They hide in the deepest, darkest corners of the Earth – or in the vast, remote plains of Africa. Their clothing, customs, and traditions remain very outdated, and they use ancient hunting methods that contrast with today’s advanced social whirlwind. Meet 8 indigenous tribes to see what makes them unique.
Huli Wigmen Tribe, Papua New Guinea
Location: Tari Basin, Papua New Guinea
The tribe’s unusual hats are made from their own hair. Comprising around 40,000 isolated individuals, the men often collect fake manes to wear or sell to others. They paint their faces gold, wield axes, wear leaf skirts, and sport dangling hairstyles to intimidate rival tribes. Traditionally, they perform dances imitating the birds of paradise found on the island.
Dogon Tribe, West Africa
Location: Mali, West Africa
As usual, the men of this tribe climb the steep cliffs of Bandiagara using ropes to collect pigeon and bat droppings. They then sell these to fertilizer factories and Tellem artifact workshops. Over 400,000 Dogon people live in around 700 small villages precariously located along a 200 km cliffside path.
Chimbu Tribe, Papua New Guinea
Location: Chimbu Province, Papua New Guinea
This tribe dresses as skeletons and dances to intimidate other tribes during territorial disputes. They reside in a very remote area, little known for their actual way of life, living in a temperate climate within rugged mountain valleys ranging from 1,600 to 2,400 meters high. Traditionally, they used to live in gender-segregated houses, but nowadays, they have started living together as families.
Nenet Tribe, Siberia
Location: Yamal Peninsula, Siberia
This tribe, consisting of about 10,000 robust nomads, migrates with 300,000 reindeer across an 1,100 km migration route in an area one and a half times the size of France, enduring temperatures as low as -50 degrees Celsius. They travel on sleds. Despite the discovery of oil and gas reserves in the 1970s, they still limit their contact with the outside world.
Asaro Men
Location: Goroka, Papua New Guinea
These men cover themselves in mud, believing that their appearance resembles spirits and can instill fear in other tribes in the area. Some ethnic groups have lived scattered in the highlands for over a millennium, isolated due to the harsh terrain, and were only discovered 75 years ago.
Himba Cattle Herding Tribe, Namibia
Location: Namibia, Africa
The semi-nomadic Himba tribe lives scattered in northwestern Namibia and southern Angola. They reside in cone-shaped huts made of mud and dung. They keep fires burning 24 hours a day to honor their god Mukuru. According to tribal tradition, the number of livestock indicates wealth, and the Himba people prefer goat meat in their meals.
Kazakh Eagle Hunters
Location: Bayan-Olgii Province, Mongolia
They use eagles to hunt foxes, marmots, and wolves. They wear furs from their catches, and boys from the age of 13 can carry an eagle. This semi-nomadic tribe has migrated around the Altai Mountains since the 19th century. Currently, they number about 100,000, but only about 250 eagle hunters remain.
Bayaka Tribe, Central African Republic
Location: Southwestern Tropical Rainforest, Central African Republic (CAR)
The Bayaka tribe relies on the “spirit of the forest” and possesses extensive knowledge of herbal medicine. They have their own language and traditional hunting methods. They are one of many tribes in this remote region of Africa, with a population of half a million. The elders of this tribe report that they cannot pass on traditional skills to their descendants due to their old age and inability to venture deep into the forest.
