Portraits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The origin of these factions of Islam is described on the page Travel episodes – Asia & Europe 1975: Long journey home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A number of pictures, depicting Chinese tribal peoples, may be studied on the page People: Chinese minorities.

Pictures from Tibet are shown separately under ‘Tibet’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, the culture and way of living of these peoples are rapidly disintegrating, and many have lost their land to entrepreneurs, who extract coal, iron and other minerals from it. Owners of paper factories have persuaded several of the tribes to plant eucalyptus trees on their land, promising these people a large outcome from these trees. However, they omit to inform them that eucalyptus trees dry out the soil, often leading to scarcity of water in areas, which were previously covered in lush forest.

The pictures below were taken in Odisha in 1997, when many tribal peoples had preserved part of their traditional ways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They managed to persuade Brahmins (Hindu priests) to produce genealogical tables, which connected them with the sun, the moon, and the Hindu god of fire, Agni.

These people were born warriors, divided into 36 royal clans. Because of their internal rivalries, each Rajput king ordered his people to build forts and other strongholds to protect himself and his nobles against enemies. Naturally, nobody worried about the safety of the common people.

Rajputs are described in depth on the page Travel episodes – India 1986: “His name is Muhammed!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This fascinating area is presented in depth on the pages Travel episodes – India 1986: “Sir, would you like to see this peacock?” and India 2003: Camel safari in the Thar Desert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Indian government has proclaimed that from October 31, 2019, Ladakh constitutes a Union Territory, ruled by the central government in Delhi.

In former days, among the Ladakhi population, the will to share was widespread. There was a common responsibility to keep the water courses clean, as their water was utilized in the households. At harvest time, everybody participated in helping each other. These sympathetic features largely vanished, when the area was opened to tourism in 1972. Today, a common consumer capitalism is prevailing, at least in the cities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This area is described on the pages Travel episodes – India 2008: Mountain goats and frozen flowers, and Plants – Plant hunting in the Himalaya: Abode of the deodar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My own ‘colourful’ adventures during this festival are related on the page Travel episodes – India 1991: Attending Hindu festivals in Rajasthan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This dance is a complicated pantomime, in which not only the dancing movements, but also facial mimic and eye movements are important elements. The dancers are clad in fantastic costumes, and the facial painting, which often takes hours to make, is in vivid colours. The dance is accompanied by drums, and the plot is conveyed through a singer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other pictures, depicting Batak people, may be seen on several other pages on this website, including People: Children around the world, and Culture: Musicians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parts of their land were ceded by the Chinese to the Russian Empire in 1876. Following the Russian revolution in 1919, Soviets took control of the Kyrgyz region, and the Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Oblast was created within the Soviet Union. In 1936, a Soviet Republic, named Kirgizskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika, was established.

As a result of the Russian dominance, a large number of Russians emigrated to the area, and by 1989 they numbered almost one million. Following the breakdown of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan gained independence in 1991, and the majority of Russians in the country returned to Russia.

Today, the Kyrgyz number about 5 million, of which 4.5 million live in Kyrgyzstan. There are about 350,000 Russians in the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My adventures on board a ferry on this lake are related on the page Travel episodes – Malawi 1997: A three-day ferry cruise on Lake Malawi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fantastic natural features of Namibia are described on the page Countries and places: Namibia – a desert country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sherpa are Lama Buddhists, mainly of the Nyingma-pa School (also called ‘red-hats’, because the high lamas of this sect wear red hoods). Women have a very high status among the Sherpa, and usually weddings are not arranged by the parents. Sherpas love to eat meat, but their Buddhist religion condemns killing of any creature, so the slaughtering is done by non-Buddhist Tibetans. Only domestic animals are eaten, and wildlife in Sherpa areas is generally left in peace.

Among Westerners, the Sherpa are mainly known as excellent guides and climbers on mountaineering expeditions, and many Sherpas have scaled Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) several times. Today, numerous Sherpas work in the tourist industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our adventures in Baluchistan are described on the page Travel episodes – Pakistan 1978: Encounter with robbers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My adventures among the Ifugao are described on the page Travel episodes – Philippines 1984: Shamanism among Ifugao tribals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Tamil, the name of the mountain is Sivanolipaathamalai (‘Mountain of Shiva’s Light’). Hindus claim that the footprint was made by Shiva, or perhaps the monkey god Hanuman.

According to Christian and Muslim tradition, the footprint was made by Adam, when he and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden after The Fall. Some Christians are of the opinion that it was made by St. Thomas, one of the 12 apostles.

Every day, several hours before sunrise, hundreds of pilgrims climb one of the six steep trails, with thousands of steps, leading to the top of the mountain. The goal is to be there at sunrise, when the distinctive shape of the mountain casts a triangular shadow on the surrounding plain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During Daoist parades, people, dressed as devil-like, beneficial creatures, called Bajiajiang, often practice kung-fu. Many Daoists do not regard these participants as regular people, but rather as persons being possessed by a god or a spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pictures below are from a tribal fair, which took place in the village of Dilih, central Taiwan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In later years, a common policy of the Chinese government is to ‘Mandarinize’ autonomous areas by settling a huge number of Han Chinese in these areas. Today, more Han than Tibetans live in Tibet, and the cities have changed from being typically Tibetan, with beautiful old houses, to being typically Chinese, with ugly concrete buildings. Naturally, any attempt from the Tibetans to oppose this policy, is turned down by the Chinese government, who claim that the Tibetans constitute a minority. In their own country, at that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In former times, a small part of Kurds were sedentary farmers, whereas the majority were nomads, who, with their herds of sheep and goats, roamed the mountains of eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria, northern Iraq, north-western Iran, and the adjacent parts of the Caucasus. Farmers and nomads would benefit from each other, as much trading took place between them. Cereals and vegetables were exchanged for mutton, felt, and wool. Today, however, almost all Kurds are sedentary.

The sad fate of the Kurds is described on the page Travel episodes – Iran & Turkey 1973: “Kurdistan! Bum-bum-zip!”