Meet the cattle-herding tribe who bathe in cow URINE and spread burnt DUNG on their skin. In one image, a young boy was pictured carrying a large barrel of dung – his skin coated in a white powder – as the cattle herd stood behind him.
In another, a Mundari tribesmen stood neck deep in water as he lead several cattle across the river whilst holding a fire torch above the water’s surface.
The cattle-herding tribe was photographed by Anibal Bueno Amorós
Photographer Anibal Bueno Amorós (39) from Orihuela, Spain, captured the incredible images near the town of Terakeka in South Sudan. Here, Anibal spent two weeks with the Mundari people – a cattle-herding tribe who reside on the banks of the White Nile River.
Anibal took the fascinating images using a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera and a Canon EF 24-105mm F/4L IS II lens.
“The Mundari people welcomed me very warmly. They were curious about me as I was about them – that’s the magic of travelling to these kinds of places,” Anibal said.
“Their whole life revolves around their cattle. They use them as mediums to contact the god Ngun. They also drink milk straight from the udders and use the dung to make bonfires.
“Some members of the tribe had even marked their foreheads with knifes in the form of scarification in honour of the horns of the cows.
“Considering they live close to the capital of Juba, the tribe have kept their traditions. Modernity has slightly crept in – things like western clothing or listening to music on radios.
“It was one of the most fascinating places I have ever been although it was not easy to find the cattle-herding tribe.”
“They are semi-nomadic. We had to drive through swampy roads and even swim across the Nile River. When I got back to Europe, I had to deal with malaria I had caught which was the biggest challenge.
“Mundari people are a great example of how a traditional culture can maintain their lifestyle by their own will whilst combining access to health and educational resources with tribal routines and beliefs.
“The most surprising thing I learnt was that despite the effort they put into maintaining thousands of cattle, they do not generally consume the meat.
“I believe that our generation as a moral duty to value and preserve the cultural diversity of this planet.”
All aspects of the are centred on their cattle
All aspects of Mundari life are centred on their cattle. This living currency determines a person’s power status within the tribe and the tribesmen even bathe in the cow’s urine, giving their hair an orange hue.
No part of the cow goes to waste. The children collect the cow’s dung which is then burnt. This creates a talcum-powder like substance which the tribe use on their skin to protect against infection.
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