Guaraní girl from Puerto Esperanza - Misiones - Argentina

Niger - salt caravan (Azelaï) between Bilma and Agadez

Nomad children in front of their tent in the camp near El Meki near Timia - Niger

Tuareg women take care of their goats in the camp near Oued Timia - Niger

Waterhole of Eres near Temet, Niger - Canisters are filled with the precious water by the Tuaregs and then transported by camels.

USA-Alaska - Tlingit Indian Nathan P. Jackson

Young girl from Ghadames - Libya

Tuareg girl in the camp of Mechovi - Aïr - Niger.

A baby carrier made of goat leather for the little Djamila in the camp of Toufouchi – Aïr –Niger.

Indian children of the Powwow tribe - Calgary-Stampede, Canada

Exploring - Like a Scout leader, Abakaoua explores the narrow passage that leads to the top of the dunes of Ifiniyane.

A bit of family history - Abdelkrim ag Ahrmed, son of Ahrmed ag Chaoua, is the grand-son of Chaoua and comes from a dynasty of caravan leaders. In the language of the Tuareg, Tamacheq, “ag” means “son of”. - Niger / Aïr / 2003

Tuareg child - Framed by a tuft of hair dedicated to Allah and amulets bearing verses from the Koran, the look of this boy scans his whole future dedicated to faith. - Tezirzek / Aïr / Niger

The two sisters of Toufouchi - Their features are clean; their look, determined. And a firm will is needed to survive in these inhospitable latitudes. The two sisters of Toufouchi look after the goats, cook, fetch water and find enough time in between for jokes and laughter.

Kids games - When his feet touch the ground, it will be time for the older child to become a man. Then the carefree days of childhood and adolescence will come to an end. - Niger / fountain of Tezirzek / 1992

Selima and son - Called «cul-nu» by the photographer, the son of Selima hides his tiny garment under the wide skirt of his mother. - Niger / Aïr / Zakkat / 2001

Tuareg warrior - With a single blow of his Takuba, Boubakar ag Mohamed has beheaded a jackal... what a feat! As the leader of a clan of ten families from the Kel Takriza tribe, formerly feared in the Sahel because of their raids against black farmers, today he is the most peaceful of Tuareg dignitaries – and the one wearing the most makeup! - Niger / Western Aïr

Abakaoua, a Targi of the Kel Tédélé tribe - Symbol of the stubborn resistance of his people, chief Abakaoua ag Kanom is proud of his 72 years of age and wears an indigo cloth covering his head and shoulders, as well as khol makeup.

Smiling woman - The smile of this woman at the well of Tezirzek shows confidence in her freedom and the serenity that a hard but happy life offers. - Niger / Ténéré / 2003

South American Indians - In the Chuquibambilla region, up in the highlands (Altiplano), an Aymara shepherdess is giving her little lamb the bottle, after having breastfed her own child, who is now on her back. - 1980

Peru - In the basin of the Ucayali (one of the major headstreams of the Amazon River), in the middle of the Peruvian jungle, a Shipibo Indian woman and her children cross the Yarinacocha lake near Pucallpa. - 1970

This Shipibo girl is using a large banana leaf as an umbrella to protect herself against the rain. - Ucayali, Peru

Niger - caravan in the evening light - Erg Izane

Young woman from the Kanouri ethnic group in the Kaouar region, Ténéré (Niger). Noteworthy is her traditional silver nose ring depicting a snake biting its tail. Equally frequent are the unavoidable black flies, which pervade everyday life in the Sahara.

This girl from the Aït Haddidou tribe, in the Moroccan High Atlas, has made herself up for the September moussem, a traditional market where one can get honey... and a fiancé.

Barbati’s chapati - In the Thar Desert (western India), this young nomad woman, called Barbati, is preparing the chapati, traditional Indian bread. An image that, except for some clothing details, might as well belong to everyday life in the Sahara. Similar conditions, similar traditions. - 1990

The feathers of wisdom - The chief of the Blackfeet Indian tribe, who once hunted bison on foot and unarmed by scaring the beasts off the cliffs with their cries. The name Blackfeet came from the black colour of their moccasins and leggings (State of Alberta, Canada). - 1980

This indo girl from the village of Alto Caballero in Panama belongs to the Guaymi people.

Ximena of Cajabamba - Ximena lives in Cajabamba, a village of 2300 inhabitants located in the fertile plains of Ecuador. She is wearing a traditional belt, hat and earrings, but the shawl and the sweater probably come from China. And so globalization expands across the planet (Cajabamba, Chimborazo Province, Ecuador). - 1973

Beauty from Rajasthan - Abhirushi, which quite fittingly means "beautiful" in Rajasthan, is a nomad. She is wearing beautiful traditional jewellery – but would it be so beautiful without the brightness of her smile and the fineness of her eyes? (Region of Udaipur, Rajasthan, India) - 1990

Young woman from the people of Peul-Bororo at the fountain of Ekismane (Tahoua region, Niger).

Panpipes - Lucho is an Aymara Indian from the Peruvian Altiplano who plays the zampoña, a pan flute made of a double row of reed pipes. Easy to carry and essential to traditional Andean music, the zampoña has always accompanied the shepherds in the silence of their solitude. - 1969

Water eyes - Mârusthali, the name given to the Thar Desert, means "land of the dead." However, there is life here and little Ambu has hope for a fruitful future, for her name means "water", the source of life that shines in her eyes and on her lips. (Rajasthan, India) - 1990

Indian girl from San Cristobal de Totonicapan - Guatemala

Living memory - From the banks of the Indus River through the steppes of Central Asia to the gates of the West, this man remembers the camels and the caravans that brought fragrant spices to Europe's tables. Did he get to see them? At least he remembers being told about them. And the memories will live on as long as the eyes and the words do. (Jodhpur, Rajasthan) - 1990

Morocco - Woman in the Rissani oasis

A bow and arrow hunter in leather sarong: what an amazing motif to photograph! This man from the Peul-Bororo tribe was photographed in the Sahelian area of Tchin-Tabaradene, in central Niger.

Every year, regular visitors meet at the Chouffane, a camel riding festival linked to an annual market that takes place at the Tarat oasis on the Lebanese border (Tassili n'Ajjer, Algeria). On this occasion, the Tuareg tribe leaders, who otherwise rarely meet, gather together in one of the tents.

At the Djanet oasis in the Tassili n'Ajjer (Algeria): Fadi is playing the imzad. This single-stringed bowed instrument is made out of a calabash and horse hair, accompanied by the singing of men, who tell of war, love and nomadic life without end...

Tea time in the small village of I-n-Jitane (Niger, Erazer valley), in the middle of the Sahelian region.

A girl from the Cuna tribe settled on the archipelago of the San Blas Islands, in Panama

Cheyenne, Arapaho, Cherokee or Comanche: In the US state of Oklahoma, Indian tribes manifest themselves in impressive ways. Here children learn their traditional dances and melodies.

A perplexed Aymara girl stands on the edge of the Titicaca lake. Is she thinking maybe about the hardships of life that await her?

This girl from the Peul-Bororo tribe, photographed here near the Ekisman well (Niger), probably descends from distant relatives from the high valley of the Nile.

A Cuna woman on one of the San Blas Islands (Panama) manufacturing a mola, a traditional blouse adorned with geometric or mythological motifs, just like the one she is wearing.

Dominga, an Aymara woman from the altiplano, cooking in the traditional fashion on a fire fuelled by dry lama dung, which she fans with a blowpipe. Her child accompanies her at all times (Chuquibambilla, Department of Puno, Peru).

On the way to school (Dogondoutchi region).

Main street in Tahoua

Niger – Sahel - The festival among the Peul Bororo

Niger – Pulling for beauty - Peul Bororo

Young Peulh Bororo musician. On his side he carries a takouba, the sword of the Tuareg people

The minaret of Agadez

Niger - The Tuareg chief Abakaoua from the Aïr region

Touareg caravan - On their way to a distant water source, the caravan stop before nightfall, and then the camels are fed with the hay they carry on their packs. - Niger / Ténéré / Erg Izane / 2000

Crossing the Tagardet pass in the Aïr mountains.

Near the waterhole of Baloumat, a great boulder offers shelter.

Taguella is bread made of wheat and baked in the sand.

At the edge of the Ténéré, Chef Abakaoua leads the way.

Arrival at the Kel Tédélé camp site.

Sheltered by trees at the Kel Tédélé camp site.

The pantry – or the best way to keep food out of animal reach.

Preparing tea at the Toufouchi camp site. (Aïr, Niger)

A cradle made of goat leather for little Djamila. (Toufouchi, Aïr, Niger)

A Tuareg woman, placid pride rooted in a millennia-old matriarchate. (Oued Tchioulmas, Aïr, Niger)

Mother and children at the Arali camp site. (Oued Issaouane, Aïr, Niger)

Tima using her goat´s milk to make a cheese called Tukemarine. (Toufouchi, Aïr, Niger)

Tuareg nomads selling salt cakes at the camp site. (Camp Aouï, Aïr, Niger)

Filling up with water for people and camels at the Takarit well. (Oued Takarit / Aïr / Niger)

«Water is life» – filling the guerba, made of goat leather. (Guelta Baloumat / Aïr / Niger)

Last efforts in the Ténéré before arriving at the well - Erg Izane / Ténéré / Niger

This Tuareg boy´s hair plaits are consecrated to Allah. - Campement Abakaoua / Puits de Faris / Tezirzek / Aïr / Niger

Niger - Salt extraction at Bilma

The chief’s toothbrush - Boubakar ag Mohamed does not smoke. He uses this piece of wood, taken from a very widespread bush in the Sahara called the «Abesgouin», to clean his teeth – which by no means detracts from the authority in his eyes! - Niger / Aïr / 2001

Portrait of a young Touareg - Faris / Aïr / Niger

The Tuareg Kel Tédélé - Kogo / Aïr / Niger

Touareg woman at the well of Faris - Aïr / Niger

Targui in a Touareg camp in the Hoggar - Algeria

Aïr / The "taguella" Cooking the taguella owes everything to the desert. The sand acts as an oven, heated by the embers of wood carried on camels.

Erg Izane / Getting into another world The caravan is about to enter a mineral universe that is no longer the world of men but that of an intact nature where only the nomads know how to survive.

Ténéré / The long walk Beyond the dunes of Izane, the massif of Tahmert will be the point of arrival in the evening of a long and beautiful day sailing through the Sahara.

Ténéré / Erg Izane / Stop in the shadow No tree, no rock as far as the eye can see. For the rest of a few minutes, the only shadow is that of the camels, but they can only turn their backs to the sun.

Aïr / Tamgak / The relaxation In the mountains, men finally find the time and the place of a real relax where water and fire get married.

Aïr / Toufouchi / Beauties of the desert In the camps the camel-drivers find their wives dressed with their finest attires, like the sailors on their return to the harbour....

Aïr / Camp Chanounou / A veil of respect To guide the ancestral way of life, tradition and freedom are combined with respect for each other.

Toufouchi / Gift of the sky In the shade of a tree, swinging gently in a goat skin hanging from a supple branch, the young child is the object of all attention.

Toufouchi / The school of life In order to participate in the life of the camp, the girl learns the necessary skills at an early age so she can help the family. Here she is preparing to grind millet in a mortar.

Displacement
A Reguibat tribe crosses the Amojjar pass. The woman and the children travel in a palanquin that protects them from wind and dust.
Mauritania - Chinguetti - 1968

Fashion and tradition
Young woman of the Kanouri ethnic group in the Kaouar region, Tenere (Niger). Look at the traditional silver ring with the motif of a snake biting its tail. The hair braids are redone once a month. To make them shine, fat or oil is added. And always, as here on her forehead, you will find the inevitable black flies that spoil everyday life in the Sahara.
Niger - Séguédine - 1968

Touareg
This noble Touareg of the Kel Rela tribe is armed with his spear. The spear is becoming more and more rare; it was used to hunt gazelles or mouflons. The tagoûlmoust, the veil that surrounds the head and hides the lower face, is given by the father to his son when he reaches puberty.
Algeria - Hoggar - 1964

Long live the bride
The pectoral pendant is the centrepiece of the adornment of a woman on the day of her marriage. Around the neck, she wears a collar formed by cloves. The scent that emerges is very appreciated among women.
Algeria - Illizi - 1967

Today Friendly Cove (the Yuquot Reserve) is inhabited by only a half-dozen people, Terry Williams, pictured, among them. Here she is wearing jewelry made with glass beads, a style that is actually typical of the Plains Indians.

Head of an indigenous community (Alcade) of Ollataytambo in the department of Cuzco. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Des indigènes de la Sierra centrale se rendent d'une vallée à une autre en conduisant leur troupeau de vaches. - Quebrada Querococha - Cordillera Blanca. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Sur le parcours des rivières de la forêt se trouvent des lagunes peu profondes entourées d'une-végétation luxuriante. On y aperçoit des huttes dans lesquelles vivent les Indiens. - Yanamono près Iquitos, Loreto. - 1969

Indigenous people flock from all corners of the Andes Cordillera to take part in the Inti Raymi, the great festival in honour of the sun, in Cuzco on 24 June. This girl wears a moss dress and a kind of crown made of agave leaves and shells on her head. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Pendant l'Inti Raymi les Indiens, déguisés et masqués, organisent de véritables concours de musique et de danse. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Durant l'Inti Raymi on peut voir un Indien déguisé en empereur inca entouré de ses aides. La fête n'échappe pas à un certain romantisme qui n'est pas toujours de très bon goût. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Femmes de Cajamarca en train de laver leur linge dans la rivière des Baños del Inca. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Les fêtes occupent une place importante dans la vie spirituelle des habitants de la Sierra. Les indigènes aiment à se rendre en dansant d'une communauté à une autre. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Les Indiens ont été convertis au christianisme. Leur foi est sincère et touchante. Ils se rendent à l'église portant de magnifiques cierges qu'ils ont eux-mêmes décorés. - 1969

Dressing up and wearing homemade woollen masks is always fun for the Indians. - Whitsun festival in Ollantaytambo, Cuzco department - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Chaque village de la Sierra, à l'exemple de la plus petite localité de la péninsule ibérique, a son patron ou sa patronne dont la fête est le prétexte de réjouissances qui durent plusieurs jours et auxquelles participent tous les membres de la communauté. - Procession de Pentecôte à Ollantaytambo, département de Cuzco. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Des indigènes de la Sierra se rendent à cheval à rune des fêtes de leur communauté. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Les femmes indiennes du département du Cuzco portent des chapeaux plats. On les distingue très facilement des métis qui, elles, sont coiffées d'un couvre-chef de couleur blanche, orné d'un ruban. Marché de Chincheros (département du Cuzco). - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Le camion demeure souvent le seul moyen de transport des habitants de la montagne. On y entasse passagers et marchandises dans un équilibre instable qui ne va pas sans offrir de sérieux dangers. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Deux métisses d'Ayacucho attendent l'arrivée de l'autobus qui les ramènera à leur village. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Sur les marchés de la Cordillère on peut acheter, pour quelques centavos seulement, un grand verre de chicha (bière) de maïs préparée par la marchande. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Les potiers indiens n'ont jamais connu l'usage du tour. Ils sont cependant capables de confectionner de très beaux objets utilitaires ou décoratifs que l'on peut acquérir sur l'un ou l'autre des marchés de la Cordillère. . - Quinua près de Ayacucho. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
La gravure au feu des courges séchées est l'une des formes les plus attachantes de l'artisanat péruvien. L'artiste emploie un tison qu'il appuie plus ou moins fort à la surface du fruit, ce qui lui permet d'obtenir des teintes allant du beige clair au noir le plus sombre. - Huancayo, Andes centrales - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Le cheval constitue souvent le seul moyen de transport des populations de la Sierra. - Femme indienne près d'Andahuaylas. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
La demeure des Indiens de la Cordillère des Andes est faite de briques en boue séchée, appelées adobes, recouvertes ou non de chaux. Elle est surmontée d'un toit de chaume. La maison se compose d'une seule pièce qui sert à la fois de cuisine, de chambre à coucher et de grenier où l'on garde les récoltes. - Près de la pierre de Sayhuite entre Abancay et Cuzco - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Depuis l'arrivée des Occidentaux sur sol américain, les Indiens ont appris à élever les chèvres et les moutons qu'ils font paître sur les grands pâturages de l'altiplano. - Près du lac Titicaca entre Taraco et Huancané. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Les Indiens qui vivent sur les rives du lac Titicaca utilisent un bateau en jonc, la balsa, qu'ils confectionnent eux-mêmes et qui leur permet de circuler aisément sur les eaux. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
La Sierra péruvienne est peuplée essentiellement d'indiens qui vivent en communauté et qui s'adonnent à l'agriculture. En certains endroits la fertilité de la terre est remarquable. - Récolte de céréales, Tiobamba, Cuzco, au fond du Nevado Chicón, 5530m - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Le marché aux bestiaux de Huancané, près du lac Titicaca, attire chaque dimanche des milliers de paysans de la montagne venus des quatre points cardinaux. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
L'emploi de machines est impossible dans la Cordillère des Andes, déjà à cause des difficultés du terrain. Tous les travaux agricoles se font à la main et sous le signe de la communauté. Récolte de pommes de terre à 4500 mètres d'altitude. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
La chaquitaclla ou bèche incaique est encore en usage de nos jours parmi les populations de l'altiplano. - Hacienda San Juan de Chuquibambilla, Puno. - 1969

When the head of a community in Cuzco goes somewhere, he is accompanied by the ‘pututeros’, young people who are given the task of blowing into large sea shells. - 1969

The Cuzco Indians wear clothes made of llama wool, which are famous for the richness and beauty of their colours. The patterns vary greatly from region to region of the department. - Indians from the province of Paruro, Cuzco. - 1969

With the arrival of the Spaniards, various musical instruments previously unknown on this continent were also introduced, including the harp, which the Indians have now learnt to build themselves and play in their own unique way. - Indians from the province of Paruro, Cuzco. - 1969

An Aymara Indian plays the zampoña or panpipe, which is made up of a certain number of reed pieces of different lengths. - Hacienda San Juan de Chuquibambilla, Puno - 1969

The quena is still the favourite instrument of the shepherds on the Altiplano. - Hacienda San Juan de Chuquibambilla, Puno - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Les indigènes ont adopté les instruments de musique apportés par les Espagnols tels que la harpe et le violon. - Festival de folklore Inti Raymi à Cuzco - Indiens de la province de Paruro - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Femme et enfants Shipibo en pirogue sur la lagune de Yarinacocha (département d’Ucayali). - 1969

A little Shipibo girl protects herself from the tropical rain with a banana leaf. - Paococha near Pucallpa, Ucayali department - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Au moyen de substances minérales de différentes couleurs, les femmes Shipibo tracent, à la surface d'étoffes en coton blanc, des dessins symboliques qui ressemblent beaucoup à ceux que l'on aperçoit sur les objets en terre cuite. - Paococha près Pucallpa (département d’Ucayali). - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
L'étoffe décorée est trempée dans l'eau de la rivière. Par une curieuse réaction chimique les dessins de couleur grise ou rougeâtre virent au noir le plus sombre. - Paococha près Pucallpa (département d’Ucayali). - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Les Shipibo suspendent leurs hamacs aux piliers de leurs cases. - San Francisco près Pucallpa (département d’Ucayali). - 1969

A Shipibo woman has taken refuge from the scorching tropical sun inside her hut and is working on an elaborate necklace made from beads and seeds. - San Francisco near Pucallpa, Ucayali department. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Une potière Shipibo porte les dernières retouches à une énorme jarre en terre cuite couverte de dessins géométriques qu'elle vient de fabriquer. - Paococha près Pucallpa (département d’Ucayali). - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Pêcheur Shipibo des rives de l'Ucayali (principal affluent du fleuve Amazone) en train de réparer son filet. - Paococha près Pucallpa (département d’Ucayali). - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Guérisseur Yagua du village de Yanamono, près du rio Napo. - 1969

Arrows poisoned with curare are inserted into the blowpipes. This weapon is used to kill prey at a considerable distance from the hunter. Yanamono near the Rio Napo - 1969

The wife of a Yagua warrior wears a magnificent necklace made of long bast fibres and parrot feathers. Yanamono near the Rio Napo - 1969

The blowpipe is the Yagua's favourite weapon. They mainly use it to hunt birds and small mammals. Yanamono near the Rio Napo - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
L'autobus est l'unique moyen de transport entre les villes et les villages de la Cordillère des Andes. – Calca dans la vallée d'Urubamba - Cuzco - 1969

Wearing a woollen chullo under his typical cuzqueño hat and dressed in a wonderful poncho, this young Indian from the sacred valley holds the vara de mando, a silver-plated staff as a sign of his official dignity. He is the alcalde of an ayllu, an agrarian community handed down from the Inca era, in which the Quechuas still live today as they did in times gone by.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Dans les étroites ruelles de la «Rome» inca, entre les résidences monolithiques décapitées qui supportent un étage «à l'espagnole», cheminent les Indiennes cuzquenas, aux costumes typiques.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
La mélodie pleurnicharde des quenas (flûtes de bambou des Andes) s'est métissée, depuis la Conquête hispanique, de harpes rustiques et d'instruments à corde dont les Indiens en poncho tirent une musiquette lancinante. La veille du festival solaire Inti Raymi sur la place principale de Cuzco.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
A 3.700 mètres d'altitude s'étagent les quatre terrasses de Tampu Machay, «Balneario del Inca». Des loges en trapèze ornent le plus élégant «temple de l'Eau» consacré aux ablutions lustrales du dynaste et de la Coya son épouse lors de leur union rituelle.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
0llantaytambo est l'un des rares et derniers bourgs authentiquement inca où les Quechuas vivent encore dans les palais ancestraux. Tel cet Indien qui coud sur le seuil d'une double portada en trapèze à l'inca.

This India from San Juan de Chuquibambilla smiles from under her montera, the headdress with the pleated scarf. She only wears her beautiful traditional dress, whose embroidery she is proud of, on very special highland festivals.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Très animée, la feria dominicale de Chinchero attire des centaines d'aborigènes aux costumes couleurs d'arc-en-ciel!

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Héritée des Incas, la coutume veut qu’on boive la chicha de mais mousseuse et alcoolisée par la fermentation dans de grands verres qui ont remplacé les beaux kéros de bois laqué. - Chinchero, Cuzco

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Les temps changent! les fillettes indiennes d'Acomayo transportent l'eau non plus dans une poterie, mais dans une vulgaire cruche émaillée.

The serious face of this girl from Combapata, Cuzco, is tanned by the harsh mountain climate. She wears a cap with a forward-facing peak and a wide, patterned, hand-woven belt around her waist.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Nattes brunes sous sombrero de paille blanche ou de feutre brun, le dos plus chargé que celui de l'âne, ces Indiennes de Huaripampa, dans le département d'Ancash, grimpent courageusement vers quelque lointain marché.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Dès lors que le cavernicole ou le chasseur nomade précolombien devient sédentaire, il tisse les fibres végétales pour se vêtir. D'abord rudimentaire, le tissage devient, avec l'apparition du coton vers 1.400 av. J.-C., un artisanat authentique. Art que cultive toujours, sur le rustique métier de bois posé à l'horizontale, ce tisserand de Quinua, près d'Ayacucho.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
En ce jour de fête champêtre sur le haut plateau de Puno, des Ilameros exécutent la très ancienne «danse du Lama», le solennel et dédaigneux camélidé exclusif des Andes, devant la toute simple église de San Juan de Chuquibambilla.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Chaque année, à partir du 21 juin, qui marque, dans la sierra, le solstice d'hiver, les fêtes solennelles de I'Inti Raymi, «Pâques du Soleil» des Incas, sont reconstituées au Cuzco. Le soir venu, Indiens et Indiennes, en tenue de gala, se livrent entre eux aux danses populaires qui sont plus un rite qu'une distraction.

In front of the wall of the famous ceremonial centre of Chavín de Huantar in the middle of the Cordillera Blanca, where a high Peruvian culture emerged 2000 years before the Incas, this Indian plays a sad tune on his quena ... of love and eternity.

This woman from Combapata with her peculiar flat hat, her sharply cut face framed by an embroidered scarf, embodies all the dignity of the ancient pre-Columbian peoples.

In the vast and infinite silence of the Altiplano, the Aymara have been playing their zampoña since time immemorial ... whose wistful and strange sounds are carried away by the mountain winds.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
La fort étrange «consultation» d'un moderne «prêtre des esprits», a lieu à 4 heures du matin, par un froid de 17°C sous zéro, sur le haut plateau péruvien. Des feuilles vertes de coca, fèves et graines, fleurs séchées, papiers de couleur... disposés sur un autel improvisé, sont offerts à la Pachamama, déesse de la Terre-Mère et de la fécondité avant d'être brûlés au-dehors.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Depuis trois mille ans ou davantage encore, 1'Indien de la Vallée sacrée des Incas et de toutes les Andes, pour appeler hommes et dieux, souffle dans le pututo, grosse conque marine du Pacifique, le Spondylus au son rauque.

People from the province of Paruro participate in a folk festival in Cuzco - Young boy with a hat made of dried agave leaves. - 1969

Pentecost Festival in Ollantaytambo, Cuzco - Young Indian woman in typical costume. - 1969

You do not need a bus to go to the market. This truck in Calca in the Urubamba Valley will be filled with Indians to the last place, including their merchandise, of course. - 1969

An Indian in typical dress drinking her chicha - Cambapata market - Cuzco - 1969

Folklore festival in Cuzco - a musician from Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca playing the Zampoña. - 1969

Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) - competition for folk groups in the stadium of Cuzco. - 1976

The Corpus Cristi festival, brought by the Spanish, acquires a special splendor every year in Cuzco. During the ceremony, the statues of twelve saints are shouldered around the Plaza de Armas. – 1969

A woman of the "Uros" who lives on the floating islands on Lake Titicaca. She still grinds the wheat as it did hundreds of years ago. - 1969

Stop at the Chilca railway station near Huancayo in the department of Junín. - 1969

One of the most attractive forms of Peruvian crafts is the decoration of dried gourds. The artist from the «Centro Artesanal de Huancayo» uses a sharp piece to draw scenes from everyday life. - 1969

Wheat fields near Andahuaylas in the Apurímac department. - 1969

A weaver with her spindle makes yarn from sheep's wool. Mancos in the Callejón de Huaylas, Department of Ancash. - 1969

A weaver with her spindle makes yarn from sheep's wool. Cajamarca Region in North Peru. - 1969

Cajamarca women wash their clothes in a small river near Baños del lnca. - 1969

A Shipibo woman from the village of San Francisco near Pucallpa wears a typical clay pot painted with geometric patterns. - 1969

A little Shipibo girl from Paococha on the Río Ucayali admires her mascot, a blue bird. - 1969

A Shipibo woman from the village of San Francisco near Pucallpa. - 1969

An old Shipibo woman spinning her wool into yarn - Paococha on the Río Ucayali. - 1969

A Yagua Indian girl in Yanamono near Iquitos in the Amazon rainforest. - 1969

The blowgun is the preferred weapon of the Yagua. They use it mainly to hunt birds and small mammals. Yanamono on the banks of the Río Napo near Iquitos – 1969

In the Belén district of Iquitos, two boys are playing with their marbles. - 1969

In the Belén district of Iquitos, families with many children are not rare. - 1969

An old woman from Yungay talks about the Terremoto earthquake of 31 May 1970, which had a magnitude of 7.8 and killed about 70,000 people. - 1976

An lndia cuzqueña from the Ollantaytambo region in her typical dresses. - 1976

This picture is a document. It depicts Angela Loij, who was born sometime between 1896 and 1898 on the estancia “La Sara” (Tierra del Fuego province). This woman is the last survivor from the Ona-lndian tribe, who inhabited a large part of Tierra del Fuego not so long ago. Angela Loij lives in a modest little house in Río Grande, the second largest town on the island, with the support of some clergymen who have settled in the area. The Ona hunted on foot. They consumed the meat of guanacos, foxes, birds and seals, but also shellfish, mushrooms, wild fruits and berries. They built conical, portable huts out of branches and covered them with skins. To protect themselves from the cold, they greased their bodies. The Ona lived in small groups of only about twenty people. - 1973

An Indian woman from the province of Neuquén. She belongs to the Araucaniens, who live on both sides of the border between Argentina and Chile. The silver jewellery worn by the women of this ethnic group is remarkable. - 1973

Young girl from Abra Pampa (province of Jujuy). In this place, the Andean Indian type dominates. - 1973

Girl from a family of zafreros living in the region of Tucumán. Sugar cane is the agricultural wealth of this province. But Tucumán is also considered the garden of the country. Rainfall is high, so a rich flora thrives. However, with its 22,524 square kilometres, Tucumán is the smallest province in the country. Sugar production reaches more than one million tonnes annually. The cañeros work on their own account. The zafra (harvest) takes place between June and September. - 1973

The majority of Paraguay's Indians are Guaranis. You also meet them in the Argentinean province of Misiones. This indigenous woman is sitting outside her house, weaving a basket. - 1973

A Maya Quiché woman in traditional costume kneels on the steps of the church dedicated to Santo Tomás in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. This temple is a revered place for indigenous people who meet there, mainly on Thursdays and Sundays, market days, to pay emotional homage to their gods. The clergy has long accepted this use of the church for a purpose that has nothing in common with the Catholic ritual. The prayers in the Indian language follow one another. During the ceremony, the natives burn copal, light candles and spread flower petals. The rite is led by a chiman or indigenous priest who has turned his village church into a veritable sanctuary of the Mayan religion. The nave is divided into three sectors. In the first, located near the communion table, the chiman invokes the great figures of his country. In the central part, he addresses the God of the World. The third sector, near the main door, is less specific than the first two. Here the Indian priest can pray to any deity. - 1977

Two boys hawking their coconuts - Las Lajas on the Pacific Ocean. - 1977

This elaborate necklace is made by the Guaymí Indians who live in the northwest of Panama. - 1977

This Indio girl from the village of Alto Caballero in the northwest of Panama belongs to the Guaymí people. - 1977

These two Indio girls from the village of Alto Caballero in the northwest of Panama belong to the Guaymí people. - 1977

This Indio girl from the village of Alto Caballero in the northwest of Panama belongs to the Guaymí people. - 1977

Houses of the Guaymí village Alto Caballero in the Tolé district in northwest Panama. - 1977

On a small island belonging to the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas, a Cuna boy plays with his dog. - 1977

These Cuna women chat at the entrance to their house, where they are protected from the sun's rays. The Indian women love jewellery. Apart from the small gold-plated nose ring, they also wear tight-fitting bands of coral beads on their arms and ankles. On the wall of the house hang various coloured and richly decorated molas, the main product of the Cuna women's handicrafts. In the society of their matriarchal group, women play a considerable role. The onset of puberty of the daughters, for example, is an important event and the occasion for a lively celebration in which all members of the community participate. The puberty of the boys, on the other hand, takes place without any fuss. The young husband lives in his wife's house and has to help his parents-in-law. - 1977

Young Cuna Indian girl from the San Blas archipelago wearing a small gold ring on her nose. These indigenous people form an ethnic group of about twenty-five thousand people. They are a very homogeneous group whose representatives are extremely proud of their culture, whether it be language, customs or beliefs. This does not prevent the Cuna, who are highly intelligent, from being attentive to everything that is happening in the world. Many of them work outside as teachers, doctors, lawyers or artists. Each Cuna community is headed by a chief, who reports to one of the three main caciques of the region. The responsibilities of the latter extend to all the representatives of the ethnic group. A daily meeting of the members of the community allows everyone to speak and express their opinions and judgements on the most diverse problems that the natives have to face. A more democratic system of government could not be imagined!

Young Cuna Indian woman from the San Blas archipelago. She wears a small gold ring on her nose. These indigenous people form a nation of about 25 000 people. They are a very unified group whose members are exceptionally proud of their culture, language, customs and beliefs. Each Cuna community has a leader, who in turn is under the command of one of the three main caciques of the region. The responsibility of the caciques encompasses the entire ethnic community. The daily meeting of the members of the community allows everyone to speak, present their views and express their opinions on the various issues facing the indigenous people. A more democratic system of government could not be imagined! - 1977

Two Cuna women preparing their food. Here bananas are being pounded to a pulp in a wooden mortar. - 1977

A Cuna woman washing on a flat wooden trough. - 1977

Young Cuna Indian woman from the San Blas archipelago. She wears a small gold ring on her nose. These indigenous people form a nation of about 25 000 people. They are a very unified group whose members are exceptionally proud of their culture, language, customs and beliefs. Each Cuna community has a leader, who in turn is under the command of one of the three main caciques of the region. The responsibility of the caciques encompasses the entire ethnic community. The daily meeting of the members of the community allows everyone to speak, present their views and express their opinions on the various issues facing the indigenous people. A more democratic system of government could not be imagined! - 1977

The Cuna woman is engaged in the manufacture of her clothing, namely the well-known cotton blouse (mola). She works under a tree or at the entrance of her home, sheltered from the sun. The Indian woman likes to cover herself with ornaments. She wears a small golden metal ring on her nose. On her arms and ankles she wears tightly fitted bracelets made of coral beads. While her husband fishes, hunts or works in one of the crop fields he owns on the mainland, the Cuna woman stays at home and performs a multitude of domestic tasks. She plays a considerable role in the society of her clan, which has a matriarchal structure. Thus, the puberty of girls is a very important event and is the pretext for a lively celebration in which all members of the community participate; in contrast, the puberty of boys goes unnoticed. It is also the case that the young husband will live in his wife's home, having to assist his parents-in-law in all circumstances. - 1977

A young Cuna woman shows a colourful and richly decorated mola, the main product of Cuna women's handicrafts. The patterns usually depict people, mythological animals and geometric figures. All the images are symbolic and closely related to the extensive religion of the inhabitants of the San Blas archipelago. The mola is composed of several pieces of fabric carefully sewn together. - 1977

An Indian woman from the village of Panchimalco, located in the centre of El Salvador. - 1977

Old Indian woman from La Antigua, Guatemala. In Indian society, the elderly have a prominent place and are by no means relegated to the side-lines. They share the daily lives of their community members until their death. There is a deep respect between the young and the old. It is expressed in an attitude of reverence and submission that the former spontaneously accord to the latter. The prestige of a man or a woman increases with the years. Moreover, the highest positions in the social hierarchy of the group are always reserved for people of a certain age who, throughout their lives, have shown intelligence, great moral probity and unwavering loyalty to tradition. In this distinctly patriarchal society, women nevertheless enjoy a very special status. She shares with her husband all the advantages and benefits of playing an important role in the community. Very often, the elderly man is referred to as the . It is his task to lead religious festivals and ceremonies. He is the staunch defender of the beliefs and rites that the Indians accord to their gods. For her part, the old Indian woman takes care of the education of the small children and devotes herself to various forms of handicrafts which, like weaving or the making of ceramics, imply a very sure talent, patience and a perfect knowledge of the craft. - 1977

An Indian woman in the town of Antigua in Guatemala. - 1972

An Indian woman from La Antigua sits at her loom. The fabrics thus produced vary considerably in colours and patterns from region to region and even from village to village. This peculiarity, which is found in all the Indian republics of the continent, stems from the fact that clothing is a characteristic of origin for the indigenous people. It distinguishes them from the others and expresses their attachment to their place of origin. - 1977

The clothing worn by Guatemalan Indian women includes essential elements such as shirts, blouses known as huipiles, skirts, belts and headbands, the colours and decorations of which vary considerably from region to region and even from village to village in the country. This phenomenon, common to all the Indian republics of the continent, is due to the fact that, for the indigenous people, clothing is a factor of social identification. It allows the wearer to distinguish himself from others and to be attached to his place of origin. - 1977

Doña Concepción Pacach Tzina weaving. She is wearing the traditional dress of her people and lives in the village of Santiago Atitlán in Guatemala. The indigenous weaving technique has hardly changed over the centuries. Most other commercial activities are also carried out using the same simple technique as in the past. Nevertheless, many Indians, some of whom are ingenious craftsmen, are able to produce actual works of art, weavings or ceramics, basketry and objects made of stone, metal or wood. - 1977

Doña Concepción Pacach Tzina wears the traditional dress of her people and lives in the village of Santiago de Atitlán in Guatemala. The typical costume is an example of the culture of every town in Guatemala. One of the most striking accessories is the famous tocoyal of Santiago Atitlán. The tocoyal is a ribbon that is wrapped around the head and is between 20 and 25 yards long, which is roughly equivalent to between 16 and 21 metres. To use it, it is wrapped around the head 20 times, simulating a hat. The 20 loops refer to the Mayan calendar and also signify the continuity of life, the feathered serpent and the Tzu'tujil culture. One of the most famous personalities to wear this garment was Doña Concepción Ramírez Chonita from Santiago Atitlán, who won the competition to be depicted on the 25 cent coin of the national currency in 1936. - 1977

In the market of Santiago de Atitlán. - 1977

The typical costume is a sample of the culture of each village in Guatemala. One of the accessories that stands out the most is the famous Tocoyal of Santiago Atitlán. The Tocoyal is a ribbon that is wrapped around the head and measures between 20 and 25 rods long, or approximately 16 and 21 metres. The way it is used is by wrapping it 20 times around the head, simulating a hat. The 20 turns are related to the Mayan calendar and also signify the continuity of life, the feathered serpent and the Tzu'tujil culture. One of the best known personalities who wore this garment was Doña Concepción Ramírez Chonita, from Santiago Atitlán, who in 1936 won the competition to appear on the national 25-cent coin. - 1977

The young Mayan woman Rosa-María embroiders flowers on a blouse (huipil). These embroideries are typical for the Santiago Atitlán area. - 1977

It is Sunday, market day in Santiago de Atitlán, on the shores of a beautiful Guatemalan lake. These men are wearing their ethnic cotton trousers with vertical stripes. Some of these garments still have multicoloured embroidery on the lower part. However, while some have kept the typical local shirt, the majority of the others have adopted the European or American cut shirt. Men who travel and work outside their community are more influenced by the outside world than women. - 1977

Two Mayan women in their typical costumes meet for a chat in front of the entrance to a pharmacy in Santa Cruz in the department of Alta Veracruz. - 1977

This Mayan woman waits patiently on a bench in San Cristóbal in the department of Alta Verapaz. - 1977

Indian woman from the Guatemalan village of Tactic with her youngest child. Mayan women are excellent mothers. They are always immensely devoted to their children. A birth is always eagerly awaited and gives rise to a joyful celebration in which all members of the community participate. The upbringing is exemplary. The little Indians are included in the life of the adults at an early age, taught traditional actions and taught to obey the sacred old laws of their group. - 1977

A young Mayan woman from Salamá, Baja Veracruz, is photographed with her child by a street photographer. - 1977

Picturesque scene taken at the Friday feria in the Guatemalan village of San Francisco el Alto. You can find everything in the Indian markets, not only products of the land and crafts, but also domestic animals. The turkey has been known throughout Central America since pre-Columbian times. Then it moved to South America. The Spaniards brought this bird to Europe when they conquered the American continent. - 1977

Another tasty scene taken at the Friday market in San Francisco el Alto, a charming village in the mountainous area of Guatemala. As early as the 16th century, the Spaniards introduced domestic animals to the Americas that were not yet known to the natives and that the latter began to raise for their own use. This was the case with cows, sheep, goats and pigs. The latter became very important during the colony and became a very important source of income in many parts of the continent. In the lowlands, pigs are fed with bananas or yucca. They roam freely in the streets of the towns and supplement their diet by swallowing whatever is within their reach. In the mountainous areas of Guatemala, on the other hand, these animals are bred for the production of fat, which is sold to mestizo and white people. The same applies to milk and eggs, which are considered luxury foods. - 1977

Friday market in San Francisco El Alto in the department of Totonicapán, Guatemala. From the 16th century onwards, the Spanish introduced domestic animals unknown to the natives into the Americas, but which they began to breed for their own use. Cows, sheep, goats and pigs became common. Pigs rose to prominence during the colonial period and became a desirable source of income in many areas. In the lower regions, pigs are fed on bananas or cassava (palm lilies). They roam freely in the streets of towns and supplement their diet with whatever is available to them. However, in the mountainous areas of Guatemala, these animals are raised for the production of lard, which is sold to mestizos and whites. - 1977

Young Mayan woman at the Friday market in San Francisco El Alto in the department of Totonicapán, Guatemala. Following the example of their ancestors from pre-Columbian times, Mayan women today still carry everything on their heads, the laundry they washed at the river, the fruits, utensils, edibles and small pets they want to sell at the market. - 1977

A little Mayan girl at the Friday market in San Francisco El Alto in the department of Totonicapán, Guatemala. - 1977

Young Mayan woman at the Friday market in San Francisco El Alto in the department of Totonicapán, Guatemala. Following the example of their ancestors from pre-Columbian times, Mayan women today still carry everything on their heads, the laundry they washed at the river, the fruits, utensils, edibles and small pets they want to sell at the market. To do so, they use magnificent baskets made by the artisans of their community. - 1977

A Mayan woman at the Friday market in San Francisco El Alto in the department of Totonicapán, Guatemala. Following the example of their ancestors from pre-Columbian times, Mayan women today still carry everything on their heads, the laundry they washed at the river, the fruits, utensils, edibles and small pets they want to sell at the market. To do so, they use magnificent baskets made by the artisans of their community. - 1977

The Friday market in San Francisco El Alto in the department of Totonicapán starts early in the morning. Those who have travelled a long way to visit the market like to go to one of the stalls to eat something. - 1977

Indian women in San Cristóbal de Totonicapán, in the department of the same name, Guatemala. The life of the indigenous people is marked by the excellent relations that exist between the different members of the community. The most arduous tasks await each of them. But the women know how to give themselves a moment's respite. They take advantage of this time to talk with their neighbours about a wide range of topics, and to confide in them about their families and their problems. - 1977

Indian girl from San Cristobal de Totonicapán, a picturesque village in western Guatemala. The indigenous people of Guatemala, who make up almost half of the country's population, are found mainly in the mountainous regions. They are divided into six main ethnic groups, each with a number of subgroups. Most of the Indians are more or less direct descendants of the pre-Columbian Maya, from whom they have inherited many traditions in terms of daily activities, social life, beliefs and crafts. However, they have not been without the influence of Western culture, from which they have borrowed many elements. Nevertheless, the present-day Indians of Guatemala and neighbouring regions continue to courageously defend an invaluable heritage that gives the country its personality. - 1977

Following the example of their ancestors from pre-Columbian times, Mayan women today still carry everything on their heads, the laundry they washed at the river, the fruits, utensils, edibles and small pets they want to sell at the market. To do so, they use magnificent baskets made by the artisans of their community. The youngest child of the family accompanies his mother on all walks. Thus, even at a very tender age, he takes part in all the events of daily life. The picture was taken in Totonicapán. - 1977

Little Mayan girl from Totonicapán. - 1977

Iglesia del Espíritu Santo of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. The first church was built in 1532 by order of Bishop Francisco Marroquín. Only the façade of the Baroque church remains, as the old church was demolished in 1899 to make way for a larger one, the construction of which took up much of the twentieth century. - 1972

At a market near Quezaltenango, this indigenous woman weighs her goods with a simple hand scale. - 1972

Harvest in the grain fields near Quezaltenango. This boy carries a sheaf of wheat. - 1977

Mother and child photographed on the road from Quezaltenango to the capital of Guatemala. Like their more distant pre-Columbian ancestors, today's Mayan women carry everything on their heads: the clothes they have washed at the river, the products of the land and crafts, the provisions for the road or even the small domestic animals they go to sell at the nearest market. For this purpose, they use beautiful baskets made by artists from their community. The youngest child in the family accompanies his mother on all her journeys. Thus, from a very young age, the Indian child comes into contact with all the realities of the daily life of the woman to whom he owes his birth. - 1977

A load of pottery is carried for sale in the market of Chichicastenango. - 1972

A young Maya quiché woman in the market of Chichicastenango. - 1972

At the market in Chichicastenango. Fruits and vegetables are still weighed with simple hand scales. - 1977

Indian girls at the market of Chichicastenango. The indigenous people of this country, who make up almost half of the total population, live mainly in the mountainous regions. They are divided into six main ethnic groups, each of which includes a number of subgroups. Most of these Indians are descendants of the pre-Columbian Maya, from whom they have inherited numerous traditions, whether in daily work, social form, beliefs or crafts. - 1977

Potters' corner at the Sunday market in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. This fair allows the inhabitants to buy or sell the products of the soil and handicrafts. The Indian woman looks longingly at the objects she has decided to buy. - 1977

Mayan women selling tortillas (cornmeal cakes) in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. The market starts very early in the morning. Mobile kitchens are frequented by those who have often travelled great distances to get to the fair. - 1977

A mother with her child, taken at the Sunday market in Chichicastenango. Following the example of their pre-Columbian ancestors, Mayan women carry the youngest child of the family on their backs. It accompanies its mother on all walks. In this way, it participates in all the events of daily life from a very tender age. - 1977

Chichicastenango was an important religious and political centre of the Quiché Indians. The Spanish conquistadors destroyed the old Maya temple and built the church of Santo Tomás on its base (picture). To this day, however, the church is also used by Mayan shamans and healers (curanderos) who light incense and candles on the floor, blow liquor over it and make offerings of flowers. The 18 steps of the staircase, which may still be from the old Mayan temple, correspond to the months of the Mayan calendar. - 1977

The main festival in Chichicastenango is celebrated every 21st December during the winter solstice in honour of the holy apostle Thomas. However, since the Quiché calendar is based on astronomical events related to the sun, the festival may have originally belonged to the worship of a Mayan deity. The traditional indigenous festivals have survived the influences of the Catholic religion. But many elements have been adopted from Catholicism. For example, every village on the high plains has its own patron saint or patron saints, whose feast day is celebrated with pomp. The whole population takes part in the procession. - 1977

Chichicastenango was an important religious and political centre of the Quiché Indians. The Spanish conquistadors destroyed the old Maya temple and built the church of Santo Tomás on its base (picture). To this day, however, the church is also used by Mayan shamans and healers (curanderos) who light incense and candles on the floor, blow liquor over it and make offerings of flowers. - 1972

On the steps in front of the Santo Tomás church in Chichicastenango. - 1977

A family kneels in front of the steps of the Santo Tomás church in Chichicastenango.

The Church of the Calvary in Chichicastenango occupies the other end of a large square dominated by the temple erected to Santo Tomas. Twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, a market is held in this square, attended by thousands of Indians from the region. This feria has become a real tourist attraction. The staircase of the Church of Calvary, like that of the temple of Santo Tomás, is a place of offerings where the natives like to gather. They burn pieces of copal and recite prayers to their gods. - 1977

A Mayan Quiché woman on the steps of the Church of the Calvary. She burns pieces of copal and prays to her gods. - 1977

The votive offerings are placed on the steps of the Church of the Calvary. They burn pieces of copal and pray to their gods. - 1977

A Mayan Quiché woman on the steps of the Church of the Calvary. She burns pieces of copal and prays to her gods. - 1972

A Mayan Quiché woman on the steps of the Church of the Calvary. She prays to her gods. - 1977

SantoTomás is the patron saint of the famous Indian village of Chichicastenango in Guatemala. The traditional indigenous festivals have survived the influences of the Catholic religion. But many elements have been taken over from Catholicism. For example, every village on the high plains has its own patron saint or patron saints, whose feast day is celebrated with pomp and ceremony. The whole population takes part in the procession. - 1977

One of the most important and esteemed figures in a procession in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. He is the principal or religious leader of the community, who leads all the ceremonies and rites celebrated by the members of his group. He is also known as the anciano or pasado (elder). To reach this enviable position, he has had to carry out a wide range of functions throughout his life, successively dedicating himself to the church and the objects of worship, organising the processions and serving the patron saint of his village. The principal is a respected man who acts in concert with the chiman or indigenous priest of the community. Both are the most faithful defenders of the tradition. They also seek, by their example, to maintain the balance and safeguard the morals of their group. The principal usually comes from a fairly well-to-do family, which is not necessarily the case for his closest aides. Nevertheless, both strive to perform tasks that are aimed at the material and spiritual development of the representatives of their clan. - 1977

In Chichicastenango, the indigenous people celebrate the day of Santo Tomás, patron saint of this beautiful Guatemalan village, on 21 December. The marimba, a xylophone of African origin, found in most places, was probably introduced into Central America during slavery. However, it has undergone significant changes over time, both in terms of its shape and size. It is a bulky instrument with several dozen wooden keys, each with a resonance box. Two or three natives stand in front of this keyboard and strike it with small sticks. In many popular festivals, they are still accompanied by players of wind instruments such as saxophones, trumpets and trombones. These instruments, which came from Europe, were immediately adopted by the locals. - 1977

The main festival in Chichicastenango is celebrated every 21st December during the winter solstice in honour of St. Thomas the Apostle. The masked dancers are considered to be imitating the Spanish invader of times past. - 1972

The main festival in Chichicastenango is celebrated every 21st December during the winter solstice in honour of St. Thomas the Apostle. The masked dancers are considered to be imitating the Spanish invader of times past. - 1977

The main festival in Chichicastenango is celebrated every 21st December during the winter solstice in honour of Saint Thomas the Apostle. Throughout pre-Columbian times, the Indians knew only two types of musical instruments, drums and wind instruments (flutes, trumpets, whistles and ocarinas) made of cane stalks, bamboo or clay. - 1977

The main festival in Chichicastenango is celebrated every 21st December during the winter solstice in honour of Saint Thomas the Apostle. Throughout the pre-Columbian period, the Indians knew only two types of musical instruments, drums and wind instruments (flutes, trumpets, whistles and ocarinas) made of cane stalks, bamboo or clay. Instruments made of copper such as trumpets, trombones, saxophones and horns were soon adopted by the natives from the Spanish conquerors. The use of the foreign musical instruments and the adoption of a foreign type of music brought noticeable changes to the folklore of the indigenous people. - 1977

The majority of the inhabitants of Belice are coloured, Mayan, Mestizo, Antillean, Mulatto, Syrian, Lebanese and Chinese. All these people speak a language with Spanish, English and French elements. British Honduras or Belize is a small country that is hardly spoken of, at least not in Europe. - 1978

Domino players in Belize City. Games are an important part of the daily life of people in the tropics, so much so that they sometimes take precedence over other more lucrative activities. However, it should be taken into account that life in these latitudes is already difficult because of the heat and humidity. In any case, the natives could not maintain a work rhythm similar to that of the inhabitants of temperate regions. - 1978

Facing Mecca, a Tuareg performs his prayer in a nomadic «mosque». Everywhere in the Sahara, you can find such open-air churches, whose enclosure consists of stones piled on top of each other. - Hoggar - Algeria - 1966

Targui Kel Rela is a distinguished Tuareg of the Rela tribe from Hirafok in the Tamanrasset province in the Hoggar mountains. The veil that surrounds the head and masks the lower half of the face is called litham in Arabic and tagulmust in the Tuareg language. The son receives it from his father as soon as he reaches puberty. - Algeria - 1966

Targui Litni in Sidi Mohammed's camp on the track through the Hoggar. - Algeria - 1966

Targui Amasher prepares the fire in the Oued Touloult in the Tassili n'Ajjer. - Algeria - 1966

In the Sahara, water is more abundant than you think, but it is hidden, underground. In the valley of Iherir (Tassili N' Ajjer), however, it flows freely, bouncing off the rocks in waterfalls. Iherir is one of the areas of the Sahara where there is the most water. The rocky bottom prevents the precious wet from seeping into the ground. - Algeria - 1966

Since there is enough water in the valley of Iherir in Tassili N'Ajjer, the sedentary people can cultivate their fields. - Algeria - 1966

A Tuareg woman grinds the grain on a stone mill - Camp Idriss - Dider - Tassili n'Ajjer. - Algeria - 1966

The water service is women's work. The containers are made of bottle gourds. The women carry them from the well to their homes with the help of a rope tied around their foreheads. - In the El Mihan district, Djanet. - Algeria - 1966

Early in the morning, the Koran school is held in front of the mosque of one of the three villages that make up the Djanet oasis. The taleb (teacher) writes a Quranic verse on a wooden board. The student has to repeat it aloud until he knows it by heart. Since everyone has a different verse to memorise and speaks at their own discretion, you can imagine the relaxed atmosphere that prevails here. - Algeria - 1966

At the festival that concludes the thirty fasting days of Ramadan, Djanet throws himself into gala, dons his flaming ganduras. And then the communal prayer takes place in the cemetery to honour the dead. - Algeria - 1966

In the gilded sands of the evening, the inhabitants of Djanet dance. It is the festival of Shebiba, so called because it takes place in the first month of the year, which is called "Shebiba" in Tamashek, the Tuareg language. The two main characters of the festival, dressed in rich robes, twirl the takuba, the sword of the noble Tuareg. The women beat the obsessive rhythm tirelessly with their drum, the Ganga. - Algeria - 1966

One of the main characters of the festival. The jewellery he wears on his headgear is made of silver and comes from the village blacksmith. - Algeria - 1966

The preparation of the tea is mainly a man's job. It requires all the seriousness of this Targui, who demonstrates his agility by filling the glasses from high up: He must not miss a drop. The teapot is generally the obligatory souvenir that the pilgrim brings back from Mecca. Traditionally made of brass, it is often replaced by an enamelled pot. The tea is always very heavily sugared, and the great luxury is to add a sprig of mint, which gives it a very pleasant taste. - Hoggar - Algeria - 1966

Because of the altitude and the water-retaining properties of the sandstone, the vegetation in the Tassili is somewhat richer than in the surrounding desert. This includes a very sparse tree population of the endangered, endemic Sahara cypress (Cupressus dupreziana) and the Sahara myrtle (Myrtus nivellei) in the higher altitudes in the east of the area. - Tassili n'Ajjer - Tin Abou Teka - Algeria - 1966

At Jabbaren, Targui Hosseini kneels in deep prayer. - Algeria - 1966

An old Tubu with weapon and bridle for his dromedary in a camp on the way to Enneri Blaka - Niger - 1968

Two Kanuri women with child in the Maman Delaï camp near Chirfa in Djado - Niger - 1968

Tubu women dressed in splendid robes in front of their tent in the Maman Delaï camp near Chirfa in Djado - Niger - 1968

Young Tubu woman in the Maman Delaï camp near Chirfa in Djado - Niger - 1968

Young Kanouri woman in the village of Anney in the Kaouar valley - Niger - 1968

Young canoe woman from Séguédine. Like the tubu women, she wears a ring in the right wing of her nose, which represents a snake curling in a circle. The fine plaits of the hairstyle are re-braided about once a month. Grease or oil is added to make them shiny. – Kaouar – Niger – 1975

Kanouri woman with her traditional nose ring, Séguédine oasis - Kaouar - Niger - 1975

Built in 1581, the Sankóre Mosque in Timbuktu has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. It is a courtyard mosque. This lies as an inner courtyard in the centre of the complex. The minaret is located on the south side. Clay, which was specifically shaped, served as the building material. - Timbuktu - Mali - 1969

The climate in Timbuktu is desert-like, there is always a hot, dry wind (harmattan) blowing from the Sahara. - Traders sell their wares at a market in Timbuktu. - Mali - 1969

There are different interpretations of the name Timbuktu: "well of Buktu", "the far well" or "place in the dunes". - Drawing water at a well in the surroundings of Timbuktu - Mali - 1969

In Mopti, the inhabitants are ethnically heterogeneous. A high percentage are Fula. There are also Marka, Bambara, Bozo, Bobo and, in splinter groups, Mossi. - Mopti - 1969

A Fula woman adorned with rich jewelry from Boré, located in the Mopti area. - Mali - 1969

These girls are a splendid example of the Fula tribe found between Douentza and Hombori in Mali. The graceful harmony of the fine features, illuminated by an intelligent smile, is remarkable. The Fulbe belong to the large family of the Peul. - Mali - 1969

This girl is a splendid example of the Fulbe tribe found between Douentza and Hombori in Mali. The graceful harmony of the fine features, illuminated by an intelligent smile, are remarkable. The Fulbe belong to the large family of the Peul. - Mali - 1969

Young woman from the town of Hombori, which lies between Mopti and Gao on the edge of the Hombori-Tondo table mountain. This area is inhabited by the Gurma tribe. - Mali - 1969

Filingué is located in a zone where agropastoralism is practised. The large market of Filingué is mainly used by pastoralists and millet farmers, members of the Fulbe and Tuareg ethnic groups. The town's inhabitants struggle with poor nutrition, lack of access to drinking water and problems with water drainage in rainy seasons. - Water transport by calabash - Niger - 1970

Water is an absolute necessity, but in general it is neither so scarce nor so inaccessible that one cannot live in its comforting proximity. The charming image of the water-carriers of Tebaram, between Tahoua and Filingue (Niger), brings to our attention one of the main occupations of the Saharan nomads: obtaining the precious liquid, transporting it and storing it. The calabashes indicate a semi-sedentary tribe, because the caravan driver uses a tube made of goatskin, the famous gerba. Before each departure, it is the one that demands all attention: One is loaded onto each camel to prevent them all being lost or damaged together, one inspects its condition, its stitching, the straps that hold its closure and the ropes on which it hangs. Rightly so - after all, a single carelessness can mean death. - Niger - 1970

Nomads on the move north of Filingué - Niger - 1970

A young Fula woman at the well of Tébaram, located in an area where agropastoralism is predominant. - Niger - 1970

Women carrying their household goods on their heads - Tahoua - Niger - 1970

The lens has captured the biblical-like image of the bozo riding to the well of Ekisman. It has often been overlooked that cattle also served as pack animals and as such played a major role in Saharan civilisation. - Niger - 1970

At the well of Ekisman - Early practice for those who want to become real shepherds. - Niger - 1970

At the well of Ekisman - Early practice for those who want to become a real shepherdess. - Niger - 1970

Girls as well as boys help to bring the cattle to the drinking trough. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

Thirst is quenched directly at the well - Ekisman - Niger - 1970

You can even use the precious water from Eskiman's well to wash your hair. - Niger - 1970

Joining forces makes it easier to lift the water bag - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

Girls as well as boys help to bring the cattle to the drinking trough. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

Overview of the well of Ekismane. The herders distribute the water to the watering troughs. The cattle wait for their turn. - Niger - 1970

With the help of the dromedary, the water is lifted while the cattle wait patiently until they are led to the watering place. A spectacle that is repeated daily. - Well of Eskiman - Niger - 1970

After watering, the cattle are returned to the surrounding pastures. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

Cattle wait patiently in the midday heat until they are led to the drinking trough - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

Peul Bororo men on the way to the well of Eskiman - Niger - 1970

The household goods of a Fula family - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

A Peul Bororo woman mends a garment in the tent. She wears an amazing amount of silver rings on her ears. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

The irreproachability of their bearing stems partly from the fact that they learn very early to carry heavy loads on their heads. Typical of their breed, apart from the graceful gesture of this Bororo carrier, are the very large eyes, the delicacy of the mouth and the rather oriental imprint of the head. The ears, pierced all along the rim by many holes, allow to wear amazing amounts of silver rings. Two cords serve to hold two different collections of amulets, to which . . . Safety pins are added! The chignon, worn over the forehead, recalls the Phrygian hairstyle of figures in rock paintings in the Tassili. - Fountain of Eskiman - Niger - 1970

Woman from the Peul-Bororo people at the well of Ekisman. The Bororo are animists and live in an endogamous society where you only marry within your own clan, so they are considered the "purest" Peul people. - Well of Eskiman - Niger - 1970

Mariam is a Peul Bororo woman. The Bororo tribe is fundamentally animistic and forms an endogamous society. Marriages are therefore necessarily within the group, so the Bororo consider themselves the "purest" of the Peulh. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

The woman plays a very important role in the society of the Peul (Fula), and she has a lot of freedom, but she also respects the customs of her race that have come down to her from the ancestors. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

Who radiates more joie de vivre than this young Bororo woman? Typical of her costume are the small bodice that leaves part of the body uncovered, the heavy earrings, the amulets worn on the chest. Married for two years, this peul woman still has no child, for these prudent, balanced people have been practising a kind of birth control for a very long time, with the virtue of the simple having the greatest effect. The woman plays a very important role in the society of the Peul (Fula), and she has a lot of freedom, but she also respects the customs of her race that have come down to her from the ancestors. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul. At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

Until a few decades ago, ethnography did not credit the Peul (Fula) with a prehistoric origin; but we did not yet know what prehistory has since revealed to us. This Bororo Peul, found between Abalak and In Gall, is a descendant of the Neolithic cattle herders. Although dark-skinned, but copper-coloured rather than black, the Peul may well be the heirs of the Neolithic people of Sudanese tradition, who had emerged from the mixture of several races, at least one of which came from the Mediterranean area. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul (Fula). At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul. At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

Until a few decades ago, ethnography did not credit the Peul (Fula) with a prehistoric origin; but we did not yet know what prehistory has since revealed to us. This Bororo Peul, found between Abalak and In Gall, is a descendant of the Neolithic cattle herders. Although dark-skinned, but copper-coloured rather than black, the Peul may well be the heirs of the Neolithic people of Sudanese tradition, who had emerged from the mixture of several races, at least one of which came from the Mediterranean area. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul (Fula). At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul. At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

A Bororo herdsman in typical posture at the well of Ekisman - Niger - 1970

The bow is one of the "revolutionary" developments of the Neolithic. It had the same consequences for its owners as the first rifles. The posture of the Bororo-Peul hunter dressed in leather testifies to the permanence of the traditional gesture, holding his bow much like the one on the rock painting of Jabbaren, Tassili n' Ajjer. - Fountain of Eskiman - Niger - 1970

A flute player replaces the orchestra and supports the chorus of dancers with his instrument. The beat is given to him by clapping hands. The women, prize of this peaceful competition, show a very seductive demeanour ... - Fountain of Eskiman - Niger - 1970

A young Bororo with his typical features at the well of Ekisman - Niger - 1970

A proud Bororo lady with her typical features at the well of Ekisman - Niger - 1970

This simple tent is the dwelling of a family Bororo - Ekisman well - Niger - 1970

This young girl from the Peul-Bororo people, photographed near the well of Ekisman, may be descended from distant relatives on the upper reaches of the Nile. - Niger - 1970

It has often been overlooked that cattle also served as pack animals and as such played a major role in the civilisation of the Sahara. As a rider we find the same girl as in the previous photo. - Well of Ekisman - Niger - 1970

Typical of their breed are the tattoos on the Bororo's face. The ears, pierced all along the rim by many holes, allow to wear amazing amounts of silver rings. Strings around the neck are used to hold various collections of amulets. - Fountain of Ekisman - Niger - 1970

This young Peul wears the typical hat of the Zinder region - Southern Niger - 1970

South of Agadez, on the road to Zinder, lies the village of Tanout. Members of sub-groups of the Kanuri, Fula (Peul) and Tuareg ethnic groups live in this area, all of them mainly practising agropastoralism. This Peul-Bororo woman radiates beauty and elegance. - Tanout - Niger - 1970

South of Agadez, on the road to Zinder, lies the village of Tanout. Members of subgroups of the Kanuri, Fula (Peul) and Tuareg ethnic groups live in this area, all of them practising mainly agropastoralism. This Peul-Bororo woman with her youngest child on her back radiates beauty and elegance. - Tanout - Niger - 1970

Portrait of a Touareg of the Kel Idjera-Ajeroven tribe. Algeria - Tassili n'Ajjer - 1993

A group of Tuareg nomads have completed their barter transactions near Adrar Madet and are getting ready to return to the Aïr Mountains. - Adrar Madet - Niger - 2002

In the desert, it is always the man of knowledge and experience who chooses the best way to obtain the caravan's resources. - End of the crossing of Erg Brousset. Abakaoua, the Tuareg chief, leads the caravan to the sand dunes of Tagueït. - Niger - 2001

The dromedaries are led to the nearby well of Ibil, where they can quench their thirst. - Tagueït - Niger 2002

Abakaoua, the chief of the Tuareg tribe Tel-Kédélé - Oued Torguit - Aïr - Niger - 1999

Arrival at the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp in the Oued Gouloukou - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Nomad tent over a wooden scaffolding in the camp of the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg in the Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

In the camp of the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg in the Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Targia with child in the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp in the Oued Gouloukou - The mortar is hand-carved from aborak wood and is also used as a musical instrument when reversed and covered with a goatskin. The stick is made of acacia wood. - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

The goat's milk is stored in a gourd container. - Camp of the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg - Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Boy in the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp in the Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Girl and baby in the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp in the Oued Gouloukou - The mortar is hand-carved from aborak wood and is also used as a musical instrument when reversed and covered with a goatskin. The stick is made of acacia wood. - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Preparing food in the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp - Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

A goat being milked - Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp - Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

In the camp of the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg in the Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Air - Niger - 1992

In the camp near the well of Faris - Air - Niger - 1992

Targi in the camp near the well of Faris - Air - Niger - 1992

Ahmed ag Kanom, the brother of the clan chief Abakaoua - Camp of the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg - Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Air - Niger - 1992

Young Targia in the Kel-Tédélé camp in the Oued Tchiulmas at the foot of the Tamgak massif - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Targia in the Kel-Tédélé camp in the Oued Tchiulmas at the foot of the Tamgak massif - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Before crossing a desert, one must stock up on firewood. - At the camp of Elik-Ouan-Aggan - Air - Niger - 2001

The clan chief Abakaoua of the Kel-Tédélé - Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Air - Niger - 1992

Setting off to cross the Erg Izane - Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Air - Niger - 1992

Setting off to cross the Erg Izane - Issouane - Air - Niger - 2002

Setting off to cross the Erg Izane - To the right, at the back, is the area of Tchi-n-Taboûrak, from where we departed. - Issouane - Air - Niger - 2002

The caravan begins to cross the Erg Izane - Issouane - Air - Niger - 2000

On the way in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2001

On the way in the Erg Izane - Abakaoua is lost in silent prayer - Air - Niger - 2001

On the way in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2001

Halt in the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2000

The caravan on the way in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

On the way in the Erg Izane to the camp of Elik-Ouan-Aggan. In the background, the Taghmert Mountain. - Air - Niger - 2001

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane. The Sloughi Temet is also there - Air - Niger - 2002

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

On the way in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

On the way in the Erg Izane - A dromedary needs to be reloaded - Air - Niger - 2000

On the way in the sand sea of the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - In the background, on the left the mountain Adrar Chiriet, on the right in the distance a marble hill - Air - Niger - 2002

Immersing into another world - The caravan enters another universe that is no longer the world of humans. In this untouched nature, only the nomads can survive. - On the left, the Adrar Chiriet - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - The hour of prayer - Air - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - In the background, the mountain Adrar Chiriet - Air - Niger - 2002

The march continues through the dunes of the Erg Izan - In the back left the Adrar Chiriet - Air - Niger - 2002

The fruits of an acacia tree - called afagag in the Tuareg language - serve as fodder for the goats - Adrar Chiriet - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Boys and girls in the camp of Abakaoua, the Kel-Tédélé clan leader - Adrar Chiriet - Aïr - Niger - 1992

A young Targia in the camp of Abakaoua, the clan leader of the Kel-Tédélé - Adrar Chiriet - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Under the full moon shining in the sky, the caravan marches through the endless dunes of Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Travelling from Adrar Chiriet to Tamgak - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Lunch break - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The march continues in the direction of Tamgak - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Women have a special status among the Tuareg. The Targia are very highly respected. They are allowed to choose who and when they marry. The prerequisite is that the chosen one can pay the bride price. Married couples usually live monogamously. The children receive their social status through their mother. While women in Arab Islam still have problems getting divorced today, the Targia can divorce at their own request. In the event of divorce, the children remain with their mother - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The man's help is limited solely to procuring the raw material. Here a young Targi climbs a doum palm (Hyphaene) to cut off the leaves. This type of palm is characterised by a strong above-ground branching of the trunks, which is otherwise rare in palm trees - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The basic framework with the main beams for the roof is in place - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Now the beams are connected horizontally with further leaf stalks of the date palm to create a solid framework - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The wall of the hut is completely covered with wheat straw, only the opening for the door remains free - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Layer after layer of wheat straw is now fixed all round like bricks and secured with a ring of the same material - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The skeleton is clearly visible inside the hut. Above it, the layers of wheat straw are tightly bound and form a dome - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Finally, a rain-repellent mat woven from palm leaves is tied around the smoke opening - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The brother of Abakaoua, head of the Kel-Tedélé clan, with his son - Tezirzek well - Niger - Aïr - 1992

The wealth of a Tuareg clan is reflected in the number of goats - Boubakar camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

The Kogi Indians live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In the picture, the elongated building on the right is the men’s house, where the men live whilst they are in the village. The round houses, which are also thatched, serve as accommodation for the women and children. The Kogi meet only at certain times, about twice a month, for ceremonial celebrations in the villages; the rest of the time they spend – living separately by gender in two huts – in their fields, where they grow maize, cassava, bananas, pumpkins, sugar cane and beans. Whatever they cannot produce themselves, they exchange for chickens, pigs and other produce. - Book: Picture 15 - Colombia - 1977

A boy from the Kogi indigenous people, who live largely in isolation and preserve their centuries-old traditions. Traditionally, the Kogi make their own clothes on looms using natural fibres or cotton, as can be seen in this portrait. – Colombia – 1977

The entire life of the Kogi is governed by fertility rites and the strict separation of the male and female principles. This picture shows a Kogi man with the poporo, a gourd filled with powdered shell. The gourd is regarded as female, and the stick used to ‘fish out’ the lime powder is regarded as male. Over the years, the Kogi symbolically perform the act of fertilisation by using the stick to remove powder from the gourd and rubbing it onto the bowl, which, over time, develops a thick layer of lime. Gold figurines featuring similar calabash gourds, the lime from which was chewed together with coca leaves, have been preserved from the Quimbaya culture of the central Cauca Valley (11th–15th centuries). - Book: Picture 16 - Colombia - 1977

The traditional clothing of the Kogi is characterised by distinctive features. The woven tunic is made from hand-woven, natural fabric. Whilst adult Kogi traditionally wear entirely pure white clothing as a symbol of the purity of nature and the ‘Great Mother’, children’s garments often still feature coloured stripes (such as the earthy shades of red, yellow and black shown in the picture). A wide, robustly woven strap from a traditional shoulder bag (mochila) runs across the shoulder. – Colombia – 1997

A young Kogi mother wearing her jewellery. The Kogi are an indigenous community who live a secluded life in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia. The heavy, multi-layered necklaces made of colourful glass and natural beads, as well as the simple, white clothing made from hand-woven cotton, are deeply characteristic of their culture. - Book: Image 17 – Colombia – 1977

A boy from the Kogi tribe. The Kogi regard themselves as the ‘elder brothers’ of humanity. They see it as their sacred duty to preserve the ecological and spiritual balance of the Earth. They refer to the rest of modern humanity as the ‘younger brothers’ who are destroying the planet. - Book: Image 18 – Colombia – 1977

A Sunday outing by lorry in the Colombian province of Huila. In the Andes, lorries largely replace buses. - Book: Picture 40 - Colombia - 1977

Another view of the 5,790-metre-high Cayambe volcano from the surrounding agricultural highlands of Pichincha Province, where the indigenous people (the Kayambi) have traditionally practised agriculture and livestock farming. – Ecuador – 1972

The Chota Valley is a region steeped in tradition in the north of Ecuador. The region is best known for its Afro-Ecuadorian community, which has preserved a culture that is unique within Ecuador. The population is descended from enslaved Africans, who were brought to the region by Jesuits in the 17th century. The ‘Bomba del Chota’ is the region’s best-known style of music and dance. It is characterised by the bomba drums. Traditionally, women dance to this rhythm with great skill whilst balancing a bottle perfectly on their heads. – 1972

An indigenous Kichwa woman from the Salasaka community in the province of Tungurahua, Ecuador. The distinctive light-coloured hat (muchiku) with a round brim is traditionally made from sheep’s wool. The elaborate, multi-strand necklaces (walkas) are traditionally made from fine beads and coral. They symbolise ethnic identity, cultural heritage, and the prestige and strength of indigenous women in the Andes. The woman is wearing a dark shawl (Chal or Fachalina), which is typically fastened at the front with a large, decorative silver pin or brooch (Tupu). – 1977

A girl from the Salasaka community (Tungurahua Province, Ecuador). The white hat is traditionally made from pressed sheep’s wool. It is a key symbol of identity during festivals. The hand-woven woollen shawl (Lishta) is often patterned with fine stripes. It is crossed over the chest and fastened with a silver brooch (tupu). Wearing walkas (multi-strand necklaces made of red coral or beads) is a typical form of jewellery for women and girls. – 1977

A young girl from the indigenous Kichwa community in the Otavalo region of the Ecuadorian highlands, dressed in traditional attire consisting of a blue poncho, a headdress and multiple layers of gold bead necklaces. – 1977

One of the most famous indigenous markets in the Andes takes place every Saturday in Otavalo (Imbabura Province, Ecuador). The Otavaleños enjoy an excellent reputation as trading partners and merchants; they can be found everywhere on the roads of the Andes, carrying their wares on their backs. Their market has become a major tourist attraction, featuring cockfights in the afternoon and bullfights in June. Alongside their own products, they sell the Salasacas’ cloths and rugs here. - Book: Picture 27 - Ecuador - 1977

A scene from the Sunday market in Riobamba, Chimborazo Province, Ecuador. - Book: Picture 30 - Ecuador - 1977

A Salasaca man in traditional dress – a black poncho, white trousers and a white shirt – at the loom. The barren soil of the central Ecuadorian province of Tungurahua, around the town of Ambato, has forced the Salasacas, a tribe of around two thousand indigenous people, to pursue a second source of income alongside farming. Their rugs, featuring bird and animal motifs, are famous far and wide. The Otavaleños usually handle the distribution of the textiles. - Book: Picture 26 - Ecuador - 1977

Sunday market in Cajabamba, west of Riobamba. Two hundred varieties of potato, ranging from small white tubers to huge red sweet potatoes, a dozen varieties of maize, quinoa (‘Peruvian rice’), pulses, as well as animal feed and, occasionally, modern fertilisers and colourings are on offer at these markets. - Book: Picture 31 - Ecuador - 1976

A Salasaca indigenous man weaving a wide belt, known as a ‘faja’. Traditional patterns include birds, deer, cats and other stylised animals. - Book: Picture 139 - Ecuador - 1976

A scene from the Sunday market in Riobamba, Chimborazo Province, Ecuador. - Book: Picture 29 - Ecuador - 1977

An indigenous woman from Riobamba in her traditional dress, carrying her child on her back in a sling. The brown felt hat is typical of the indigenous population (mostly Kichwa) of Chimborazo Province around Riobamba; it is a distinctive symbol of indigenous identity and belonging in this region. The child is carried safely on her back in a traditionally woven sling. The poncho provides reliable protection against the cold in the cool high altitudes of the Andes. – 1977

A Salasaca girl from the town of Ambato, Tungurahua province - Ecuador - 1976

Saraguro in the province of Loja, Ecuador. A particularly beautiful custom of the Saraguros is the flower offerings: every year, during the Christmas midnight mass, the ‘muñidoras’ are chosen. These women are then responsible for the flower offerings throughout the year. Using garden flowers, they create small arrangements in which tiny figurines, crosses and stars are hidden, and place these in the various churches every Sunday morning. Unmarried women arrange the flowers in specific round shapes; only elderly women or widows are permitted to create arrangements in the shape of branches. - Book: Picture 39 - Ecuador - 1976

Saraguro in the province of Loja, Ecuador. A particularly beautiful custom of the Saraguros is the offering of flowers: every year, during the Christmas Midnight Mass, the ‘muñidoras’ are chosen. These women are then responsible for the floral offerings throughout the year. Using garden flowers, they create small arrangements in which tiny figurines, crosses and stars are hidden, and place these in the various churches every Sunday morning. Unmarried women arrange the flowers into specific circular shapes; only elderly women or widows are permitted to create branch-shaped arrangements. - Book: Picture 36 - Ecuador - 1976

The Saraguro in the province of Loja, Ecuador. A particularly beautiful custom of the Saraguros is the offering of flowers: every year, during the Christmas midnight mass, the ‘muñidoras’ are chosen. These women are then responsible for the floral offerings throughout the year. Using garden flowers, they create small arrangements in which tiny figurines, crosses and stars are hidden, and place these in the various churches every Sunday morning. Unmarried women arrange the flowers in specific round shapes; only elderly women or widows are permitted to create branch-shaped arrangements. - Book: Picture 38 - Ecuador - 1976

An indigenous woman from the Saraguro culture in the province of Loja, Ecuador, recognisable by her traditional clothing and distinctive white felt hat. The woman is wearing striking silver earrings and traditional beaded necklaces. A silver brooch (‘Topo’, a traditional garment pin) holds her dark cloak in place over a red blouse. – Ecuador – 1977

The Saraguro in the province of Loja, Ecuador. The topos – the pins used by Saraguro women to fasten their ponchos – are unique to this tribe in that they feature a sun-shaped head. In Peru, they are spoon-shaped. - Book: Picture 37 - Ecuador - 1977

In Cajamarca, situated at an altitude of 2,960 metres, Francisco Pizarro lured the Inca Atahualpa into an ambush and took him prisoner. To this day, the ‘Camara de rescate’ is on display – the room that Atahualpa had filled with gold. However, the ransom did not save him from a violent death. Cajamarca has largely retained its colonial character to this day, and with its 30,000 inhabitants, it is a bustling market town: smallholders queuing outside the agricultural co-operative to collect their milk money. - Book: Picture 87 - Peru - 1976

In Cajamarca, situated at an altitude of 2,960 metres, Francisco Pizarro lured the Inca Atahualpa into an ambush and took him prisoner. To this day, the ‘Camara de rescate’ is on display – the room that Atahualpa had filled with gold. However, the ransom did not save him from a violent death. Cajamarca has largely retained its colonial character to this day, and with its 30,000 inhabitants, it is a bustling market town: Cajamarca’s traditional hats are made from toquilla straw (plant fibre). - Book: Picture 85 - Peru - 1976

In Cajamarca, situated at an altitude of 2,960 metres, Francisco Pizarro lured the Inca Atahualpa into an ambush and took him prisoner. To this day, the ‘Camara de rescate’ is on display – the room that Atahualpa had filled with gold. However, the ransom did not save him from a violent death. Cajamarca has largely retained its colonial character to this day, and with its 30,000 inhabitants, it is a bustling market town: a market vendor spins her wool as she walks. - Book: Picture 84 - Peru - 1976

In Cajamarca, situated at an altitude of 2,960 metres, Francisco Pizarro lured the Inca Atahualpa into an ambush and took him prisoner. To this day, the ‘Camara de rescate’ – the room that Atahualpa had filled with gold – is on display. However, the ransom did not save him from a violent death. Cajamarca has largely retained its colonial character to this day, and with its 30,000 inhabitants, it is a bustling market town: a market vendor carries her new hat home on top of her old one. - Book: Picture 86 - Peru - 1976

A weaver with her spindle makes yarn from sheep's wool. Mancos in the Callejón de Huaylas, Department of Ancash. - 1969

A weaver with her spindle makes yarn from sheep's wool. Cajamarca Region in North Peru. - 1969

One of the most attractive forms of Peruvian crafts is the decoration of dried gourds. The artist from the «Centro Artesanal de Huancayo» uses a sharp piece to draw scenes from everyday life. - 1969

Potato harvest near the village of Jerónimo in the department of Apurímac, Peru. The tradition of communal farming dates back to pre-Inca times, creating a solid foundation for agricultural collectives and cooperatives. - Book: Picture 177 - Peru - 1969

Although the scene in the photograph is visually very reminiscent of the Mongolian steppe, the terraced slopes used for farming in the background, as well as the rider’s clothing (a typical Andean hat and poncho), clearly point to the highland Pampas regions of the Peruvian Andes. The photograph was taken 20 km from Andahuaylas. – Peru – 1969

A shepherdess with llamas and alpacas on the Altiplano, on the road from Abancay to Puquio. - Book: Picture 96 - Peru - 1976

This young indigenous woman is taking part in the traditional Inca ceremony Inti Raymi (the Festival of the Sun), which is celebrated annually on 24 June. Her clothing and headdress have symbolic significance. She is wearing an ornate crown made from dried agave leaves (maguey) and decorated with small sea snails. Her body is wrapped in a long robe made of natural moss. Beneath it, a traditionally colourful, patterned woven fabric can be seen. – 1969

Whilst the main ceremony of Inti Raymi (the Inca Festival of the Sun) traditionally takes place on the esplanade of the Sacsayhuamán fortress, the dances and musical accompaniment are often moved to Cusco Stadium to accommodate the crowds, as seen in this photograph, taken on 24 June 1976. The musicians play the traditional Peruvian Andean harp (Arpa andina) and violins to accompany the traditional dances (Danzas) from the various provinces, which are performed in honour of the sun. – Cusco – Peru – 1976

A 3.700 m de altitud se alzan las cuatro terrazas de Tampu Machay, el «baño del Inca». Unos nichos trapezoidales adornan el «templo del agua» más elegante, que servía para la purificación ritual del monarca y su esposa, la Coya, con motivo de su unión ritual. – Cuzco – Perú – 1969

Checacupe is a traditional village in the district of Checacupe (Canchis Province, Cusco Region) in southern Peru. The region is renowned for its historical significance, the preservation of indigenous traditions and Andean craftsmanship. The large earthenware jugs are known as urpus (also called raquis), which are typically used for the fermentation and transport of chicha (traditional maize beer) or water. The jugs are wrapped in thick, hand-woven ropes (Qeswa or Ichu grass ropes) to secure them for transport on the back or on pack animals. The clothing and distinctive hats are typical of the Quechua people of Canchis Province in the Cusco Region. – 1969

Sunday market in Chinchero, Cusco Department. Just as in Inca times, one can still recognise tribal or local affiliations today by the hats or the patterns on the ponchos. For example, the Cuzqueños wear a sort of doctoral cap; the hat from Pisac is gently curved, and those wearing the stiff white hats with coloured ribbons all come from the same area. - Book: Picture 112 - Peru - 1969

Sunday market in Chinchero, Cusco Department. The equivalent of a European sausage stall – an open-air kitchen. - Book: Picture 115 - Peru - 1976

Sunday market in Chinchero, Cusco Department. Chicha seller – maize beer was probably known soon after maize was first cultivated. - Book: Picture 113 - Peru - 1976

Using a traditional hand spindle (known as a ‘pushka’), this woman spins raw wool into yarn. The spindle consists of a wooden rod and a whorl, which acts as a flywheel to stabilise the rotation as the fibres are drawn out. This centuries-old technique is still practised today in the Peruvian Andes to produce fine yarns for handmade textiles. – Cusco – Peru – 1972

Fruit sellers at Cusco railway station. - Book: Picture 114 - Peru - 1973

The procession in honour of the ‘Señor de Choquekillka’, the principal patron saint of the Inca city of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This major local event is celebrated every year around the Christian feast of Pentecost in May or June. It combines Catholic traditions with ancient Andean customs to form a significant cultural syncretism and has been declared part of Peru’s national cultural heritage. The villagers carry the cross, richly adorned with flowers and white robes, from the main church through the streets of the town. The relic being carried is an ornate cross which, according to local legend, was found in the nearby Vilcanota River at the beginning of the 20th century. – Peru – 1969

The clothing, the hats and the playing of the pututo conch shell are deeply rooted in the vibrant culture of the Cusco region and are still proudly displayed there today at festivals and receptions. The pututo is a traditional wind instrument made from a large sea snail, which has been used in the Andes since Inca times for ceremonies, rituals and long-distance communication. – This photograph dates from 1969 and was taken in Ollantaytambo. The person behind the player is an alcalde (mayor) with his staff, the varayoc, which translates as ‘the lord of the staff’. – Peru – 1969

During the Whitsun festival in Ollantaytambo, this mask is worn by the dancers of the Ukuku troupe. These mythological figures represent beings that are half-human and half-bear. They act as humorous yet disciplined intermediaries between humans and the mountain gods (Apus). During the colourful processions through the Inca streets of Ollantaytambo, they maintain order, joke with the spectators and accompany the holy cross. – Peru – 1969

Indigenous people in the small church at Ollantaytambo in the Urubamba Valley, above Machu Picchu, in the Department of Cuzco. Under the zealous Spanish missionaries, the indigenous people were very quickly converted to Catholicism; yet, on closer inspection, the old customs and deities can still be found beneath the European veneer in all the rites. For example, St James, the patron saint of the Spaniards, is celebrated with great fervour on 25 July, yet at the same time this day marks the festival of the mountain god Taita Wamani, and Pachamama, the Mother Earth from pre-Inca times, is today identified in many places with the Virgin Mary. - Book: Picture 108 - Peru - 1969

Cereal harvest near Tiobamba in the Cusco region. In the background rises Nevado Chicón, a glaciated peak in the Urubamba Cordillera, some 5,530 metres high. – Peru – 1969

An indigenous man in the Altiplano of Peru plays the zampoña with a dreamy expression; its sounds (perhaps a ‘Yaraví’ or a ‘Triste’?) seem to capture all the melancholy of the vast expanse and solitude. - Book: Picture 6 - Peru - 1976

A campesino from the village of San Antonio de Chuca, Arequipa Department, Peru. The ear-flapped hat, known as a ‘chullo’, protects against the often biting cold of the Altiplano. Occasionally, the indigenous people wear a hat over the chullo to shield themselves from the glaring sun. - Book: Picture 82 - Peru - 1969

A charango player in the department of Cuzco, Peru. Stringed instruments appear to have been unknown to pre-Columbian civilisations. The original charango is a small guitar whose soundbox is made from an armadillo shell. Its rather high-pitched sound is produced by five or six pairs of strings. - Book: Picture 143 - Peru - 1976

This photograph shows a ceremony for Pachamama, which was held at 4 am at -17 °C. The offerings consist of coca leaves, salt, brandy, chicha, cigarettes and food (Puno Department, Peru). - Book: Picture 111 - Peru - 1969

Nothing illustrates the economic and social diversity better than farming methods. Whilst tractors are used in some areas, the indigenous people on their small farms still work the fields in a way that has not changed since the time of the Incas. - This image shows the breaking up of the soil with the taclla, an agricultural tool originating in the Peruvian Andes. It is essentially a long-handled spade that the Incas have used since ancient times. Its shape allows it to be pushed with the foot into hard ground. - Book: Picture 90 - Peru - 1976

Photo taken in the Peruvian Altiplano in winter. An indigenous woman with a child in the Department of Puno. She is collecting dried llama or cow dung to use as fuel. - Book: Picture 93 - Peru - 1976

An indigenous woman cooking with her child on her back. She uses dried llama or cow dung as fuel and stokes the embers with a blowpipe. Puno Department, Peru. - Book: Picture 117 - Peru - 1976

An indigenous couple return with their llamas from the market in Sicuani in the department of Cuzco. - Book: Picture 103 - Peru - 1973

On Lake Titicaca, near Puno, the Uros people live on artificial, floating islands made of dried totora reeds, which have to be renewed regularly. Both the huts and the traditional reed boats (balsas) are made entirely from the totora reeds that grow in the lake. – Peru – 1969

An indigenous woman in a reed boat on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. As the lake is only a few metres deep over large areas, the indigenous people use a long pole for poling as well as the reed sail. The striking resemblance of these reed boats to depictions of papyrus boats in ancient Egyptian tombs, together with certain parallels between Mesoamerican cultures (for example, the Maya pyramids) and the culture of the Nile Valley, has given rise to the most daring hypotheses. Thus, a few years ago, Thor Heyerdahl attempted to cross the Atlantic in a papyrus boat. However, this does not disprove the assumption that similar environmental conditions and the inherent properties of the available materials must lead to analogous solutions. - Book: Picture 145 - Peru - 1969

A woman of the "Uros" who lives on the floating islands on Lake Titicaca. She still grinds the wheat as it did hundreds of years ago. - 1969

These melon-shaped hats (often called ‘bombín’) are characteristic of the indigenous people of the Altiplano in Peru and Bolivia. The clothing in this region reflects the centuries-old traditions of the indigenous communities. – Puno – 1972

The Fiesta del Gran Poder, the Festival of Divine Power, in La Paz is arguably one of the largest and most colorful religious celebrations in Bolivia. The photo shows the characteristic Diablada dancer—the devil, who embodies evil and dances frenetically against the forces of good throughout the hours-long procession, only to be ultimately defeated by Divine Power. - Book: Picture 150 - Bolivia - 1976

The festival is officially known as the ‘Festividad del Señor Jesús del Gran Poder’. It is celebrated in honour of a representation of Jesus Christ and blends Andean beliefs closely with the Catholic faith. Although the Morenada is regarded as the dominant dance of this festival in La Paz, groups performing the Diablada (as pictured here) open and enrich the spectacle with great vigour and magnificent colours. The dancers belong to one of the traditional fraternities that parade through the streets of the capital every year in May or June. – This huge celebration has also been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. – Bolivia – 1976

The Fiesta del Gran Poder, the Festival of Divine Power, in La Paz is arguably one of Bolivia’s largest and most colorful religious celebrations. The photo shows the characteristic Diablada dancer—the devil, who embodies evil and dances frantically against the forces of good throughout the hours-long procession, only to be ultimately defeated by Divine Power. - Book: Picture 151 - Bolivia - 1976

The Fiesta del Gran Poder, the Festival of Divine Power, in La Paz is arguably one of Bolivia’s largest and most colorful religious celebrations. The female dancers may be inspired by the North American tradition of majorettes. - Book: Picture 152 - Bolivia - 1976

A traditional devil’s mask (Máscara de Diablada), typically worn at the Chilean festival ‘Fiesta de la Tirana’, at the ‘Festividad de la Virgen de la Candelaria’ in Puno, Peru, or at the Bolivian ‘Carnaval de Oruro’. – This dance symbolises the eternal struggle between good and evil. The dancers dress up as devils (Lucifer or demons), who are ultimately defeated by the Archangel Michael and submit to the Virgin Mary. A magnificent, colourful multi-headed dragon is mounted on the mask. In Andean iconography, European conceptions of the devil blend here with indigenous mythical creatures (such as the sacred snake Amaru) and Asian influences. The large, protruding eyes are intended to create a fixed, terrifying gaze. The mask features a wide-open mouth with pointed teeth and a protruding tongue, which emphasises the demon’s malice and ferocity. – La Paz – Bolivia – 1976

A dancer in a traditional, vibrantly coloured red devil’s costume from the Diablada dance troupe. The Diablada dance depicts the struggle between good and evil and forms the centrepiece of the various carnivals in the Andean region around Lake Titicaca. The ornate devil’s mask is adorned with horns, snakes and glittering embellishments. The dancer wears a red costume featuring embroidered aprons, metallic embellishments and distinctive boots. – La Paz – Bolivia – 1976

The Fiesta del Gran Poder, the Festival of Divine Power, in La Paz is arguably one of Bolivia’s largest and most colorful religious celebrations. - Book: Picture 153 - Bolivia - 1976

Three prospectors in the Bolivian Cordillera Real at an altitude of 4,640 metres. Together, these three treasure hunters mine easily accessible deposits of tungsten, tin and gold; they call their method ‘makipura’. - Book: Picture 175 - Bolivia - 1976

An indigenous man from Tarabuco in the Bolivian department of Chuquisaca. His cap is reminiscent of the shape of Spanish helmets from the time of the Conquista. - Book: Picture 144 - Bolivia - 1976

An Araucanian woman wearing the characteristic silver jewellery from the Temuco region, Cautín Province, Chile. Following the conquest of the Chilean territories by Pedro de Valdivia around 1550, the warlike Araucanians had led all uprisings against foreign rule, and under their leader Lautaro, the Indigenous armies even marched on the capital after liberating the southern territories. The attack was repelled, but the heartland of the Araucanians remained de facto independent until around 1800. - Book: Picture 194 - Chile - 1973

An Araucanian woman wearing the characteristic silver headdress whilst weaving. Temuco region, Cautín Province, Chile. - Book: Picture 140 - Chile - 1973

Angela Loij, born between 1896 and 1898, died in 1975 in Río Grande in Argentine Tierra del Fuego as the last surviving member of the Ona, one of the three tribes of Tierra del Fuego who, until the beginning of the last century, lived at a Stone Age cultural level and subsisted on hunting, fishing and gathering wild fruits. To protect themselves from the cold, they smeared their bodies with a thick layer of fat. They usually went naked or wore only roughly cut animal skins. - Book: Picture 11 - Argentina - 1973

Photo Gallery