The people of the ‘Dukha’ is a mongolian tribe among the cultures people thought to disappear centuries ago.
With globalization, modernization and a growing world population, we tend to think that these tribes no longer exist. But this nomadic tribe still live in the same area for centuries. This has led to an amazing relationship with the animals that live around them – a relationship hard to believe unless you see it with your own eyes.
Fortunately a photographer documented the tribe, and those spectacular pictures show the special relationship they have with animals. Hamid Sardar-Afhami visited the lost tribe and documented something amazing, spectacular and very, very rare.
Kids learn how to tame the northern deer from an early age
The deer are relaxed and calm animals, even with the kids
This girl gets ready to wash a deer cub
The Dukha People are also known as TSAATAN – meaning ‘Deer shepherd’
Today there are 44 families left in the Dukha tribe, around 200 to 400 people. The deer population got smaller too
Dukha people get their living mostly of tourists. People visit and pay for shows, art works and of course trips on the deer
They also train wolves!
Dukha people hunt small animals like rabbits
They also train wild birds like the golden hawk who help them hunting
Hunting with a hawk is considered extremely difficult. Those who make it gets a special respect in the tribe