Indigenous Peoples are Humankind’s ‘endangered species’, so to speak.  This Pinterest gallery contains some wonderful images, primarily portraits and ‘head shots’, of such persons.

Many of the photographs reveal persons of considerable beauty regardless of the lighting, be the subject a mere child, or even if all you can see are the subject’s eyes.  Given the harsh conditions so many Indigenous Peoples live under and the absence of beauty parlours and facial treatments, one has to wonder how so many of them have the smooth, even complexions they do.  Even the aged possess a clear-eyed, dignified appearance.

This observation brings a thought to mind.  Those anthropologists and linguists who justifiably bemoan the looming extinction of indigenous peoples seem to be missing one fact: many Indigenous Peoples seem to possess a ‘Beauty Gene’.  Preservation of genetic diversity for the sake of beauty is is a point open for argument; what these photographs provide is factual evidence for anyone wishing to argue the ‘pro’ side of the debate. 

Most of us have read the names of some well-known Indigenous Peoples either in textbooks or in romanticized adventure or exploration books.  Now we have a one-stop shop for so many of them! – Berber, Dinka, Masai, Cheyenne, and more.  The gallery is actually so rich that it could be subdivided by geographical region and by subject matter – historical, children, features, dress, and more.

This gallery, besides hosting portraits primarily, is of value for other reasons too.  You can find photographs of vanishing ways of life and even of vanished ways of life (except on reservations).  One wishes that some ways of life never vanish!

Dress and costumes are – of course – a visually striking feature of much contrast between cultures.  Compare the bright dress of Kalash girls with the plain dress of a Somali.  A few will make you go ‘gadzooks!’ with astonishment.

Don’t neglect to view the photographs from the perspective of moods and emotions.  You will find caring, humour, excitement, surprise, jollity . . . .

This gallery is a beguiling one because the photographs and subjects are so beguiling.