“Tribal Shy # 2”

Her name in Swahili is Aibu, which roughly translates as being rather shy. In a tradition that has remained unchanged for millennia, her tribe uses body paint made from natural pigments and sacred, pulverized minerals: white limestone, red ochre, luminous sulphuric yellow, or drab ash grey. Their designs are accentuated with flowers, leaves, grasses, berries, or seed pods. Today Aibu had crafted a headpiece from dried gourds with a garland of dried chilis draped around her neck to accentuate a heavy stone necklace tied with a rope made from hemp.

A digitally colorized photographic rendition from my Tribal Wild Collection featuring body-painted models photographed in my Bangkok studio. Styled by Southeast Asia's most famous makeup artist, Hilda Marie Johansen.

Hungarian Model: The incomparable Dorka Banki