The daily lives of Indonesian indigenous peoples who are famous for tattoos

In general, tattoos are a sign that tribal peoples use to distinguish themselves from each other, and they are also a distinctive mark of a race, tribe, or family.
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The origin of tattoos in the tribe. It dates back to two thousand years ago. Early Polynesians made albatross bones or wood into awl or rake-shaped cones with "ink" which is made of a mixture of plant ash and grease and then hit it with a mallet to permanently let the color go into the dermis. This is the earliest tattoo.
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In addition to Polynesian tattoos as a mark of the tribe. Maori, another originator of tribal tattoos.
Each tattoo pattern is unique to the Maori. Just like a living resume, it records their career, their status in the tribe, their families, and their achievements.
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Tribal chiefs have a pattern called "Titty" stabbed on their foreheads to distinguish them from ordinary people. Generally speaking, the more patterns a person has on his face, the higher his status. So we can judge that tattoos are very important among tribal peoples.
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We live in a modern metropolis. It's hard to imagine what daily lives of a rare mysterious tribe that insists on its own culture lives look like. A report I just read recently satisfied my curiosity.

According to the British Daily Mail, a tattoo tribe of about 64,000 people lives on the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia's West Sumatra province. They are known for their distinctive tattoo marks and sharpening their teeth with a chisel
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Recently, the 19-year-old photographer Muhammad lived in this tribe for a few days and took a set of photos for the tribe to reveal the daily life of this tattoo tribe. The scene was very shocking.

The Mentawai tribe lives a semi-nomadic life, living on hunting and picking. They are famous for their unique tattoos. They use bamboo, wood, and weeds to build houses. They like to decorate the house with various animal skulls from hunting. In the picture, the old Mentawai warrior lit a hand-rolled cigarette. The background is his house, covered with animal skulls.
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A female repairs a handmade fishing net.

Two tribal women wear traditional handmade dresses.

A young boy helps a woman to wash cassava.

All social life of the clan is based on clan supremacy. 30-80 people in one clan

Mentawai’s houses are built with bamboo, wood, and grass.

Mentawai woman fishing in the river.
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A Mentawai warrior with a knife and a spear.

Tribal women's straw skirts and fishing nets are handmade. Photographers said that women can walk around without any clothes, and their lives depend entirely on natural resources.

Strange tattoo on the old man.

The old man shows the child how to weave palm leaves.
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A man is walking through a field where vegetables grow.

Mentawai warrior wearing a traditional necklace and headdress.

Although the lifestyle is very primitive, everyone in the Mentawai tribe is happy. Most men are regarded as heroes in the clan

The Mentawai people believe that all living things have souls, including plants. The witch is responsible for communicating with all souls to maintain interracial harmony.

When outsiders came, the Mentawai welcomed them. They are happy to show their way of life and environment to the outsiders.

This Mentawai family, like all the families in the tribe, uses the most basic natural resources to make daily necessities
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Mentawai people use bows and arrows for hunting.

A female elderly indigenous is smoking

Indigenous people holding a knife with tattoos on their bodies and legs and sharpened teeth.

Indigenous people holding a knife with tattoos on his body and legs and he sharpened teeth.

A little boy puts the edible caterpillars he found in the leaves and continues to help his mother find more caterpillars.
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A woman is making flour with sago.

Little boy helps the mother to work

Until today, the Mentawai tribe still asks the witch to communicate with the ghost to avoid doom and disease. In fact, they believe that the witch can solve any problems.

Although isolated from the world, it has its own peace here.