Fishing is the domain of the women. Their river catch of shrimps, crabs, clams, fish, eels and occasionally turtles provide a significant amount of the clanís daily protein. They also fish in their taro fields, which are off-limits to men. .Fishing is one of the rare activities for which some women still wear banana leaves. In many villages, cotton clothing is quickly replacing such traditional gear, but on hot days in the taro fields or rivers, these leaves still offer the best...
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Fishing is the domain of the women. Their river catch of shrimps, crabs, clams, fish, eels and occasionally turtles provide a significant amount of the clanís daily protein. They also fish in their taro fields, which are off-limits to men. .Fishing is one of the rare activities for which some women still wear banana leaves. In many villages, cotton clothing is quickly replacing such traditional gear, but on hot days in the taro fields or rivers, these leaves still offer the best protection from the sun..The Mentawai people live in the densest remote rainforest of Siberut Island, off the coast of Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Traditional clans on this remote tropical island have long resisted cultural assimilation; their lifestyle has been unchanged for generations. The tattoo-covered sikeireis, or traditional shamans, are knowledgeable herbalists and lead the tribe in the practice of Jarayak, a form of animism: medicine men, rituals, ceremonies and taboos still define the Mentawai lifestyle...The endangered indigenous lifestyle of these Mentawai is one of the best preserved and most fascinating, yet one of the least known and protected. ..For more information on the Mentawai, visit Native Planet (www.nativeplanet.org), an NGO that we support.
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