New series with Trevor Cole
Indigenous peoples & their disappearing worlds
I have had for a long time a fascination for indigenous peoples. This has been underpinned by my passion for Geography and photography. Indigenous people are those who have unique ways of life, distinctive cultural traits and traditions. These peoples often have an almost symbiotic bond with the environments in which they live. They are inextricably connected to their habitats and biomes. Often known as ‘first’ peoples, tribal or aboriginal, they tend to live in remote areas of the World. My aspiration as a geographer-photographer is always to portray indigenous people as I have come to know them.
The Konyak and Apatani
Apatani elder with head knot (left) and Konyak elder (right)
Humans are inextricably connected to their environment, hence I love to photograph people in their ‘home’ contexts. People adapt over time and are therefore a reflection of their climatic and biophysical regimes and this contributes to the immense diversity of humankind on this Earth. Two such groups exist and live in North East India; the Konyak of Nagaland and the Apatani of Arunchal Pradesh. They are geographically close, but tribal groups are often juxtaposed and their cultures evolve in different ways. This is often a result of topographic barriers and is mountainous, and in the past these areas were densely forested. It is interesting to observe how so many tribes from similar points of origin come in different waves of migration or from different migration routes, developing different languages, attires and customs independently of one another, despite being in close proximity to each other.
The Konyak are seen by everyone as the most traditional of the sixteen Naga tribes. They have given up their head-hunting ways, but still live a traditional lifestyle. It is only the elders who still retain some of their cultural traits and traditions. The men still have their facial tattoos from their head-hunting days. The Konyak are also adept artisans, skilled craftsmen who make their own guns and machetes. They still adorn themselves with bone ear pieces and necklaces.
Shifting cultivation en route to Longwa in Nagaland
Getting there to meet the Konyak
The road journey to get to Mon and Longwa, where the Konyak are found, is sinuous with great vistas of the Himalayan foothills and shifting cultivation. Longwa has a great setting on the border with Myanmar. I watched some of the Konyak men smoking Opium over a fire in the King’s house then wandered down through the village in search of older men with the characteristic Konyak facial tattoos. Sadly their traditions will die with them as many are over 80 years old.
Konyak man relishing a smoke with an opium pipe (left); Old tattooed Konyak man – a former head hunter (right)
The village of Hongphui has one of the largest remaining group of old people bearing the dying tattooed tradition that was extensively practiced among the Konyak Nagas. Sitting with the king of the village, they recalled the days of how and why they received their tattoo. There must have been twelve to fifteen elders who come to a meeting house every day to tell their tales and interact socially, which perhaps has given them their zest for life and extended longevity.
Young Konyak girls with western attire (left & centre); Konyak man with the characteristic tattoos of a head hunter
The Apatani
Ziro in Arunchal Pradesh is home to the Apatani tribe and it is located in an extremely picturesque area called the Apatani Plateau surrounded by pine-covered mountains. These indigenous people are Ziro’s greatest attraction. The older men-folk tie the hair in top-knots and tattoo their faces. Apatani women similarly tattoo themselves but also have very distinctive nose plugs. Recent generations stopped these practices in the early 1970s. The villages are beautiful but, with the exception of the old people, they have adopted western culture.
The area around Ziro in the Apatani Plateau.
These people are also often marginalised and subjected to acculturation where colonising powers or governments have sought to assimilate them into what they perceive to be mainstream or developed society. The core seeking to control the periphery. There is no doubt in my mind that tribal peoples are under threat from a multiplicity of outside influences: Acculturation, improved transport and telecommunications, the need for land for agribusiness or mining; proselytisation by the church and missionaries; expulsion from national parks and the inexorable spread of tourism and ‘zooification’.
Apatani with tattoos and nose plugs (women)
The old ways
Many older Apatani and Konyak (Nagas) people still believe in the ‘old religion’ or animistic beliefs. They worship the sun and moon. It is called Doni Polo religion. Photographing these indigenous people is a unique opportunity for cultural exchange and a valuable way of drawing attention to cultures that are marginalised. Such photography also carries risks of negative impacts, hence it is important to photograph them in a sensitive and sustainable way.
Spending time in villages is an imperative to enable a photo shoots which creates a relationship. These tribes all have in common an enviable understanding of nature and their relationship with their surroundings. They are truly a reflection of their environment and have small ecological footprints. However, their future is uncertain as globalisation is reducing this diversity and homogenising culture.
Apatani woman (left) and Konyak headhunter traditionally attired (right)
My approach to the photography
On my trips to find and photograph indigenous cultures, I shoot with a Nikon Z7ii and Z8 using good lenses (Nikkor 24-70f2.8, 70-200 f2.8 and 85 f1.4). Photography with tribal people is a delicate balance and I try to capture candid moments as well as community spirit and portraits. Interpersonal skills can make the moment count. And in that moment I seek to capture light, colour, emotion, insight, character and spirit.
In the right light, at the right time the ordinary becomes extraordinary and that is something to strive for in the context of encapsulating tribal traits. Sometimes I lead small ‘eco-photo’ tours to visit these tribal groups, so it’s always a delicate balance and the people I take need to understand that they are privileged to have this opportunity. Communication is key, so I use local agencies and guides who facilitate interaction and permissions in a sensitive way. Sensitivity and cultural understanding are the key to successful visits together, especially with a small group approach, to create an interactive experience full of both cultural and photographic opportunities.
Trevor Cole is a travel photographer with an interest is photographing people, eco-tourism and preserving indigenous cultures. For more information on Trevor, his photography and his photography workshops visit:
Website: www.coleimages.com
Photo Tours: www.alternativevisions.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trevcole/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlternativeVisionsPhotography
Also read Trevor’s Human Connection article and feature on Capturing Character in People Photography here on Eye for the Light
All images © Trevor Cole
