Myths and legends about wild Amazons - women who formed a separate tribe, lived according to the rules of matriarchy and fought with men - have existed since ancient times. Archaeological excavations confirm this fact, but disputes about the authenticity of the existence of a militant society consisting exclusively of representatives of the fairer sex do not subside.
Myths and legends
According to ancient greek mythology, the kingdom of the Amazons, female warriors, existed for some time in the territory of Libya, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. For what reason they lived separately from men was not clear, but they for a long time managed on their own. Some sources talk about a nomadic tribe of women, others - about the existence of a kingdom led by the queen of the Amazons.
Their main occupations were: hunting for food, wars with neighboring tribes for enrichment. According to ancient legends, the Amazons originated from the union of the god Ares (or Mars) and his daughter Harmony, and the warriors themselves worshiped the goddess Artemis, a virgin huntress.
One of the labors of Hercules was a task during which he had to take a magic belt from warlike girls, which was intended as a ransom for the return of the daughter of Queen Antiope.
Tribes of Amazon women: life and reproduction
According to the opinion expressed in the 5th century. BC. According to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, such a matriarchal state existed on the shores of the lake. Meotids (modern territory of Crimea). They built several cities, including Smyrna, Sinop, Ephesus and Paphos.
The main occupation of the Amazons was participation in wars and raids against neighbors, and they wielded a bow, a double battle ax (labrys), and a shortened sword with great skill. The warriors made their own helmet and armor.
But in order to have children, for the purpose of reproduction, a tribe of Amazon women declared a truce every year in the spring and arranged meetings with men from the border lands, with whom they then paid off 9 months later with the born baby boys.
But according to another version, a sadder fate awaited male newborns: they were either drowned in the river or mutilated in order to be used as slaves in the future. Newborn girls were left in the tribe and raised as future warriors who were expected to wield all available weapons. They were also taught hunting and farming skills.
So that in the future, when drawing a bow in battle, their right breast would not be interfered with, they had it burned out in childhood. According to one version, the name of the tribe came from a mazos, i.e. “breastless”, according to another - from ha-mazan, which means Iranian language translated as “warriors”, according to the third - from masso, meaning “untouchable”.
War with Dionysus
The battle victories of the Amazon tribe glorified them so much that even the god Dionysus decided to enter into an alliance with them so that they would help him fight the Titans. After the victory, he insidiously started a war with them and defeated them.
The few surviving women were able to hide in the temple of Artemis and then escape to Asia Minor. There they settled on the Fermodon River, creating a huge empire. Having participated in several wars, Amazon women captured Syria and reached the island of Crimea. Many of them took part in the siege of the famous Troy, during which ancient greek hero Achilles killed their queen.
During the battles with the Greeks, the enemy was able to capture several girls and, having loaded them onto a ship, wanted to take them to their homeland for demonstration. However, along the way, female warriors attacked the ship and killed everyone. But due to the lack of navigation skills, the Amazons could only sail with the wind, and ultimately they washed up on the shores of Ancient Scythia.
Education of the Sarmatian tribe
Having settled in a new place, the warriors began to plunder settlements and take away livestock, killing local residents. Scythian warriors were very proud, therefore they considered waging war with female warriors to be an unworthy occupation. They acted differently: they gathered their best warriors and sent them to capture wild women, so that they could then get good offspring from them. Luck awaited them, after which a new people of Savramats or Sarmatians with a heroic physique were born.
The life of the tribe of Amazon women was active in military campaigns and hunting, and they dressed in men's clothing. And local men were assigned to household duties: cooking, cleaning, etc. The Sarmatians had interesting tradition: girls could get married only after killing any representative of the stronger half, but they usually found victims in neighboring tribes.
Homer and Herodotus about the Amazons
According to historians, the great ancient thinker Homer, who created famous works“Iliad” and “Odyssey”, also wrote about the country of the Amazon. However, this poem has not survived. Confirmation of Greek myths are ancient amphoras and bas-reliefs decorated with drawings of Amazon women (photo below). Only in all the images the beautiful warriors have both breasts and sufficiently developed muscles. The Amazons are also mentioned in the tale of the Argonauts, but there Homer shows them as disgusting furies.
According to Herodotus, after participating in the Trojan War, the Amazons fell to the Scythians and formed the Sarmatian tribe, in which women and men had equal rights. Legends attribute to them not only excellent skill with weapons, but also the ability to stay in the saddle and incredible composure. The Scythians and Sarmatians, according to Herodotus, fought together in the 5th century. BC e. against King Darius.
The Roman historian Deodorus was of the opinion that Amazon women were descendants of the ancient Atlanteans and lived in Western Libya.
Archaeological data
Many finds by historians in different parts of the world confirm ancient legends about the existence of Amazon women not only in Greece, but also in other countries and continents.
So, in 1928, on the shores of the Black Sea in the settlement of Zemo Akhvala, a burial place was discovered ancient ruler in armor and with weapons. After research, he turned out to be a woman, after which many made the assumption that the queen of the Amazons had been found.
In 1971, on the territory of Ukraine, the burial of a woman and a girl was found, who were luxuriously dressed and richly decorated. The grave contained gold, weapons, and the skeletons of 2 men who clearly did not die from illness. According to scientists, the remains belonged to another queen with her daughter and slaves who were sacrificed.
In the 1990s. During excavations in Kazakhstan, similar ancient burials of female warriors were discovered, dating back more than 2.5 thousand years.
Another sensation in the world of science was the latest discovery in Britain, when the remains of female warriors were found in Brougham (Cumbria). They clearly came here from Europe. According to English scientists, women fought in the ranks of the Roman army. According to them, tribes of Amazon women lived in the territory of Eastern Europe in the period 220-300 AD. e. After death, they were ceremoniously burned at the stake along with their equipment and war horses. Their origin comes from the territory of the current states of Austria, Hungary and the former Yugoslavia.
America: Tribal Life of Amazon Women
Stories of wild women warriors also tell of their discovery by Christopher Columbus after the discovery of the American continent. Having heard the stories of local Indians about a female warrior tribe, the great navigator tried to capture them on one of the islands, but was unable to do so. In memory of this incident, the name was given to the Virgin Islands (translated as “Islands of the Maidens”).
Spanish conquistador Fr. de Orellana in 1542 landed on the banks of a huge river in South America, where he met a tribe of wild Amazon women. The Europeans were defeated in the battle with them. Some scientists suggest that the error occurred due to the long hair of the local Indians. However, it was in memory of this incident that the proud name was given to the most majestic river of the American continent - the Amazon.
African Amazons
This unique phenomenon in world history - the tribe of Dahomey female Terminators - lived on the African continent south of the Sahara in the territory of the modern state of Benin. They called themselves N’Nonmiton or “our mothers.”
African Amazons, female warriors, were among the elite troops who defended their ruler in the kingdom of Dahomey, for which European colonialists called them Dahomey. Such a tribe was formed in the 17th century. for hunting elephants.
The King of Dahomey, delighted with their skill and success, appointed them as his bodyguards. The N'Nonmiton army existed for 2 centuries, in the 19th century. The women's military corps consisted of 6 thousand soldiers.
Selection for the ranks of female warriors took place among 8-year-old girls, who were taught to be strong and ruthless, and also able to withstand any pain. They were armed with machetes and Dutch muskets. After many years of training, the African Amazons became “fighting machines”, capable of successfully fighting and cutting off the heads of the defeated.
While serving in the army, they could not get married or have children and remained chaste, being considered married to the king. If a man attacked a woman warrior, he was killed.
The British mission in West Africa was founded in 1863; then the scientist R. Barton arrived in Dahomey, who was going to make peace with the local authorities. For the first time, he was able to describe the life of the Dahomey tribe of Amazon women (photo below). According to his information, for some warriors this provided an opportunity to gain influence and wealth. The English researcher S. Alpern wrote a large treatise on the life of the Amazons.
At the end of the 19th century. The territory was occupied by French colonialists, whose soldiers were often found dead in the morning with their heads cut off. The Second Franco-Dahomean War ended with the surrender of the king's army and most of the Amazons were killed. Its last representative, a woman named Navi, who by that time was more than 100 years old, died in 1979.
Modern wild female tribes
There are still areas in the impenetrable jungle of the Amazon River where life is very different from modern civilization. From time immemorial, in the eastern part of Brazil there live people who are separated from outside world who have retained their customs and skills.
Scientists regularly find here not only new species of animals and plants, but also settlements of wild tribes, which now, according to researchers from the FUNAI organization, number more than 70. They hunt, fish, collect fruits and berries, but do not want to come into contact with the civilized world, for fear of contracting unknown diseases. After all, even ordinary flu is fatal for them.
Women of the wild tribes of the Amazon usually perform all women's work, take care of everyday life and raising children. Sometimes they collect berries or fruits in the forest. However, there are also aggressive tribes in which women, along with men, hunt or participate in raids on neighbors, armed with clubs and spears, poisoned with the poison of local plants or snakes.
There is also wild tribe Kuna on the island of San Blas near the territory of Brazil, who moved from the mainland and live according to the rules of matriarchy. Traditions have been preserved and are supported by the inhabitants of the settlement sternly and unshakably. At the age of 14, girls are already considered sexually mature and must choose their own groom. The man usually moves into the bride's house. The main income of the tribe on the island comes from the collection and export of coconuts (about 25 million pieces annually); they also grow sugar cane, bananas, cocoa and oranges. But for fresh water go to the mainland.
Amazons in art and film
In art Ancient Greece and warriors occupy Rome important place, their images can be found on ceramics, sculpture and architecture. Thus, the battle of the Athenians and the Amazons is depicted in the marble bas-relief of the Parthenon, as well as in sculptures from the mausoleum from Halicarnassus.
The favorite activities of female warriors are hunting and war, and their weapons are a bow, a spear, and an ax. To protect themselves from the enemy, they put on a helmet and took a crescent-shaped shield in their hands. As you can see in the above photos, ancient masters depicted Amazon women riding a horse or on foot, in battle with a centaur or warriors.
During the Renaissance, they were resurrected again in the works of classicism and baroque poetry, paintings and sculptures. Plots of battles with ancient warriors are presented in the works of J. Palma, J. Tintoretto, G. Rennie and other artists. Rubens' painting "The Battle of the Greeks and the Amazons" shows them in a bloody horse battle with men. And copies of the original sculpture “The Wounded Amazon” are famous throughout the world and are kept in the Vatican and US museums.
The life and exploits of the Amazons became an inspiration for writers and poets: Tirso de Molina, Lope de Vega, R. Granier and G. Kleist. In the 20th-21st centuries they moved into popular culture: movies, cartoons and comics in the fantasy genre.
Contemporary cinema confirms the popularity of the theme of Amazon women. Beautiful and brave warrior girls are presented in the films: “Amazons of Rome” (1961), “Pana - Queen of the Amazons” (1964), “Goddesses of War” (1973), “Legendary Amazons” (2011), “Women Warriors” ( 2017), etc.
The latest film, released in 2017, is called “Wonder Woman” and is about a heroine named Diana, the queen of the Amazons, who is endowed with fantastic strength, speed and endurance. She communicates freely with animals, and wears special bracelets for protection, but she considers men changeable and deceitful.
Among modern women You can also meet “Amazons” who are smart, educated and dream of conquering the world. They can run a large corporation and raise children at the same time, and they treat men condescendingly, allowing themselves to be loved.
Multifaceted Africa, on a vast territory in 61 countries, with a population of more than a billion people, surrounded by cities of civilized countries, in the secluded corners of this continent more than 5 million people of almost completely wild African tribes still live.
Members of these tribes do not recognize the achievements of the civilized world and are content with the modest benefits that they received from their ancestors. Poor huts, modest food and a minimum of clothing suit them, and they are not going to change this way of life.
African b...
There are about 3 thousand different tribes and nationalities in Africa, but it is difficult to name their exact number, since most often they are either densely mixed together, or, on the contrary, radically separated. The population of some tribes is only a few thousand or even hundreds of people, and often inhabit only 1-2 villages. Because of this, on the territory of the African continent there are adverbs and dialects that sometimes only representatives of a particular tribe can understand. And the variety of rituals, cultural systems, dances, customs and sacrifices is enormous and amazing. In addition, the appearance of the people of some tribes is simply amazing.
However, since they all live on the same continent, all African tribes still have something in common. Some cultural elements are characteristic of all nationalities living in this territory. One of the main defining features of African tribes is their focus on the past, that is, the cult of the culture and life of their ancestors.
The majority of African peoples deny everything new and modern and withdraw into themselves. Most of all, they are attached to constancy and immutability, including in everything that concerns Everyday life, traditions and customs that originate from our great-grandfathers.
It’s hard to imagine, but among them there are practically no people who are not engaged in subsistence farming or cattle breeding. Hunting, fishing or gathering are completely normal activities for them. Just like many centuries ago, African tribes fight among themselves, marriages most often take place within one tribe, intertribal marriages are very rare among them. Of course, more than one generation leads such a life; every new child from birth will have to live the same fate.
Tribes differ from each other by their own unique system of life, customs and rituals, beliefs and prohibitions. Most tribes invent their own fashion, often stunningly colorful, the originality of which is often simply amazing.
Among the most famous and numerous tribes today are the Maasai, Bantu, Zulus, Samburu and Bushmen.
Maasai
One of the most famous African tribes. They live in Kenya and Tanzania. The number of representatives reaches 100 thousand people. They are most often found on the side of a mountain, which features prominently in Maasai mythology. Perhaps the size of this mountain influenced the worldview of the tribe members - they consider themselves the favorites of the gods, the highest people, and are sincerely confident that there are no more beautiful people in Africa than them.
This opinion of oneself gave rise to a contemptuous, often even derogatory attitude towards other tribes, which became the cause of frequent wars between tribes. In addition, it is the Maasai custom to steal animals from other tribes, which also does not improve their reputation.
The Maasai dwelling is built from branches coated with dung. This is done mainly by women, who also, if necessary, take on the duties of pack animals. The main share of nutrition is milk or animal blood, less often meat. Distinctive feature The beauty of this tribe is considered to be the elongated earlobes. Currently, the tribe has been almost completely exterminated or dispersed; only in remote corners of the country, in Tanzania, are some Maasai nomads still preserved.
Bantu
The Bantu tribe lives in Central, Southern and East Africa. In truth, the Bantu are not even a tribe, but an entire nation, which includes many peoples, for example, Rwanda, Shono, Konga and others. They all have similar languages and customs, which is why they were united into one large tribe. Most Bantu people speak two or more languages, the most commonly spoken of which is Swahili. The number of members of the Bantu people reaches 200 million. According to research scientists, it was the Bantu, along with the Bushmen and Hottentots, who became the progenitors of the South African colored race.
Bantus have a peculiar appearance. They have very dark skin and an amazing hair structure - each hair is curled in a spiral. Wide and winged nose, low bridge of the nose and high growth- often taller than 180 cm - are also distinctive features of Bantu people. Unlike the Maasai, the Bantu do not shy away from civilization and willingly invite tourists on educational walks around their villages.
Like any African tribe, a large part of Bantu life is occupied by religion, namely, traditional African animist beliefs, as well as Islam and Christianity. The Bantu home resembles a Maasai house - the same round shape, with a frame made of branches coated with clay. True, in some areas Bantu houses are rectangular, painted, with gable, lean-to or flat roofs. Members of the tribe are mainly engaged in agriculture. Distinctive feature Bantu refers to an enlarged lower lip into which small discs are inserted.
Zulu
The Zulu people, once the largest ethnic group, now has only 10 million people. The Zulus use their own language, Zulu, which comes from the Bantu family and is the most widely spoken in South Africa. In addition, English, Portuguese, Sesotho and other African languages are in circulation among members of the people.
The Zulu tribe suffered a difficult period during the apartheid era in South Africa, when, being the most numerous people, was defined as a second-class population.
As for the beliefs of the tribe, most of the Zulus remained faithful to national beliefs, but there are also Christians among them. Zulu religion is based on the belief in a creator god who is supreme and separate from everyday routine. Representatives of the tribe believe that they can contact the spirits through fortune tellers. All negative manifestations in the world, including illness or death, are considered as the machinations of evil spirits or the result of evil witchcraft. In the Zulu religion, the main place is occupied by cleanliness, frequent bathing is a custom among representatives of the people.
Samburu
The Samburu tribe lives in the northern regions of Kenya, on the border of the foothills and the northern desert. About five hundred years ago, the Samburu people settled in this territory and quickly populated the plain. This tribe is independent and confident in its elitism much more than the Maasai. The life of the tribe depends on livestock, but, unlike the Maasai, the Samburu themselves raise livestock and move with them from place to place. Customs and ceremonies occupy a significant place in the life of the tribe and are distinguished by the splendor of colors and forms.
Samburu huts are made of clay and skins; the outside of the home is surrounded by a thorny fence to protect it from wild animals. Representatives of the tribe take their houses with them, reassembling them at each site.
Among the Samburu, it is customary to divide labor between men and women, this also applies to children. Women's responsibilities include gathering, milking cows and fetching water, as well as collecting firewood, cooking and looking after children. Of course, the female half of the tribe is in charge of general order and stability. Samburu men are responsible for herding livestock, which is their main means of subsistence.
Most important detail The life of the people is childbearing, sterile women are subjected to severe persecution and bullying. It is normal for the tribe to worship the spirits of ancestors, as well as witchcraft. The Samburu believe in charms, spells and rituals, using them to increase fertility and protection.
Bushmen
The most famous African tribe among Europeans since ancient times is the Bushmen. The name of the tribe consists of the English “bush” - “bush” and “man” - “man”, however, calling members of the tribe this way is dangerous - it is considered offensive. It would be more correct to call them “san,” which means “stranger” in the Hottentot language. Externally, the Bushmen are somewhat different from other African tribes; they have lighter skin and thinner lips. In addition, they are the only ones who eat ant larvae. Their dishes are considered a specialty national cuisine of this people. The way of society of the Bushmen also differs from that generally accepted among wild tribes. Instead of chiefs and sorcerers, the ranks choose elders from among the most experienced and respected members of the tribe. The elders lead the lives of the people without taking any advantage at the expense of others. It should be noted that the Bushmen also believe in afterlife, like other African tribes, however, they do not have the cult of ancestors adopted by other tribes.
Among other things, the Sans have a rare talent for stories, songs and dances. Musical instrument they can make almost all of them. For example, there are bows strung with animal hair or bracelets made from dried insect cocoons with pebbles inside, which are used to beat the rhythm during dance. Almost everyone who has the opportunity to observe the musical experiments of the Bushmen tries to record them in order to pass them on to future generations. This is all the more relevant given that present century dictates its own rules and many Bushmen have to deviate from centuries-old traditions and work as workers on farms in order to provide for their family and tribe.
This is a very small number of tribes living in Africa. There are so many of them that it would take several volumes to describe them all, but each of them boasts a unique value system and way of life, not to mention rituals, customs and costumes.
Video: Wild tribes of Africa:...
We are accustomed to living in a world of information. However, there are so many unsolved pages in history and untrodden paths on the planet! Researchers, film makers, and exotic lovers are trying to unravel the mystery of the Amazons - brave, freedom-loving women who live without men.
Who are the Amazons?
Homer first mentioned attractive but dangerous warriors of the fairer sex in the eighteenth century BC. Then their life was described by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus and the playwright Aeschylus, and after them by the Roman chroniclers. According to myths, the Amazons formed states that consisted only of women. Presumably, these were territories from the shores of the Black Sea to the Caucasus and further into the depths of Asia. From time to time they chose men from other nations to continue the family line. The fate of the child born depended on gender - if it was a girl, she was raised in the tribe, while the boy was sent to his father or killed.
Since then, the legendary Amazon has been a woman who masterfully wields weapons and is an excellent rider who is not inferior to men in battle. Her patron is Artemis, the virgin, eternally young goddess of the hunt, capable of punishing in anger with an arrow fired from a bow.
Etymology
There is still debate among researchers about the origin of the word “Amazon”. Presumably, it was formed from the Iranian word ha-mazan - “woman warrior”. Another option is from the word a masso - “inviolable” (for men).
The most common Greek etymology of the word. It is interpreted as “breastless,” and according to legend, warriors burned or cut off their mammary glands to make it easier to use a bow. This version, however, is not confirmed in artistic depictions.
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The bulk of the peoples of Africa include groups consisting of several thousand and sometimes hundreds of people, but at the same time they do not exceed 10% of the total population of this continent. As a rule, such small ethnic groups are the most savage tribes.
The Mursi tribe, for example, belongs to this group.
The Ethiopian Mursi tribe is the most aggressive ethnic group
Ethiopia - ancient country in the world. It is Ethiopia that is considered the ancestor of humanity; it was here that the remains of our ancestor, modestly named Lucy, were found.
More than 80 ethnic groups live in the country.
Living in southwestern Ethiopia, on the border with Kenya and Sudan, settled in Mago Park, the Mursi tribe is distinguished by unusually strict customs. They can rightfully be nominated for the title of the most aggressive ethnic group.
Prone to frequent alcohol consumption and uncontrolled use of weapons. In everyday life, the main weapon of the tribal men is the Kalashnikov assault rifle, which they buy in Sudan.
In fights, they can often beat each other almost to death, trying to prove their dominance in the tribe.
Scientists attribute this tribe to a mutated Negroid race, with distinctive features in the form of short stature, wide bones and crooked legs, low and tightly compressed foreheads, flattened noses and inflated short necks.
Mursi women's bodies often look flabby and sickly, with sagging bellies and breasts, and hunched backs. There is practically no hair, which was often hidden under intricate headdresses of a very fancy type, using as material everything that could be picked up or caught nearby: rough skins, branches, dried fruits, swamp shellfish, someone's tails, dead insects and even incomprehensible stinking carrion.
Most famous feature The Mursi tribe has a tradition of inserting plates into the lips of girls.
In the more public Mursi who come into contact with civilization, it is not always possible to see all these characteristic attributes, but exotic look their lower lip is the calling card of the tribe.
Plates are made different sizes made of wood or clay, the shape can be round or trapezoidal, sometimes with a hole in the middle. For beauty, the plates are covered with a pattern.
The lower lip is cut in childhood, and pieces of wood are inserted there, gradually increasing their diameter.
Mursi girls begin wearing plates at the age of 20, six months before marriage. The lower lip is pierced and a small disc is inserted into it; after the lip is stretched, the disc is replaced with a larger one, and so on until the desired diameter is reached (up to 30 centimeters!!).
The size of the plate matters: the larger the diameter, the more the girl is valued and the more cattle the groom will pay for her. Girls must wear these plates at all times except when sleeping and eating, and they can also take them out if there are no males of the tribe nearby.
When the plate is pulled out, the lip hangs down in a long round rope. Almost all Mursi have no front teeth, and their tongue is cracked and bleeding.
The second strange and terrifying decoration of Mursi women is the monista, which is made from human phalanges of fingers (nek). One person has only 28 of these bones in his hands. Each necklace usually consists of phalanges of five or six tassels; for some lovers of “costume jewelry,” the monista is wrapped around the neck in several rows
It glistens greasyly and emits a sweetish rotting smell of melted human fat; every bone is rubbed daily. The source for beads never runs low: the priestess of the tribe is ready to deprive the hands of a man who has broken the laws for almost every offense.
It is customary for this tribe to do scarification (scarring).
Men can afford scarring only after the first murder of one of their enemies or ill-wishers. If they kill a man, they decorate right hand, if a woman, then the left one.
Their religion, animism, deserves a longer and more shocking story.
Short: women are priestesses of death, so they give their husbands drugs and poisons every day.
The High Priestess distributes antidotes, but sometimes salvation does not come to everyone. In such cases, a white cross is drawn on the widow's plate, and she becomes a very respected member of the tribe, who is not eaten after death, but is buried in the trunks of special ritual trees. Honor is due to such priestesses due to the fulfillment of the main mission - the will of the God of Death Yamda, which they were able to fulfill by destroying physical body and releasing the highest spiritual Essence from his man.
The rest of the dead will be collectively eaten by the entire tribe. Soft tissues are boiled in a cauldron, bones are used for amulets and thrown in swamps to mark dangerous places.
What seems very wild for a European is commonplace and tradition for the Mursi.
Bushmen tribe
African Bushmen are the most ancient representatives of the human race. And this is not speculation at all, but a scientifically proven fact. Who are these ancient people?
Bushmen are a group of hunting tribes South Africa. Now these are the remains of a large ancient African population. Bushmen are distinguished by their short stature, wide cheekbones, narrow eyes and much swollen eyelids. It is difficult to determine the real color of their skin, because in the Kalahari they are not allowed to waste water on washing. But you can notice that they are much lighter than their neighbors. Their skin tone is slightly yellowish, which is more common among South Asians.
Young Bushmen are considered the most beautiful among the female population of Africa.
But once they reach puberty and become mothers, these beauties are simply unrecognizable. Bushmen women have overdeveloped hips and buttocks, and their stomachs are constantly swollen. This is a consequence of poor nutrition.
To distinguish a pregnant Bushwoman from other women of the tribe, she is coated with ash or ocher, since appearance this is very difficult to do. By the age of 35, Bushman men begin to look like octogenarians, due to the fact that their skin sagging and their bodies become covered with deep wrinkles.
Life in Kalahari is very harsh, but even here there are laws and rules. The most important resource in the desert is water. There are old people in the tribe who know how to find water. At the place that they indicate, the representatives of the tribe either dig wells or drain water using plant stems.
Each Bushman tribe has a secret well, which is carefully blocked with stones or covered with sand. During the dry season, the Bushmen dig a hole at the bottom of a dry well, take a plant stem, suck water through it, take it into their mouths, and then spit it into the shell of an ostrich egg.
South African Bushman tribe the only people on Earth, where men have a constant erection, This phenomenon does not cause any unpleasant sensations or inconveniences, except for the fact that while hunting on foot, men have to attach the penis to the belt so as not to cling to branches.
Bushmen don't know what it is private property. All animals and plants growing in their territory are considered common. Therefore, they hunt both wild animals and farm cows. For this they were very often punished and destroyed by entire tribes. Nobody wants neighbors like this.
Shamanism is very popular among the Bushmen tribes. They do not have leaders, but there are elders and healers who not only treat diseases, but also communicate with spirits. Bushmen are very afraid of the dead, and firmly believe in an afterlife. They pray to the sun, moon, stars. But they are not asking for health or happiness, but for success in hunting.
The Bushman tribes speak Khoisan languages, which are very difficult for Europeans to pronounce. Characteristic these languages have click consonants. Representatives of the tribe speak very quietly among themselves. This is a long-standing habit of hunters - so as not to spook the game.
There is confirmed evidence that a hundred years ago they were engaged in drawing. Rock paintings depicting people and various animals are still found in the caves: buffalos, gazelles, birds, ostriches, antelopes, crocodiles.
Their drawings also contain unusual fairy tale characters: monkey people, eared snakes, crocodile-faced people. There is an entire open-air gallery in the desert that displays these amazing drawings by unknown artists.
But now the Bushmen do not paint; they are excellent in dance, music, pantomime and stories.
VIDEO: Shamanic ritual healing ritual of the Bushmen tribe. Part 1
Shamanic ritual healing rite of the Bushmen tribe. Part 2
68 groups of Indian tribes isolated from civilization have been discovered in the Amazon jungle. At a time when humanity is storming the Internet, exploring the potential of nuclear and other types of energy, exploring the depths of the oceans and space, representatives of these tribes lead a lifestyle that was characteristic of the ancestors of most peoples of the Earth tens and hundreds of thousands of years ago.
The most mysterious
The Kayapo Indians, who live on the banks of the Hengu River in the eastern part of the Amazon River basin in Brazil, are one of the most mysterious aborigines of South America. There are about three thousand of them, they are engaged in gathering, hunting and fishing.
Among the Kayapo, knowledge of the healing properties of herbs and plants that are used in witchcraft and healing is highly valued. Local shamans know how to use herbs to treat female infertility and improve male potency. But the most mysterious phenomenon of the Kayapo tribe is reflected in their legends, which tell that in ancient times they were ruled by aliens from heaven, and their first leader arrived with a whirlwind and was completely wrapped in a kind of cocoon.
Indeed, in the rituals of this tribe, objects are still used that are similar in outline to astronauts’ space suits and aircraft. If you believe the Kayapo legends, the leader who came down from the sky lived with the tribe for several years, and then flew to heaven again.
It is very surprising that the ancient god appears to them dressed in a kind of overalls with a headdress resembling a helmet, and their various rituals involve a deity woven from palm leaves and dressed in a fancy “spacesuit.” While the Kayapos themselves walk around completely naked, not understanding what clothes are for.
As the Kayapo say, the alien god taught their tribe how to farm. He fished and went hunting with others, although he himself never ate the usual food that everyone ate. He married one of the girls of the Kayapo tribe, but his children were also different from all the locals, being smarter and stronger. The Kayapo were afraid and one day they decided to drive him away. his. And then, with noise and roar, sweeping away everything in its path, it disappeared in a terrifying flame and smoke.
Living outside of time
The Amondava tribe lives in the jungle, not knowing what time is. In their language there is not even such a word as “time”. As well as the designations of its periods - “month”, “year”. This discovery has caused controversy, so scientists continue research to find out whether it is applicable to the languages of other Indian tribes of the Amazon basin.
Civilization first came to the Amondava Indians in 1986, and now British scientists from the University of Portsmouth, together with their Brazilian colleagues from the Federal University of Rondonia, have begun to work on the problem of representing time in their language. “We would not say that these are “people without time” or "beyond time." Amondawa, like any other, can talk about events in their sequence,” explained Chris Sinha, professor of language psychology at the University of Portsmouth.
The Amondawa people do not mention their ages. Simply, moving from one period of his life to another or changing his status in the tribe, the Amondawa Indian changes his name. But the most intriguing thing seems to be the absence in the Amondawa language of reflecting the passage of time by spatial means. Simply put, speakers of many languages of the world use expressions such as “this event is left behind” or “before this” (precisely in the temporal sense, that is, in the meaning “before this”). But in the Amondava language there are no such constructions.
According to scientists, the practical absence of the concept of time in the Indian language is explained by the lack of time meters in their everyday life: a calendar system, a clock. Little ones language groups People who live in limited areas, such as the Amondava, tend to use general terms to refer to particulars. For example, they do not need the general word “river”, because they do not know other rivers except the river near which they live and to which they have assigned their own name, which they understand.
In other words, Amondawa may well be aware of themselves as moving in time and at the same time moving in space, but their language does not have to reflect this in the ways to which we are accustomed.
Happy without God
The Pirahã tribe became known thanks to the Christian missionary Daniel Everett, who, after living with these Indians in the jungles of the Brazilian Amazon, instead of preaching religion, he himself became an atheist. The Piraha tribe lives in the area of the Maisi River, a tributary of the Amazon.
Everett first met him in 1977. To bring the word of God to the natives, he began to learn their language and very quickly achieved significant success. But the deeper his knowledge turned out to be, the more surprised he was. Compared to other languages, the Pirahã language seems more than strange.
This language lacks elements without which effective communication seems impossible. Amazingly, the Pirahã do not know numbers, and in their language there is no clear distinction between singular and plural. This phenomenon Everett explains that the Pirahã live “here and now.” Their thinking and sensations are guided by direct experiences. What they do not see for themselves or do not hear from eyewitnesses does not exist for them. The past also has practically no meaning for them.
In addition, the Pirahã people are not familiar with private property. Pirahãs do not stockpile: caught fish, hunting spoils or collected fruits are always eaten immediately. No storage and no plans for the future. The Pirahã people may be considered primitive, but Everett insists on a different point of view. Because the culture of this tribe is essentially limited to the present day and the useful things they have, the Pirahã are practically unfamiliar with the worries and fears that plague the majority of the population of our planet. These are very happy people. Such people do not need God.
Killing uninvited guests
Cinta larga - another one unusual tribe, living in the jungles of the Brazilian Amazon. It has a patriarchal-polygamous family life, according to which men live in their own houses with several wives and children, engaged in hunting, fishing and farming.
When the land in the village becomes less fertile and game leaves the forests, they move and look for new site for home. When moving, the Sinta Larga change their names, but each member of the tribe keeps the “true” name, which only the mother and father know, secret. Unfortunately for them, in the depths of their land of 21 thousand square kilometers, the richest tin deposits on the continent were discovered, diamonds and gold. Therefore, strangers began to encroach on the territory of this ethnic group. But the Sinta Larga are warlike and aggressive.
As a result, in 2004, 29 miners were brutally killed on the territory of this tribe. The perpetrators of this crime are still at large. Currently, a reservation with an area of 2.5 million hectares has been created on the territory of Sinta Larga.
The wildest
In 2011, a tribe of two hundred people was discovered in Brazil, living completely apart from civilization, as reported by people who made an expedition to its habitat by helicopter. The Brazilian authorities, after conducting reconnaissance from the air, confirmed that approximately 200 people live separately in the jungle, near the border with Peru.
Their homes and individual representatives were photographed, reports the British newspaper The Daily Mail. The Indians were very surprised by the “newcomers,” which they showed with gestures. This would probably be our reaction if we saw a flying saucer hovering above us with representatives of an extraterrestrial civilization.
The most defenseless
In Brazil, the affairs of such tribes are handled by a special government organization - the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI). Basically, she tries to protect them from outside interference and from possible encroachments on the lands they occupy by poachers, missionaries, farmers, oil producers, timber harvesters and those who grow narcotic plants. But so far, despite all the dangers, most of the Brazilian isolated tribes retain their native language and traditions.
There are about a thousand Indians living in Brazil who have not yet come into contact with civilization. Many tribes have long fought to maintain control over the lands on which they traditionally lived. In 1988, they finally received legal rights to them, established in the Brazilian Constitution. Since then, 11% of the country and 22% of the Amazon have been under indigenous control.
