13 Favorite Photos From My Indigenous And Ethnic Travels

A local native Athabascan guide wears traditional winter dress in a re-created village in Fairbanks, Alaska. You can visit it as part of the Riverboat Discovery 3-hour cruise.

Dressed in traditional village attire, a young woman and her river village meets a group of guests from the Zafiro luxury cruise with Jungle Experiences.

The Yagua are an indigenous culture with about 30 communities along the Amazon and its tributaries. Traditional garments are unique and worn on special occasions. The men wear distinctive long skirts made from Mauritia palm fiber, along with matching headdresses.

The Bora is an indigenous tribe living in the Amazon. Experience their culture and traditional dancing through tours that educate about their knowledge of the rainforest and plant life. They also sell handicrafts to travelers, which provides an income to support their families.

A Padaung woman wears brass neck rings much like her ancestors did. Starting at the age of 5, one is added every two years. The weight lowers the collarbones and gives the neck a longer appearance. As refugees from Myanmar, they are not allowed to work in Thailand; tourism income is one of the few ways they can sustainably support their families.

A woman from the Burmese Hill Tribes descends the mountainous terrain to sell wares at local markets. They are easily identified by their colorful turbans.

The San people of the Kalahari, also known as Bushmen, are some of the earliest inhabitants of southern Africa. They are expert survivalists in the harsh desert climate, knowing how to find water in a dry environment.

You can have authentic Zambian experiences that benefit both the traveler and the community when staying at the award-winning Royal Chundu in Zambia.

In Australia’s tropical north lies the remote Tiwi Islands. Here, about 90 percent of the residents are of Aboriginal descent. Experience their unique culture through cultural day tours led by local guides.

A young girl wears the traditional colors of her village. Though each village has a distinctive palette, flowers are typical in most designs.

A young Guna girl cradles her pet pig. As the largest indigenous group in Panama, they are known for their elaborate embroideries, called molas, the sale of which provides sustainable income for their people.

Living near the Panama-Colombia border, the Emberá are an indigenous people whose way of life is defined by the rivers that run through their land. From the many fish they eat to the dugout canoes they use for transportation, their lives center around water.

Dances I witnessed in Mexico reflect spiritual beliefs and connection with the land and animals. This young man painted in blue is part of a traditional folklore ballet that maintains the traditions and dances of Mexican culture.