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« Bastar and Its Tribes | Main | More Murias and Markets »

Bison-Horn Maria Tribe

Drove out of Jagdalpur to visit the Bison-Horn Maria tribe.

Each tribe put on a performance of their spectacular local dances and we got a good look at village life, costumes, ornaments and customs. ...View image... The Bison-Horn Maria quite obviously derive their name from unusual headdresses worn while dancing during ceremonial occasions. Since the bison is becoming scarce, cattle horns are often used, placed on a bamboo frame, with peacock feathers (or chicken feathers) and strings of cowrie shells hanging down from it. This ornate headdress is passed from father to son.

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Bison-Horn Maria Headdress

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The Biston-Horn Maria probably kept dancing long after we left their village with the children and non-dancers watching from the sidelines. Each village was very clean...a surprise after some of the not-so-clean places we visited in Guizhou...and "ex-Marine" and I were always the highlights. For some villagers, the first Westerners they had ever seen. They stared at us...we stared at them...

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They sold betel nut leaves at the next market. The customer would choose the ingredient to smear on, pay and chew....View image

And, other women were selling glass bangles...perhaps 12 for $1...sharing the wealth, we bought lots of bangles from each woman sitting there for our granddaughters. "Equal-opportunity" for all!

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selling bangles

In Kanger Valley National Park, we admired Chitrakote Waterfall. It is supposed to be much more impressive during rainy season.

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Chitrakote Waterfall

The Dhurwa are another sub-tribe of the Gonds who have a higher social status and officiate (as priests) at various ceremonies. Last market...enough for one day...back to the hotel...with more tomorrow...

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proud mother

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Comments

I sow all your pictures, and traveling.. you have all my suport for everythig you do.
You travel is fantastic...

My live wish is that I can see just one country, but I have not finance for that! I have 25 your, I finish collage, and now work in one small company, because in my country is dificult to find a job without people connection.

Just you continue, you are my hope... just you go to the plase that I like.

Thank you for that!

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