I Photographed Mentawai Tribe

Mentawai people are the native people of the Mentawai Island in Indonesia living in the traditional dwelling houses, uma`s. They live semi nomadic lifestyle in the coastal environments of the island. Men usually hunts wild pigs, deer and primates, women gathers wild food, goes fishing. Main clothing for mens is loin cloth. Mentawai adorn themselves with necklaces and flowers in their hair and ears. Women wear a cloth wound around the waist and small sleeveless vests. Mentawai sharpen their teeth with a chisel for aesthetic reasons. Tattooing is done with a needle and wood which is hammered on the needle by a shaman called sikerei.

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Mentawai Sikerei (shaman)

making sagu bread

Mentawai smokes more than 60 cigarettes per day

There`s a school in Madobag – government village.

dinner time for special guest – chicken.

Mentawai house called Uma.

preparing some poison for night hunt

“”coffee no sleep”, Mentawai drink only strong tea or coffee all day long

preparing loin cloth from baiko tree

sagu worm – main dish for Mentawai. Grilled or fresh.

sometimes group of 10 people can smoke 15 packs of cigarettes within one evening

supper time, boiled frog and river shrimp

collecting sagu worms