The most unusual tribes on Earth (34 photos). Life of wild African tribes

The Himba have almost no water at all: every drop that can be obtained will be carefully preserved and drunk. To also wash with water is unimaginable here.

The Himba have been helped to survive since time immemorial by a magical ointment, to which they owe their now famous red skin tone: a mixture of butter churned from the milk of their skinny cows, various plant elixirs, as well as bright red volcanic pumice “okra” ground into the finest powder. Himba women apply this mixture to their entire body and hair several times a day.

The ointment helps maintain the required level of hygiene, protects against sunburn and insect bites.

Surprisingly, Himba women have absolutely perfect skin. And they smell quite pleasant - except that they smell a little like melted butter...

The same super cream serves as the basis for a traditional hairstyle. Long "dreadlocks", however, are grown approximately twice as long with someone else's hair: usually male, most often respectfully accepted from the father of the family.

By the way, every resident of a Himba village has, in addition to the one received at birth, also a “European” name.

Children receive it when they study in mobile free schools organized by the state: almost everyone goes to study, so almost everyone knows how to count, can write their name, say a few English words and phrases (first of all, English numbers come in handy - especially when it comes time to bargain ).

After the first two or three classes, very few continue to study. Only a rich family can afford to send a child to the city, to a “big” school: education, housing, clothing, food in the city cost an average of seven cows a year. But sometimes it happens.

From there, from the city, comes the most terrible problem of the Himba: AIDS. In Namibia, almost 20 percent of the population is infected with AIDS, and the Himba have a purely philosophical attitude towards the danger of becoming infected: God gave, God takes away.

Of course, they are not talking about any kind of prevention. But if you’re lucky and don’t get infected with AIDS in childhood or youth, the Himba live for quite a long time: often longer than 70 years, and sometimes live up to 100. However, old people are not visible in the village: either in distant pastures, with livestock, or in huts where tourists are not allowed.

An ideal starting point for a trip to the Himba settlements is the town of Opuwo. Already here, by the way, you can meet representatives of the Himba. Don't be surprised if you see one of these gorgeous ladies in the supermarket.

It is better to go directly to the Himba village with a local guide. He will be able to negotiate with the tribal leader about visiting the “kraal” (the traditional home of the Himba) and he will talk about the life and culture of the Himba.

The African Himba tribe lives in the Kunene region, which is located in the northern part of Namibia. This is one of the most difficult places for a person to exist.

The hot African climate prevails here, malaria and a huge number of poisonous snakes are common. However, despite such difficult conditions, the Himba are very peaceful and friendly people.

Its number, according to various sources, ranges from 20 to 50 thousand people. The history of the Himba begins in eastern Africa, from where, a couple of hundred years ago, they, together with the Herero tribe, moved to Namibia.

The traditional Himba lifestyle is similar to that of other African tribes (e.g.

), i.e. nomadic. The main occupation of this tribe is cattle breeding - they raise large and small cattle, as well as sheep. Himba women have a long list of responsibilities.

Besides the fact that milking cows falls on their shoulders. So they also do more difficult work: provide settlements with water and even build houses. In addition, they are required to provide childcare. Moreover, often one woman watches not only her own, but also other people’s offspring. While their mother is working.

Traditions of the Himba tribe

Himba settlements are built in a circle. In the center there are pens for livestock, which are surrounded by their own residential buildings. Their houses are very similar to yurts.

Young wood is used as building materials, the frame of the future house is formed from it, which is then covered with mud and manure, the whole structure dries perfectly and is fixed under the rays of the hot African sun.

To this day, the Himba tribe has a cult of ancestors. They also perform rituals in which they use okoruwa (sacred flame), because... it is a symbol of the inextricable connection between the world of the living and the world of the dead.

Okoruwa burns continuously as long as the elder lives. When he leaves the world of the living, his home is subject to destruction, and the flame itself is extinguished. Members of the elder's family are required to perform a dance ritual throughout the night.

Speaking about the Himba tribe, it is necessary to dwell specifically on their appearance. This tribe, like the representatives of the Watusi tribe, pay great attention to their appearance and caring for it.

The Himba do not miss a single detail: hairstyle, various jewelry, clothing - all this is carefully monitored, because this is part of the centuries-old Himba traditions. Even just after the baby is born, pearl jewelry is worn.

Representatives of the beautiful half of the Himba stand out clearly against the background of other tribes living in Namibia. These are tall, slender women with a reddish skin tone and not particularly burdened with clothing.

The lack of outfits is compensated by numerous decorations made of copper, shells, pearls, etc. Jewelry is worn on the arms, legs, neck, in general, wherever they can be used.

It is worth noting that in this way they not only decorate themselves, but also protect them. For example, ankle bracelets from snakes, which are abundant in the Kunene region. Also, women of this tribe have excellent posture, which is formed as a result of constantly wearing containers of water on their heads.

In general, Himba women are very attractive: slender figures, delicate facial features and almond-shaped eyes.

Traditionally, the Himba cover their entire body, as well as their face and head, with a kind of ointment, which includes fat, ocher and ash. That's why their skin has a red tint.

Also, in this way, they protect their skin from the scorching African sun. In addition, this mixture has a unique cosmetic effect and gives the skin elasticity and shine.

Himba women do not have the habit of washing; all hygiene procedures are associated with this mixture.

The traditional women's hairstyles of the Himba people are various braids, depending on the type of which you can determine whether the girl is married. Men's and children's hairstyles are also very diverse. In addition, married men wear a headdress - a turban.

Due to difficult climatic conditions, the Himba rarely have contact with the civilized world. Therefore, all that this tribe took from the modern benefits of civilization were plastic bags and plastic bottles. They store their numerous decorations and household items in them.

The Himba, like many other African tribes, suffered greatly during the colonial period of Africa. This small nation was subjected to merciless genocide (mass extermination) in 1904.

It was carried out by the representative of the German colonial machine, Lothar von Troth, who also led the massacres of other tribes inhabiting the territory of Namibia, some of them were completely wiped off the face of the earth (for example, Herero).

Fortunately, the Himba managed to avoid a similar fate, but the number of this tribe declined sharply.

The ethnic diversity on Earth is amazing in its abundance. People living in different parts of the planet are at the same time similar to each other, but at the same time very different in their way of life, customs, and language. In this article we will talk about some unusual tribes that you might be interested to know about.

Piraha Indians - a wild tribe inhabiting the Amazon jungle

The Pirahã Indian tribe lives among the Amazon rain forest, mainly along the banks of the Maici River, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil.

This South American people are famous for their language, Pirahã. In fact, Pirahã is one of the rarest languages ​​among the 6,000 spoken languages ​​around the world. The number of native speakers ranges from 250 to 380 people. The language is amazing because:

- does not have numbers, for them there are only two concepts “several” (from 1 to 4 pieces) and “many” (more than 5 pieces),

- verbs do not change either by numbers or by persons,

- there are no names for colors,

- consists of 8 consonants and 3 vowels! Isn't this amazing?

According to linguistic scholars, Piraha men understand rudimentary Portuguese and even speak very limited topics. True, not all male representatives can express their thoughts. Women, on the other hand, have little understanding of the Portuguese language and do not use it at all to communicate. However, the Pirahã language has several loanwords from other languages, mainly Portuguese, such as "cup" and "business".

Speaking of business, the Piraha Indians trade Brazil nuts and provide sexual services in order to buy consumables and tools, for example, machetes, milk powder, sugar, whiskey. Chastity is not a cultural value for them.

There are several more interesting points associated with this nationality:

- Pirahã have no compulsion. They don't tell other people what to do. There seems to be no social hierarchy at all, no formal leader.

- This Indian tribe has no idea of ​​\u200b\u200bdeities and God. However, they believe in spirits, which sometimes take the form of jaguars, trees, or people.

— it feels like the Pirahã tribe are people who don’t sleep. They can take a nap of 15 minutes or at most two hours throughout the day and night. They rarely sleep through the night.

The Wadoma tribe is an African tribe of people with two toes.

The Vadoma tribe lives in the Zambezi River valley in northern Zimbabwe. They are known for the fact that some members of the tribe suffer from ectrodactyly, three middle toes are missing from their feet, and the outer two are turned inward. As a result, members of the tribe are called “two-fingered” and “ostrich-footed”. Their huge two-toed feet are the result of a single mutation on chromosome number seven. However, in the tribe such people are not considered inferior. The reason for the common occurrence of ectrodactyly in the Vadoma tribe is isolation and the prohibition of marriage outside the tribe.

Life and life of the Korowai tribe in Indonesia

The Korowai tribe, also called the Kolufo, live in the southeast of the autonomous Indonesian province of Papua and consist of approximately 3,000 people. Perhaps before 1970 they did not know about the existence of other people besides themselves.

Most Korowai clans live in their isolated territory in tree houses, which are located at an altitude of 35-40 meters. In this way, they protect themselves from floods, predators, and arson by rival clans who take people, especially women and children, into slavery. In 1980, some of the Korowai moved to settlements in open areas.

Korowai have excellent hunting and fishing skills, and are engaged in gardening and gathering. They practice slash-and-burn agriculture, when the forest is first burned and then crops are planted in this place.

As far as religion is concerned, the Korowai universe is filled with spirits. The most honorable place is given to the spirits of ancestors. In times of need, they sacrifice domestic pigs to them.

The many-sided Africa, on the vast territory of which in 61 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 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.

Their customs

There are about 3 thousand different wild tribes in Africa, but it is difficult to name their exact number, since most often they are either densely mixed with each other, or, on the contrary, 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, which sometimes only representatives of a particular tribe can understand. And the variety of rituals, dances, customs and sacrifices is enormous. 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.

The majority of African peoples deny everything new and modern and withdraw into themselves. Most of all, they are attached to constancy and immutability, including in everything that concerns everyday life, traditions and customs that originate from their great-grandfathers.

It’s hard to imagine, but among them there are practically no people who are not engaged in 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 over 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. A distinctive feature of the Bantu is the enlarged lower lip, into which small discs are inserted.

Zulu

The Zulu people, once the largest ethnic group, now number only 10 million. The Zulus use their own language, Zulu, which comes from the Bantu family and is the most widely spoken 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 a significant place in the life of the tribe and are distinguished by the splendor of colors and forms.

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”, but 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 feature of the 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. They can make almost any musical instrument. 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 since the current century dictates its own rules and many Bushmen have to deviate from centuries-old traditions and work as workers on farms in order to provide for their 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.