They build round houses and put scars on their bodies: how the amazing Larim tribe lives (11 photos)

Interesting photos of the African people, who rarely receive tourists.





In the Boya Mountains of South Sudan lives one of Africa's most unusual tribes, the Larim. This is a fairly large people (about 25 thousand people), who even have their own city - Kimatong. However, most Larims prefer villages hidden at the foot of the mountains. They rarely have guests, because getting to these villages is not easy, and Sudan is not the most popular tourist destination.



But photographer Héctor Ruiz Golobart was not stopped by all these obstacles. He met the people and took stunning photographs, with the help of which he spoke about the way of life of the Larim tribe.

Round houses and fairytale villages

Larim villages look fabulous. They are built at the foot of the mountains and surrounded by a palisade of bushes and trees. The fence and mountains serve as protection for them from the enemy. Cow skulls usually hang at the gates: the tribe believes that these animals protect them.



The houses here are very unusual: they have round roofs made of reeds. Each farm is also surrounded by a fence. It seems that this is not a real village where people live, but a village built for some kind of fantasy film.

Cows are the main value

The Larims grow corn, sorghum, and beans, but their main occupation is cattle breeding. Cows, which men herd all day long, became the main monetary unit for the tribe. Animals are considered a status symbol and usually come as a dowry.



While the men herd the cattle, the women do everything else. They are the ones who grow crops, grind grain, raise chickens and goats, and deliver water. Women also collect reeds, which are used to build and repair houses. A few men usually remain in the village to guard women, children and the elderly.



However, men are engaged not only in herding cattle, they are also engaged in blacksmithing and other traditional crafts. And grazing livestock is not as easy as it seems. The fact is that in South Sudan there are constant armed conflicts, and shepherds often become random victims. For this reason, there are a lot of widows in Larim villages. These women wear bands in memory of their deceased spouse.

Everything is in order

As is expected in such communities, all larim have activities, even children. The girls help look after the babies and also create dishes for the tribe. Engraved vessels, spoons decorated with beads and shells, and other kitchen utensils used in everyday life are all created by girls.



As for the boys, they also have activities: they make bows from wood, and go hunting very early. Children usually hunt for rodents.



They also have free time: the boys love to make toys from scrap materials, turning some plastic bottles into cars.

Time to rest

When women finish their endless list of daily tasks, they take time to relax. But theirs, of course, is not the same as that of people familiar with civilization. Larim women gather in groups, dance and sing. They stand in a circle and dance with spears, on which beautiful scarves are tied, sing songs and clap to the beat of the music.



Local women are also passionate about creating outfits and jewelry. However, fabrics are a huge luxury for them. They wear their most luxurious dresses made of gazelle leather only on major holidays. These outfits are embroidered with beads and beads.



On weekdays, they usually wear minimal clothing, but they always have jewelry: nose rings, earrings, as well as beads and necklaces. Many African tribes have a love for jewelry: here we told you why the women of the Mursi people insert a plate into their lips. It is difficult for us to understand such traditions, but the Larim also have something similar: Local women decorate their bodies with scars.



This technique is called scarification, and the bodies of some girls resemble canvases. They draw real pictures on their bodies: these can be patterns, animals, plants and even weapons. Men also apply drawings on themselves, but usually their art is limited only to the face.



Very few travelers come to visit the larim, because getting to them is not easy, and Sudan is always restless.