Portraits of Indigenous People From Around the Globe Details Their Plight

Jan 11, 2023

peru — Alina Surquislla Gomez, Quechua, Peru, 2021 – At an altitude of more than 17,000 feet, the Quechua alpaquera Alina cradles a baby alpaca on her way to the summer grazing of her family’s alpaca herd, in the Andes. Shrinking glaciers and increased drought are drying pastures, forcing the herders — many of whom are women — to search for new grazing grounds, often in difficult terrain | © Alessandro Cinque

These incredible photos capture members of Indigenous communities from around the world, shining a light on their lives.

Survival International has released its 2023 calendar featuring 12 photos that feature Indigenous communities from the Far North of Russia to the Peruvian Andes.

Sama-Bajau boy, Malaysia, 2013 – A boy joyfully jumping from his house into the sea. The Bajau spend most of their lives at sea. When hunting for fish, pearls and sea cucumbers on the sea bed, they can free-dive to a depth of up to 20 meters, and hold their breath for up to three minutes | © Pierre de Vallombreuse

Kayapó (Mebêngôkre) girl, Brazil, 2022 – Young Kayapó (Mebêngôkre) girl at a protest in Brasília. Every year, in April, thousands of Brazilian indigenous people travel many kilometers from territories across the country to gather at the Free Land Camp in the capital, to protest in defense of their lands and lives | © Ekuná Kamayurá

Nenets camp, Russia, 2019 – Although they may have to leave their family to go to school, many Nenets children then return to live in the tundra. Tribal children are the inheritors of their territories, languages, and unique ways of seeing the world, and the custodians of their ancestors’ knowledge | © Yuliya Vassilyeva

“Survival International fights for tribal peoples’ survival,” a representative tells PetaPixel.

“We stop loggers, miners, and oil companies from destroying tribal lands, lives, and livelihoods across the globe. We lobby governments to recognize Indigenous land rights. We document and expose the atrocities committed against tribal people and take direct action to stop them. We give tribal peoples a platform to speak to the world.”

Aka Mbenzelé women, Republic of Congo, 2021 – A group of women gathering edible caterpillars in their forest home. They have managed and protected the forest they depend on since time immemorial and are its best guardians. However, the creation of Protected Areas has brought hunger, ill health and devastating violence – harassment, beatings, torture, and even death – to local and indigenous people | © Marco Simoncelli

Ladakhi shepherd, India, 2017 – On the shores of a frozen lake near Gya, this shepherd carries dried yak dung in his hood. It’s used as fuel, and to reinforce the insulation of Ladakhi houses | © Nadia Ferroukhi

Yurt of Kazakh Eagle Hunters, Mongolia, 2018 – A yurt, the traditional portable home of several distinct nomadic peoples on the steppes of Central Asia, under a spectacular starry Mongolian sky | © Vijesh Kumar Raju

Enawene Nawe village, Brazil, 2020 – Tribal peoples are the best guardians of their lands and, even from the air, the diversity of their landscapes is extraordinary. While this image shows Enawene Nawe houses and surrounding pathways, trees and vegetation, multispectral imaging technology is also used to expose environmental degradation – a key tool in the fight against the invasion of indigenous territories | © Richard Mosse, courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery

Yanomami men, Brazil, 2010 – For tens of thousands of years, people have used their handprints to signal their existence and resistance. They are also a collective call for all of us to support them | © Fiona Watson

Pataxó men, Brazil, 2014 – The Üi Kãnã Pataxi ritual is held annually in October to mark the start of the rainy season – a time of harvests and plenty for the Pataxó people. During this period, the community gathers together, and performs weddings and traditional ceremonies | © Edgar Kanaykõ Xakriabá

Maasai herdsmen, Maasai Mara Reserve, Kenya, 2015 – For generations, the pastoralist Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania have followed the seasonal rains of East Africa, moving their herds from one place to another, thus giving the grass a chance to grow again. But they are now increasingly suffering from climate change, human rights abuses and eviction in the name of conservation.
| © Charlie Hamilton James

Guajajara woman, Terra IndígenaAraribóia, Brazil, 2021 – A Guajajara woman weaving a maniá hammock. A group of incredibly brave and inspiring members of the tribe, known as the Guardians of the Amazon, are putting their lives on the line to save their forest home – and their uncontacted Awá neighbours – from destruction | © Edivan Dos Santos Guajajara

All photos are from Survival International’s We, the people 2023 Calendar available from www.survivalinternational.org/shop

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