Colouring the hair
Waura Indians typically decorate their faces with various designs using the juice of the green fruit of the genipap tree (Genipa americana) which stains the skin black upon oxidation. Similarly, they use natural dyes to colour their hair. In this photograph, they used the crushed seeds of annatto or urucum (Bixa orellana) to make a paste that was applied to the hair.
© Kieron Nelson 2011"Vanishing Cultures Photography" All rights reserved
