THESE powerful images capture the spear-wielding tribes of Papua new Guinea who believe they are possessed with the spirit of the crocodile.
They show how the Kangunaman clansmen scar their backs to resemble reptile scales while the Huli Wigmen wear elaborate headdresses to signal they are ready for battle.
The Kunai men – armed with spears, bows and axes – are pictured with striking red, black and yellow paint on their faces.
Northern Irish photographer Trevor Cole took the stunning images during a gathering of tribes known as a Sing-Sing.
Here, the clans come together to show off their own cultures, dances and music.
"I always like to think that humans are inextricably connected to their environment," said 61-year-old Cole.
He added: "People adapt to climates and landscapes, therefore they are a reflection their natural habitats."
There are believed to be 65,000 Huli tribesmen living in the Tari Basin, in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.
Flooding, crop damage and deforestation all threaten their existence.
They had little outside influence before the 1940s, when planes allowed Westerners to bypass the coastal swamps and rugged mountains.
Trevor went on to explain how portraiture has become one of the most important facets of his photography.
He said: "Sometimes it is the subject's face, which tells the story.
"Life lines, beauty, pride, sadness, deprivation and the allure of eyes can be seen and felt in the photograph."
Read up on the Amazon rainforest
NOT PRIME TIMEUrgent Amazon warning as Visa cards will stop working in days
I slept with hammer as a kid because of mum's violent boyfriend, says Nicola Adams
Fisherman’s body devoured by crocodile after pirates ‘threw him overboard’
Nordictrack Bike reduced by an INSANE £700 in Prime Day Deals
Trevor is also sensitive to the impacts that tourism can have on remote areas and tries to make his visit sustainable.
He said: "In some cases when I have visited villages, I have wandered around the village without a camera just to become a familiar sight.
"I try to shoot when I feel the essence of a moment – when all those things you want to see materialise as one."
Source: Read Full Article


















