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  • The first medicine man, Maligai, who domesticated wild forest birds and turned them into chickens, was instructed to allow only men to weave the roiget or chicken baskets. The birds wander free in the forest during the day, but hens with new chicks spend their nights in safety inside roigets hung from the uma's rafters...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.
  • Sago is one of man?s earliest and highest yield foods: a single tree provides sixteen hundred pounds of carbohydrate-rich flour, enough to feed a family of ten for six months..Sago is the Mentawai Tree of Life and main staple food. Its flour is wrapped inside its own leaves before being roasted directly over a fire...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.
  • Mentawai Shamans and Healing Ceremonies..Teurepa, the elder Sikeirei, holds the intestines of the sacrificed chicken up to the light for careful inspection. After studying the arteries and veins of the translucent membrane connecting the bowels, both medicine men agree: the omens are good, the second healing ritual can continue and the boy, Jiguei, will live...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.
  • Believing that most physical afflictions arise from a spiritual imbalance makes beautification to satisfy the soul an important part of every ritual. The sikeireis know that their own souls must be at peace before they can heal others. Their tattoos and body adornments are often enhanced with natural pigments extracted from fragrant yellow turmeric root and black ashes...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.
  • Believing that most physical afflictions arise from a spiritual imbalance makes beautification to satisfy the soul an important part of every ritual. The sikeireis know that their own souls must be at peace before they can heal others. Their tattoos and body adornments are often enhanced with natural pigments extracted from fragrant yellow turmeric root and black ashes...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.
  • Tribal dancing is used around the world as a form of communication with a dimension beyond that which can be seen. Only the sikeireis (Mentawai shamans) may wear ritual body ornaments and perform these sacred dances. Dressed in full regalia, the shamans are as magnificent as the most majestic birds of the rainforest..Magical and aromatic plants hanging from their long hair and loincloths; and wearing rattan bracelets and ceremonial aprons fashioned from pieces of red, white and black fabric, these shamans are ready to invoke their tremendous powers. They dance mimicking jungle animals such as monkeys and crocodiles, to reach the ancestral world and communicate with the spirits. ..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.
  • Tribal dancing is used around the world as a form of communication with a dimension beyond that which can be seen. Only the sikeireis (Mentawai shamans) may wear ritual body ornaments and perform these sacred dances. Dressed in full regalia, the shamans are as magnificent as the most majestic birds of the rainforest..Magical and aromatic plants hanging from their long hair and loincloths; and wearing rattan bracelets and ceremonial aprons fashioned from pieces of red, white and black fabric, these shamans are ready to invoke their tremendous powers. They dance mimicking jungle animals such as monkeys and crocodiles, to reach the ancestral world and communicate with the spirits. ..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.
  • Tribal dancing is used around the world as a form of communication with a dimension beyond that which can be seen. Only the sikeireis (Mentawai shamans) may wear ritual body ornaments and perform these sacred dances. Dressed in full regalia, the shamans are as magnificent as the most majestic birds of the rainforest..Magical and aromatic plants hanging from their long hair and loincloths; and wearing rattan bracelets and ceremonial aprons fashioned from pieces of red, white and black fabric, these shamans are ready to invoke their tremendous powers. They dance mimicking jungle animals such as monkeys and crocodiles, to reach the ancestral world and communicate with the spirits. ..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.
  • Tribal dancing is used around the world as a form of communication with a dimension beyond that which can be seen. Only the sikeireis (Mentawai shamans) may wear ritual body ornaments and perform these sacred dances. Dressed in full regalia, the shamans are as magnificent as the most majestic birds of the rainforest..Magical and aromatic plants hanging from their long hair and loincloths; and wearing rattan bracelets and ceremonial aprons fashioned from pieces of red, white and black fabric, these shamans are ready to invoke their tremendous powers. They dance mimicking jungle animals such as monkeys and crocodiles, to reach the ancestral world and communicate with the spirits. ..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.
  • 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 clan?s 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.
  • Siberut has one of the densest and steamiest jungles in the world; mud swamps and deep riverbed crossings are everywhere. A network of logs and bamboo sections set in the mud links houses and villages. Athletic and graceful, even the eldest Mentawai don?t look down at the fly along these slippery logs, which inevitably send outsiders plowing into the thigh-deep mud that surrounds them..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..
  • 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 clan?s 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.
  • Siberut has one of the densest and steamiest jungles in the world; mud swamps and deep riverbed crossings are everywhere. A network of logs and bamboo sections set in the mud links houses and villages. Athletic and graceful, even the eldest Mentawai don?t look down at the fly along these slippery logs, which inevitably send outsiders plowing into the thigh-deep mud that surrounds them..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..
  • The sikeireis know the secrets of every plant in the rainforest that surrounds them. Many plants are edible or medicinal, some are magical and some provide sweet-scented perfumes. Others are deadly poisons but, conveniently enough, their antidotes usually grow close by..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.
  • 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 clan?s 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.
  • Believing that most physical afflictions arise from a spiritual imbalance makes beautification to satisfy the soul an important part of every ritual. The sikeireis know that their own souls must be at peace before they can heal others. Their tattoos and body adornments are often enhanced with natural pigments extracted from fragrant yellow turmeric root and black ashes..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.
  • As soon as they can walk, young girls follow their mothers around and begin helping with their chores. Today is fishing for shrimp and small fish in the flooded taro fields, a great opportunity to exchange the latest village news ñ a pastime the women, young and old, love..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.
  • As soon as they can walk, young girls follow their mothers around and begin helping with their chores. Today is fishing for shrimp and small fish in the flooded taro fields, a great opportunity to exchange the latest village news ñ a pastime the women, young and old, love..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.
  • 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.
  • Sago is one of man?s earliest and highest yield foods: a single tree provides sixteen hundred pounds of carbohydrate-rich flour, enough to feed a family of ten for six months..Sago is the Mentawai Tree of Life and main staple food. Its flour is wrapped inside its own leaves before being roasted directly over a fire...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.
  • The sikeireis know the secrets of every plant in the rainforest that surrounds them. Many plants are edible or medicinal, some are magical and some provide sweet-scented perfumes. Others are deadly poisons but, conveniently enough, their antidotes usually grow close by..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.
  • The sikeireis know the secrets of every plant in the rainforest that surrounds them. Many plants are edible or medicinal, some are magical and some provide sweet-scented perfumes. Others are deadly poisons but, conveniently enough, their antidotes usually grow close by..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.
  • The sikeireis know the secrets of every plant in the rainforest that surrounds them. Many plants are edible or medicinal, some are magical and some provide sweet-scented perfumes. Others are deadly poisons but, conveniently enough, their antidotes usually grow close by..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.
  • Siberut has one of the densest and steamiest jungles in the world; mud swamps and deep riverbed crossings are everywhere. A network of logs and bamboo sections set in the mud links houses and villages. Athletic and graceful, even the eldest Mentawai don?t look down at the fly along these slippery logs, which inevitably send outsiders plowing into the thigh-deep mud that surrounds them..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..
  • The sikeireis know the secrets of every plant in the rainforest that surrounds them. Many plants are edible or medicinal, some are magical and some provide sweet-scented perfumes. Others are deadly poisons but, conveniently enough, their antidotes usually grow close by..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.