Cacique Nambikwara

cacique Nambikwara, originally uploaded by Tatiana Cardeal.

"Cacique" means the Indian Tribal Chief.
He is the leader of the "People from the Ashes", and he emphasized this to me when I asked permission before taking his portrait.

They have a special ritual for this nose piercing. They do it to mark puberty's masculine passageway, were the boy should show courage, firmness and spiritual power.

I looked at this photo more then a hundred times.
First, I'm still asking why he was looking at me so deeply.
Secondly, I just can't believe that I did this one.

Indigenous Meeting at Betioga city.
The Nambikwara live on the Mato Grosso State's west and Rondônia State in Brazil. Population about 998, in 1999.

Photo by Tatiana Cardeal, São Paulo - Brazil.