Myths of the World

  The Akhvakh , who speak their own distinct language, live in 9 major villages or towns in the mountainous region of west central Dagestan, and also in several Akhvakh enclaves in Dagestani urban areas. Before 1930, Russia considered them to be a distinct ethnic group. Since then, Russia has combined them into the Avar ethnic group. The Akhvakh speak their own distinct language, Akhvakh and maintain their distinct culture.  The Akhvakh people live in a remote area. They make their living by farming and raising livestock. They suffer high rates of alcoholism like many other peoples in this region.  As do many of the peoples of Dagestan, they practice widespread folk Islam which exists alongside official Islam and its Five Pillars. One Dagestani scholar suggests that such animistic folk Islamic practices are especially strong among the Akhvakh, although not much less so among the other 33 language groups of Dagestan. An Akhvakh mullah might write Arabic Koranic verses with...

LAST GUNMEN OF CHINA The Basha tribe belongs to the Miao ethnic minority group. The remoteness and isolation the village has faced for centuries has developed a closeness within the memebers of the tribe, allowing the preservation of local costumes, traditions, and lifestyle, which are truly unique and peculiar when compared to other tribes.  What immediately stands for the Basha tribe are their distinctive hairstyles and traditional garments.  The hairstyle is an important feature, especially for men. During childhood, girls and boys grow their hair, but at the age of 16 every boy must perform a coming of age ritual that where the sides of his scalp is shaved with a sickle without the use of any shaving cream or water. The top part of his hair is kept long and tied into a bun.  The traditional clothes are another defining feature of the Basha tribe. Villagers use to dye and sew their own garments, using the Liàng bù (亮布) fabric, a special textile of the Ethnic Minoriti...

We are Thakars, Thakars.. the butterflies of the woods The Thakar tribe , an indigenous Adivasi community recognized as a Scheduled Tribe under Indian law, inhabits primarily the forested and hilly regions of Maharashtra's Konkan area, including districts such as Thane , Raigad, and Sindhudurg, with a recorded population of 487,696 in the state as of the 2001 census. Originally forest-dwellers with semi-nomadic lifestyles centered on hunting , gathering, and resource extraction—practices curtailed by modern regulations—they have transitioned largely to agriculture and animal husbandry , though many remain economically marginalized with high illiteracy rates exceeding 55% and persistent poverty .   Distinguished by their rich intangible cultural heritage, the Thakar are custodians of Chitrakathi , a traditional folk art form entailing the creation of sequential hand-painted scrolls (pothis) depicting mythological narratives from epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, acco...