How many of us know about the actual tribes??
Tribes is all we began from and doing the rustic things like getting a tribal tattoo and get the tribal prints on our clothes. We adore the tribal look which we also at times refer to as ‘boho’ or ‘hippie’ !
It’s always cool to have a bit of knowledge about the world and the other cultures. It opens up your mind to the world and also adds up to the content for a more engrossing conversation with your friends or peer group.
If you love The Tribal Look, it’s time to know about its roots. It might also help you to add up a few more elements to your style. Here are the most awesome tribes from different parts of the world. You better start taking notes…
1. Kazakh
“Fine horses and fierce eagles are the wings of a Kazakh”
Descending from the Turkish, Mongolic, Indo-Iranian and the Huns, the Kazakhs populated the territory between Siberia and the Black Sea. Kazakh belongs to Kipchak group of Turkic language family. These are semi nomadic people who have roamed the topographies of western Mongolia with their herds in the 19th century.
2. Himba
This tribe consists of tall, slender and statuesque herders. It is an ancient tribe and has been living in scattered settlements since the 16th century, living a life that has remained unchanged, surviving war and droughts. Himba women especially, and men too, cover themselves with otijze paste, a cosmetic mixture of butterfat and ochre pigment, to cleanse the skin over long periods and to prevent mosquito bites.
3. Huli
It is believed that the first Papua New Guineans migrated to the island over 45000 years ago. Today, over 3 million people, half of the heterogeneous population, live in the highlands. Huli men went to war to gain more ‘land, pigs and women. ‘When wearing traditional dress, the men decorate their bodies with colored clay and wear elaborate headdresses for ceremonies.
Men enhance their basic outfit by adding various combinations of natural or man-made ornaments to their daily dress. Men commonly wear a kina shell breast plate, earrings, neck bands, cowrie shell necklace, a hornbill and pig teeth necklace worn on the back of their neck, and a nasal septum shaft. Woven arm and leg bands, a black-palm belt, and a cassowary dagger are worn daily by most Huli men. The head is almost always adorned with feathers, everlasting daisies, leaves, or tree kangaroo furs.
4. Asaro
A number of different indigenous groups have lived scattered across the highland plateau for 1000 years, in small agrarian clans, isolated by the harsh terrain and divided by language, custom and tradition. The legendary Asaro Mudmen first met with the Western world in the middle of the 20th century. Legend has it that the Mudmen were forced to flee from an enemy into the Asaro River where they waited until dusk to escape. The enemy saw them rise from the banks covered in mud and thought they were spirits. The Asaro still apply mud and masks to keep the illusion alive and terrify other indigenous groups.
5. Kalam
“Knowledge is only rumour until it is in the muscle”
The eastern half of New Guinea gained full independence from Australia in 1975, when Papua New Guinea was born. The indigenous population is one of the most heterogeneous in the world. Traditionally, the different groups scattered across the highland plateau, live in small agrarian clans.
The first visitors were impressed to find valleys of carefully planned gardens and irrigation ditches. The women of the indigenous groups are exceptional farmers. The men hunt and fight other tribes over land, pigs and women. Great effort is made to impress the enemy with terrifying masks, wigs and paint.
6. Goroka
The indigenous population of the world’s second largest island is one of the most heterogeneous in the world. The harsh terrain and historic inter-tribal warfare has led to village isolation and the proliferation of distinct languages. A number of different tribes are scattered across the highland plateau. Life is simple in the highland villages. The residents have plenty of good food, close-knit families and a great respect for the wonders of nature. They survive by hunting, gathering plants and growing crops. Indigenous warfare is common and men go through great effort to impress the enemy with make-up and ornaments.
7. Chukchi
“The way you treat your dog in this life determines your place in heaven”
The ancient Arctic Chukchi live on the peninsula of Chukotka. Unlike other native groups of Siberia, they have never been conquered by Russian troops. Their environment and traditional culture endured destruction under Soviet rule, by weapons testing and pollution. Due to the harsh climate and difficulty of life in the tundra, hospitality and generosity are highly prized among the Chukchi. They believe that all natural phenomena are considered to have their own spirits. Traditional lifestyle still survives but is increasingly supplemented.
8. Maori
“My language is my awakening, my language is the window to my soul”
The long and intriguing story of the origin of the indigenous Maori people can be traced back to the 13th century, the mythical homeland Hawaiki, Eastern Polynesia. Due to centuries of isolation, the Maori established a distinct society with characteristic art, a separate language and unique mythology. Defining aspects of Maori traditional culture include art, dance, legends, tattoos and community. While the arrival of European colonists in the 18th century had a profound impact on the Maori way of life, many aspects of traditional society have survived into the 21st century.
9. Mustang
“The one who is guilty has the higher voice”
The former kingdom of Lo is linked by religion, culture and history to Tibet, but is politically part of Nepal. Now Tibetan culture is in danger of disappearing, it stands alone as one of the last truly Tibetan cultures existing today. Until 1991, no outsiders were allowed to enter Mustang. The traditions of the people of Lo are closely related to early Buddhism. Most still believe that the world is flat. They are highly religious, prayers and festivals are an integral part of their lives. The grandeur of the monasteries illustrates the prominent position of religion.
10. Gaucho
“A Gaucho without a horse is only half a man”
Nomadic and colourful horsemen and cowboys have wandered the prairies as early as the 1700s, when wild Cimarron cattle overpopulated the flatlands. In the 18th century, when leather was in high demand, Gauchos arose to clandestinely hunt the huge herds of horses and cattle. The word ‘Gaucho’ was used to describe the free spirits, inseparable from their horse and knife. Over time, when extensive portions of prairies were settled and commercial cattle began, there was less room for the Gauchos to roam. As their way of living changed, the legend of the Gaucho grew.
11. Tsaatan
“If there were no reindeer we would not exist”
Tsaatan (reindeer people) are the last reindeer herders who survived for thousands of years inhabiting the remotest subarctic taiga, moving between 5 and 10 times a year. Presently, only 44 families remain, their existence threatened by the dwindling number of their domesticated reindeer. The Tsaatan rely on the animal for most, if not all, of their basic needs: milk, which is also used to make cheese; antlers, which they use to make tools; and first and foremost, transport. They do not use the reindeer for meat. This makes the indigenous group unique among reindeer-herding communities.
