Suri People of the Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2023

I had to hold back laughter when a line of Suri men turned to show off their body paint, giving the smallest member of their group the chance to seize his spotlight. While Suri women have become known for their colourful ensembles, Suri men and boys have their own equally intricate styles. The men carefully paint swirling patterns across their legs, arms, torsos, and faces. They rarely leave their villages without some kind of design expertly etched with the quick hands of skilled artists. The ultimate aim of the overall look is to enhance their beauty while simultaneously intimidating their enemies. Cattle raids and conflict are a part of life within the valley, but to a young Suri boy surrounded by the strength and love of his fellow warriors, nothing could stand in his way.

Suri People of the Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2023

I loved how even the sunlight seemed to be part of this young Suri girl’s colorful ensemble of seed pods, leaves, wild tomatoes, and other natural elements from the Omo Valley’s landscape. The elaborate headdresses of flowers, fruits, and even pottery that the Suri women wore were each incredibly unique. Every woman had her own unique style, interwoven with traditional paint and intricately carved earrings or lip plates. Although historically, the women of the Omo Valley reserved such colorful regalia for special occasions, in recent years, they have found ways to supplement their income by sharing their culture with visitors.

Suri People of the Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2023

Beauty and resilience radiate from a young girl from the Suri Tribe in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, adorned in a magnificent headdress crafted from wildflowers. The Omo Valley’s people have confronted daunting challenges, from relentless drought to internal political strife, compelling them to adapt swiftly. In these transformative times, the urgent need arises for a more enlightened and compassionate perspective of the world—one that places the wisdom of marginalized communities, who have coexisted harmoniously with the natural world for centuries, at its heart. Their insights can guide us towards a future where nature and humanity thrive in harmony, fostering a deeper connection with both each other and the world that sustains us.

Brazil, 2006

One of the first photos I ever took was this portrait of a Kayapo warrior that I snapped with a borrowed, old Nikon Camera. I was in the Kayapo village of Aurke to attend a meeting of the chiefs in order to address the impending threat of the Belo Monte dam; a hydroelectric monstrosity that would displace many Indigenous and rural communities from their homes. A meeting such as this is a rare event as the Kayapo live in an area of the Amazon about the size of New York consisting of 21 isolated tribes. For the most part, the tribes never converge in one village. It was fate that I happened to be walking by with my camera as this warrior stepped out of a house, framed by the dark interior.

The government of Brazil did construct the Belo Monte dam, making it the 3rd largest dam in the world, displacing many Kayapo from their ancestral lands, and bringing in outsiders, kubenire, who do not belong there.