Apatani Lady
It was customary for women to have holes in the sides of the nose, which they closed with plugs. The nose plugs and tattoos were once intended to protect daughters and women. In the past, the tribe’s enemies, the Nisi, often abducted young Apatani girls. By mutilating their daughters, Apatani mothers hoped that the Nisi would lose interest. WANDERLUST PHOTO OF THE YEAR 2006 - PEOPLE SECTION
© Kieron Nelson 2002 "Vanishing Cultures Photography" All rights reserved
