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The ultimate beauty contest -

The Wodaabe people in northern Niger hold a male beauty contest every year at the end of the rainy season. The contestants wear makeup, jewelry, and their best clothes to compete for the attention of women.

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Sharing is caring -

Living on the amazonian border of Brazil and Venezuela, Yanomami hunters never eat their own catch. Instead, they give it away to other tribe members and eat what is given to them. 

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Living with their cattle -

Everyone talks to their pets, and Ethiopia's Bodi tribe is no different. They even sing special poems to their favorite cows. The Bodi people are agropastoralists whose culture revolves around their cattle.  

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No competition and ownership -

The Piaroa people of Venezuela totally dismiss the concepts of ownership, competition, vanity, and greed. Men and women are believed to be of equal status, and they're against any type of violence. 

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The sacred bond with a tree -

When a child is born in the Orang Rimba tribe of Indonesia, the umbilical cord is planted under a tree. It's believed that the child has a sacred bond with that tree, and cutting it down is equivalent to murder.

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The indigenous people of the north -

The Sámi are the indigenous people living in the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola peninsula in Russia. Reindeer herding is a strong part of their culture and ancestry. The practice is today legally protected as their exclusive livelihood in Norway and Sweden.

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Protection of Mother Earth -

The Arhuaco people of Colombia's Sierra Nevada see it as their responsibility to keep the planet in harmony. They believe droughts and famines are the consequences of humanity's failure to keep the world in balance.

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A paste with many qualities -

Himba women of Namibia and Angola cover themselves in otjize paste, a mixture of fat and ochre. Apart from aesthetics, the paste also protects against the sun and mosquito bites.

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One with the ocean -

The Bajau people of Malaysia can hold their breath for up to three minutes and free-dive 65 feet (20 meters) deep. Now that's impressive! 

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Parental inspiration -

Natives of Central Africa, Bayaka fathers spend half the day near their babies. If a mother or another woman isn't available, it's even common for them to offer the child a nipple if they're crying.

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Isolated tribes in South America -

It's believed that South America is home to around 100 isolated tribes, all living in the Amazon, except for the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode tribe. Living in Paraguay, some of them have chosen to reject interaction with mainstream society. 

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A unique relationship with animals -

The Baka people of Central Africa have more than 15 words for "elephant," depending on factors such as the animal's age, gender, and temperament. They also believe that their ancestors live with the animals out in nature. 

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Female hunters -

Equal status between men and women is a normal thing for the Awá tribe in the Brazilian Amazon. Awá women participate in hunting trips and can even take several husbands.

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A language of many sounds -

Spoken by the bushman tribes in the Kalahari Desert, the Taa language, also known as ǃXóõ, has over 160 different sounds. This includes five different "click" sounds. In comparison, the English language has just 44 sounds. 

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Fight against malaria -

Quinine, a bitter compound that comes from the bark of Cinchona trees, has been vital in the fight against malaria. It was first used medicinally by indigenous peoples like the Quechua of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

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Protector of the streams -

When monsoon hits India's Niyamgiri Hills, hundreds of perennial streams and rivers rise up. The Dongria Kondh people that inhabit this landscape call themselves Jharnia, meaning protectors of the streams. 

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The longest ritual -

The Enawene Nawe tribe of Brazil practices one of the longest ritual celebrations, lasting over four months. The ritual consists of building intricate wooden dams across rivers to catch migrating fish. The dams are destroyed after the ritual. 

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The two meanings of "we" -

The Guarani language, spoken by the Guarani tribes in Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil, has two different words for "we." One meaning includes the person you're talking to, "me and you". The other is used when talking about a group that isn't present, like saying "me and them."

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A sense of direction -

The Guugu Yimithirr people of Australia had no words for left and right. Instead, they used North, South, East, and West for direction. 

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You can "see" the past -

According to the Aymara people of the Andes, the future is behind you and the past in front of you. They believe that you can "see" the past, but not the future. 

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Male contraception -

As a form of contraception, men from some tribes in West Papua traditionally drink a tea made from a plant called justicia gendarussa.

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Upsetting the balance -

The power and independence enjoyed by the Innu women of Canada scandalized Catholic missionaries in the mid-20th century. They tried to impose European customs upon the tribe, making the women subservient to their husbands.

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A diverse place -

In terms of different tribes, the island of New Guinea is the most diverse place on Earth. Though only about 0.1% of the world’s population lives there, it's inhabited by around 1,000 different tribes.

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In touch with nature -

Thanks to their understanding of the environment and ability to interpret natural phenomena, the tribal people of the Andaman Islands saved themselves from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

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Underwater vision -

The Mokens of the Andaman Sea have developed remarkable underwater vision thanks to their aquatic lifestyles. They have the unique ability to focus their eyesight when diving for food on the sea floor. Their sight is about 50% more acute than the average person. 

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A different kind of hair tool -

Colombia’s Nukak tribe traditionally used piranha teeth to cut their hair. The tribe was not in contact with other societies until 1988, when they happened upon a newly-established town inside their territory.

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Clever fishing -

The Penan tribe, living in Malaysia and Brunei, has a different way of fishing. They use toxins from plants to stun fish, which then float to the surface. They then take only what they need, and let the remaining fish recover and swim away.

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Master runners -

Native to Mexico, the Rarámuris developed a tradition of long-distance running, sometimes traveling up to 200 miles (321 kilometers) at a time. This custom assisted their inter-village communication, transportation, and hunting.

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A different kind of music -

The Shipibo people of Peru make intricate geometric art that can be read as music. Associated with Ayahuasca healing ceremonies, people can "hear" the song simply by looking at the patterns.

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Experts in agriculture -

It's said that the Dani people, living in the stunning Baliem Valley in West Papua, developed agriculture at least 9,000 years ago. That's way ahead of Europe!

Sources: (Survival International) (Cultural Survival) (International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs)

See also: The fascinating history of tattoos

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