. In addition, when the ointment is scraped off in the evening, the dirt comes off with it, which is strange, but effective means personal hygiene. Surprisingly, Himba women have perfect skin. Using the same ointment, they make a traditional hairstyle: someone else's hair - usually a man's, most often from the father of the family - is woven into their own, creating “dreadlocks” on the head.
As a rule, one kraal is occupied by one family, but there are larger settlements. Almost all Himba can read, count, write their name and know a few phrases in English. This is thanks to the mobile schools that almost all the children of the tribe attend. But only a few graduate from more than two or three classes; to continue their studies, they need to go to the city.
Only women work in the kraals. They carry water, care for livestock, churn butter, sew and mend simple clothes. In addition, the weaker sex is engaged in gathering, so that the diet of the tribe consists not only of dairy products. Of course, women are also involved in raising children. By the way, children are not divided into friends and strangers.
Old people and teenagers graze the cattle. Himba men do not overwork themselves. Assembling and dismantling the kraal - that, by and large, is all they do. Hunting is not one of the regular activities of the tribe; it is rather a hobby of Himba men. The constant duty of the representatives of the stronger sex is the extraction of that very reddish rock that is used to prepare body paint. However, the composition is also made by women.
The weaker sex is also a kind of engine of progress. If tourists want to buy some souvenir from the tribe, they only have to bargain with women. IN last years Bright plastic bags began to enjoy unprecedented popularity among the people of the tribe. The Himba are ready to give their last for them. After all, these bags are so convenient to store your modest belongings, jewelry and, of course, scallops. With the help of the latter it is very convenient to create fantastic hairstyles for which Himba women are famous. They, by the way, are considered the standard of beauty on the African continent.
By the age of 12-14, every Himba is missing four lower teeth. This is a consequence of the initiation rite. Teeth are knocked out with a stone. If you want to be an adult, be patient. By the age of 14, Himba are allowed to marry, but weddings do not happen often, since a large bride price must be paid for the bride.
The wedding ceremony is very original. The newlyweds spend the night in the bride's family's hut. In the morning, they, accompanied by friends of their future wife, leave their parents' house, going out onto the street without fail on all fours. Then everyone rises to their feet and, taking each other by the loincloths, head towards the “sacred fire”, where the leader is already waiting for the newlyweds to perform the ceremony. If someone from the procession stumbles, the ritual will have to be repeated, but not earlier than in a few weeks.
The ceremony participants sit around the fire, and the leader is presented with three vessels of milk - one each from the huts of the groom, the bride and the leader himself. He takes the sample, after which the rest of the tribe members take turns applying it to the vessels. After this, everyone present heads to the leader’s hut, where the newlyweds will spend three days. In order for the first wedding night to be successful, in front of the hut the bride and groom again get down on all fours and walk around the house counterclockwise.
Even if a Himba man and woman are married, they are not obliged to observe marital fidelity. Each Himba can have as many wives as he can support. You can change wives, and if a man goes to long journey, then arranges for his wife to live with someone he knows.
Such freedom of morals is disturbing local authorities. More than 20% of the Namibian population has AIDS, so the Himba are a kind of risk group. However, the tribe takes a philosophical approach to medical problems. The gods give life, but they can also take it away, the Himba say. In general, they are long-livers: almost all live up to 70 years, and some up to a hundred.
The Himba justice system is also interesting. If, for example, a husband kills his wife or one of her relatives, he must pay compensation of 45 cows. If a wife or one of her relatives kills her husband, then no ransom is provided. The Namibian authorities do not punish the Himba in any way, considering all this to be their internal matter.
The Himba believe that their tribe descended from the ancestor Mukuru, who, along with his wife, emerged from the sacred Omumborombongo tree. Mukuru created all things and endowed the souls of the deceased Himba ancestors with supernatural powers. But then the enemies drove the tribe from its ancestral lands and captured the tree. Someday the Himba will return there. By the way, without any idea of geography, any head of the clan will point with his hand in the direction where to look for Omumborombongo.
In the middle of the 19th century, the Himba almost disappeared from the face of the earth. They were attacked by the largest and most powerful tribe in Namibia - the Nama. As a result of brutal raids, the Himba lost all their herds and fled to the mountains. There they had to hunt, but they did not like such a life, and they went north to Angola.
For some time it was believed that the Himba had died out or mixed with other tribes, when they suddenly reappeared in their old place. This happened in 1903, when the Nama rebelled against the German colonialists. European troops quickly defeated the Nama and the Herero allies, after which they committed a real genocide. As a result, both tribes practically ceased to exist. The Germans and Himba did not ignore them. Almost all the Himba were killed or captured and sent to camps for blacks. Fortunately, after the First World War the colonies were taken away from Germany. And if the Herero and Nama never recovered from the blow, the Himba “rose up” like a phoenix from the ashes.
The third time they were considered extinct was in the mid-1980s. A terrible multi-year drought destroyed 90% of the livestock, and in 1988 the last outbreak in the last Himba kraal went out. The remaining people of the tribe were resettled in the city of Opuwo as refugees. But in the early 1990s, the Himbas returned. Now they number just under 50 thousand, and the population is growing. At the same time, they live exactly the same as their ancestors hundreds of years ago.
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.
African b...
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 fight among themselves, marriages most often take place within one 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.
Zulu
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 largest people, they were 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 move 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 hides; 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 boasts a unique value system and way of life, not to mention rituals, customs and costumes.
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