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  • Sprinkled with rose petals, an infant lies on a mattress after being jumped over by El Colacho, the devil incarnate, during the Fiesta del Colacho, in Castrillo de Murcia, Burgos province, Spain. The Fiesta del Colacho is held every year at the time of the Catholic feast Corpus Christi, and the jumping over children born during the year is intended to protect them from illness and misfortune.
    5021f.jpg
  • After the devil incarnate, El Colacho, on the last day of the Fiesta del Colacho, has jumped over the babies born during the year, the priest holds up the monstrance containing the host while young girls scatter petals over the infants, in Castrillo de Murcia, Burgos province, Spain. The Fiesta del Colacho is held every year at the time of the Catholic feast Corpus Christi.
    5020.jpg
  • On the last day of the Fiesta del Colacho in Castrillo de Murcia, Burgos province, Spain, el Colacho, the devil incarnate, jumps over the children born during the year, removing the evil he represents, while parents hold their babies still. The Fiesta del Colacho is held every year at the time of the Catholic feast Corpus Christi, and the jumping over the children is intended to protect them from illness and misfortune.
    5018f.jpg
  • Mourners return to the river Ganges for a purification rited ten days after the cremation in Varanasi, India
    4715.jpg
  • An Apache girl dressed in traditional buckskin clothes dances beside a bonfire at a Sunrise Dance, a first menstruation rite, on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. The figures in the background are mountain spirits (gaan) or crown dancers. The girl is not the young girl for whom the puberty rite is held, but one of four girls chosen to dance with her and the mountain spirits by the evening bonfire. The Sunrise Dance is held during the summer, within one year after the girl has had her first menstruation, and lasts for four days. The ceremony is an enactment of the Apache creation myth and during the rites the girl ’becomes‘ Changing Woman, a mythical female figure, and comes into possession of her healing powers. The rites are also supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life without material wants.
    4607.jpg
  • An Apache girl is painted white with sacred clay and corn meal during her Sunrise Dance, a first menstruation rite, the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. She is painted by a Mountain Spirit or Crown Dancer, and the staff in her hand symbolises longevity. The painting of the girl is both a blessing and an enactment of certain parts of the Apache creation myth. During the rites the girl becomes Changing Woman, a mythical female figure, and comes into possession of her healing powers. The rites are also supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life without material wants.
    4536.jpg
  • Xhosa male initiates dancing and singing beside a fire the night before returning home after one month in seclusion in a special initiation camp in Knysna, South Africa, in December 2006. The boys are going through the traditional Xhosa male initiation rite, after which they will be accepted as men by the Xhosa society. They have been circumcised, and their faces are painted white to ward off attacks by witches.
    5435.jpg
  • An Apache girl together with her godmother and helper at her Sunrise Dance on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. As a blessing, and an enactment of part of the Apache creation myth, the girl has been painted with white clay mixed with sacred corn meal. The Sunrise Dance, the first menstruation rite of an Apache girl, is held during the summer, within one year after the girl has had her first menstruation, and lasts for four days. During the rites the girl ’becomes‘ Changing Woman, a mythical female figure, and comes into possession of her healing powers. The rites are supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life without material wants.
    4621.jpg
  • An Apache girl dances with her godmother and godfather at her Sunrise Dance, a first menstruation rite, on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. The three are covered with sacred yellow pollen from the cattail plant, which has been applied as a blessing by the medicine man and the relatives. The Sunrise Dance is an enactment of the Apache creation myth and during the rites the girl ’becomes‘ Changing Woman, a mythical female figure, and comes into possession of her healing powers. The rites are also supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life without material wants.
    4539.jpg
  • An Apache girl is painted white with sacred clay and corn meal during her Sunrise Dance, a first menstruation rite, on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. She is painted by a Mountain Spirit (Gaan) or Crown Dancer, and the staff in her hand symbolises longevity. Other Crown Dancers dance around her, and beside her dances her godfather. The painting of the girl is both a blessing and an enactment of certain parts of the Apache creation myth. During the rites the girl becomes Changing Woman, a mythical female figure, and comes into possession of her healing powers. The rites are supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life without material wants.
    4537.jpg
  • At the end of a Sunrise Dance, the first menstruaton rite of an Apache girl, on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA, a caravan of pickups loaded with gifts travel from the camp of the family of the girl to the camp of her godparents. Girls dressed in camp dress and moccasins sit on the platform of the last pickup. The Sunrise Dance is the most important ceremony of the Apache Indians. It is held during the summer, within one year after the girl has had her first menstruation, and lasts for four days. The rites are supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life without material wants.
    4585.jpg
  • An Apache girl and her helper, both dressed in buckskin clothes, dance at the girl's Sunrise Dance, a first menstruation rite, on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. The girl holds a cane that symbolises longevity. The Sunrise Dance is supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life without material wants.The ceremony is also an enactment of the Apache creation myth and during the rites the girl ’becomes‘ Changing Woman, a mythical female figure, and comes into possession of her healing powers.
    4533.jpg
  • An Apache girl is painted white with sacred clay and corn meal during her Sunrise Dance, a first menstruation rite, on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. She is painted by a Mountain Spirit (Gaan) or Crown Dancer, and the staff in her hand symbolises longevity. Other Crown Dancers dance around her, and beside her dances her godfather. The painting of the girl is both a blessing and an enactment of certain parts of the Apache creation myth. During the rites the girl becomes Changing Woman, a mythical female figure, and comes into possession of her healing powers. The rites are supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life without material wants.
    4609.jpg
  • An Apache girl, dressed in buckskin dress, runs during her Sunrise Dance, a first menstruation rite, the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. She runs four times, each time a little bit longer. This symbolises the four stages of life. Close behind her godmother and relatives  follow, the women dressed in camp dresses. The food, snacks and drinks on the ground symbolise a life without material want. The Sunrise Dance is supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life. The ceremony is also an enactment of the Apache creation myth and during the rites the girl ’becomes‘ Changing Woman, a mythical female figure, and comes into possession of her healing powers.
    4538.jpg
  • Young Xhosa initiate, who is going through the traditional Xhosa male initiation rite, in Knysna, South Africa, in December 2006. He has been circumcised and is now spending a month in seclusion in a special initiation camp. His face is painted white to ward off attacks by witches and a vial with magic potion around his neck offers extra protection.
    5432.jpg
  • Two young Xhosa, who have recently become men by going through the traditional Xhosa male initiation rite, are going for a walk in Khayalethu South Township, Knysna, South Africa, in December, 2006. As signs of their manhood they are wearing red facial paint, long trousers, a shirt, a jacket and a cap, and, following local customs, they will continue to do so for about six months.
    5440.jpg
  • An Apache girl dressed in buckskin clothes dances in a kneeling positon at her Sunrise Dance, a first menstruation rite, the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. During the ceremony the girl ‘becomes’ Changing Woman, the mythical founder of the Apache Tribe, and this part of the ceremony is an enactment of when Changing Woman was impregnated by the sun and gave birth to a son.  Behind the girl stands her godmother and behind her the medicine man (third from right) and his assistants sing and beat their drums.
    4624.jpg
  • A young Xhosa initiate’s head is shaved the day before returning home after one month in seclusion in a special initiation camp. December 2006 in Knysna, South Africa. The boy is going through the traditional Xhosa male initiation rite. He has been circumcised, and his face is painted white to ward off attacks by witches.
    5433.jpg
  • Xhosa male initiates light a fire, fuelled by car tires, around which they will dance before returning home after one month in seclusion in a special initiation camp. December 2006 in Knysna, South Africa. The boys are going through the traditional Xhosa male initiation rite. They have been circumcised, and their faces are painted white to ward off attacks by witches.
    5434.jpg
  • Young Xhosa initiates, who spend about a month together in a special initiation camp, play traditional games with their guardian in Ciskei, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, in December, 2006. The initiates go through the traditional Xhosa male initiation rite, which transforms them into adult men. They have been circumcised, and they wear white body paint to ward off attacks by witches.
    5442.jpg
  • Xhosa male initiation camp in a small forest area just outside the township Khayalethu South in Knysna, South Africa, in December, 2006. The young initiates, who are going through the traditional Xhosa male initiation rite, have been cricumcised and are now spending a month in seclusion in a special initiation camp. Their faces have been painted white to ward off attacks by witches.
    5429.jpg
  • Young Xhosa initiate, who is going through the traditional Xhosa male initiation rite in Knysna, South Africa, in December 2006. He has been circumcised and is now spending a month in a special initiation camp just outside the township Khayalethu South. His face is painted with white clay to ward off attacks by witches.
    5431i.jpg
  • Without looking back, Xhosa initiates leave the initiation camp, where they have spent about a month in seclusion. December 2006 in Ciskei, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The camp is set on fire after their departure as a symbolic farewell to childhood. The traditional Xhosa male initiation rite, which transforms the teenager into an adult man, starts with circumcision. The initiates then spend about a month in a special initiation camp, away from settled areas.
    5445.jpg
  • A young Xhosa initiate, going through his homecoming ritual after a month in seclusion, is swathed in a blanket and holds a stick that has been blackened by the smoke in the initiation hut. December 2006 in Ciskei, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. He keeps the stick for the rest of his life as proof that he has attained manhood. The traditional Xhosa male initiation rite, which transforms the teenager into an adult man, starts with circumcision. The initiates then spend about a month in a special initiation camp, away from settled areas.
    5444.jpg
  • Young Xhosa initiate, who is going through the traditional Xhosa male initiation rite, is painting his face with white clay to ward of attacks by witches. December 2006 in Knysna, South Africa. He has been circumcised and is now spending a month in a special initiation camp just outside the township Khayalethu South.
    5430.jpg
  • Apache Indians dance at a Sunrise Dance, the first menstruation ceremony of an Apache girl, on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. Behind the girl, who is dressed in buckskin clothes, the medicine man and his helpers sing and beat their drums. The long row of cartons filled with snacks and drinks, in front of the girl, symbolises a life without material want. The rites are supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life. During the rites the girl also becomes Changing Woman, a mythical female figure, and comes into possession of her healing powers.
    4602.jpg
  • An Apache girl at her Sunrise Dance on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Arizona, USA. The girl is covered with sacred yellow pollen from the cattail plant that has been applied as a blessing by the medicine man and her relatives. On her forehead  she wears an abalone shell, symbolising Changing Woman, a mythical female figure. The Sunrise Dance is an enactment of the Apache creation myth and during the rites the girl ’becomes‘ Changing Woman and comes into possession of her healing powers. The rites are also supposed to prepare the girl for adulthood and to give her a long and healthy life without material wants.
    4540.jpg
  • A Jewish girl performs her bat mitzvah, her coming of age ceremony, at Temple Avoda, a Reform synagogue, in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA. The girl carries the holy Torah scrolls through the synagogue  after reading extracts to the congregation. Jewish tradition dictates that a girl comes of age at twelve, though in Reform and Conservative Jewish congregations they usually become bat mitzvahs at thirteen, the same age as boys.
    5479.jpg
  • A girl has her hair fixed in traditional style for her shichi-go-san in Tokyo, Japan. During shichi-go-san, literally seven-five-three, parents dress their daughters aged three and seven and sons aged five in traditional costume and take them to a Shinto shrine to be blessed.
    5154.jpg
  • On the Monday before his bar mitzvah recital, a Jewish boy in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA, takes part in morning prayers at his Conservative Jewish synagogue. He also reads from the Torah, and afterwards the cantor (to his left) leads the congregation in singing a hymn. In Judaism, a boy comes of age at thirteen, when he becomes a bar mitzvah and assumes responsibility for his own actions.
    5483.jpg
  • A mother captures the moment when a photographer takes a picture of her daughter after she has gone through the shichi-go-san ceremony at the Heian Jingu shrine, in Kyoto, Japan. During shichi-go-san, literally seven-five-three, parents dress their daughters aged three and seven and sons aged five in traditional costume and take them to a Shinto shrine to be blessed.
    5180.jpg
  • Two girls hold bags of ”thousand year sweets”, long pieces of candy symbolising longevity, which have been given to them at their shichi-go-san, in Tokyo, Japan. During shichi-go-san, literally seven-five-three, parents dress their daughters aged three and seven and sons aged five in traditional costume and take them to a Shinto shrine to be blessed.
    5162.jpg
  • Respectful bows from the family and the priest end a shichi-go-san ritual inside the Aoto Jinja shrine in Tokyo, Japan. During shichi-go-san, literally seven-five-three, parents dress their daughters aged three and seven and sons aged five in traditional costume and take them to a Shinto shrine to be blessed.
    5160.jpg
  • Jewish boys wearing kippah, or scullcap, during a girl's bat mitzvah, her coming-of-age ritual, at Temple Avoda, a Reform synagogue, in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA.
    5487.jpg
  • A shichi-go-san ceremony ends with a miko, a Shinto shrine maiden, producing the music of the gods to impart health and good fortune, in Tokyo, Japan. During shichi-go-san, literally seven-five-three, parents dress their daughters aged three and seven and sons aged five in traditional costume and take them to a Shinto shrine to be blessed.
    5167.jpg
  • After giving her a prayer shawl and blessing, the rabbi talks to a Jewish girl before she goes through her bat mitzvah, her coming-of-age ritual, at her Reform Jewish synagogue in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA. After this she will enter the synagogue hall to read extracts from the Torah, the holy scriptures, to the congregation. Jewish tradition dictates that a girl comes of age at twelve, though in Reform and Conservative Jewish congregations they usually become bat mitzvahs at thirteen, the same age as boys.
    5481.jpg
  • Celebrating the bar mitzvah of a Jewish boy the day after the bar mitzvah ceremony was held in his Conservative synagogue in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA.  Since the ceremony was performed on a Sabbath the party could not be held on the same day. In Judaism a boy comes of age at thirteen, when he becomes a bar mitzvah and assumes responsibility for his own actions.
    5484.jpg
  • On the Monday before his bar mitzvah recital, a Jewish boy in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA, takes part in morning prayers at his Conservative Jewish synagogue. He will also read from the Torah, and before he begins he carries the scrolls round the synagogue. In Judaism, a boy comes of age at thirteen, when he becomes a bar mitzvah and assumes responsibility for his own actions.
    5482.jpg
  • Two young boys and their older brother just before their shichi-go-san in the Meiji Jingu shrine, in Tokyo, Japan. During shichi-go-san, literally seven-five-three, parents dress their daughters aged three and seven and sons aged five in traditional costume and take them to a Shinto shrine to be blessed. Sometimes boys perform the ceremony at the age of three, though in bygone times they were not supposed to wear hakama trousers until they were older.
    5169.jpg
  • Friends join a Jewish bat mitzvah girl in party games in New Jersey, USA. She belongs to a Reform Jewish synagogue, where Sabbath observance rules are less strict than among Conservative or Orthodox congregations, and her reception is held straight after the synagogue ceremony.
    5486.jpg
  • Guided by her rabbi a Jewish girl practices reading from the Torah, the five books of Moses, in preparation for her bat mitzvah, her coming of age ceremony, in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA. Jewish tradition dictates that a girl comes of age at twelve, though in Reform and Conservative Jewish congregations they usually become bat mitzvahs at thirteen, the same age as boys.
    5480.jpg
  • Performing the traditional  horah, where everyone dances in a circle and holds the boy up in a chair, a Jewish boy's bar mitzvah is celebrated the day after the ceremony was held in his Conservative synagogue in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA. Since the ceremony was performed on a Sabbath the party could not be held on the same day. In Judaism, a boy comes of age at thirteen, when he becomes a bar mitzvah and assumes responsibility for his own actions.
    5485.jpg
  • A young boy and his  parents get ready to pose for the camera in a photographer's studio before going to a Shinto shrine for the boy's shichi-go-san ritual in Tokyo, Japan. During shichi-go-san, literally seven-five-three, parents dress their daughters aged three and seven and sons aged five in traditional costume and take them to a Shinto shrine to be blessed.
    5164.jpg
  • A Hamar woman bugling and dancing at a bull jump, a ritual at which a young man runs across the backs of a number of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage, in South Omo, Ethiopia. Her hair and neck are coated in butter and red ochre. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5405.jpg
  • The male members of the family enter the grave and wrap the remains of the dead in new shrouds during a reburial ceremony in Belaveno, Bezanozano Ethnic Area, Madagascar. The famadihana, the Madagascan reburial ceremony, is a custom in the highlands of Madagascar. The purpose of the ritual is to induce the ancestors to impart their blessings to their descendants, as without those blessings one cannot have a good life. The famadihana is held during the cooler half of the year, when the dead are said to be freezing in their graves and therefore need new clothing.
    5101.jpg
  • Guests attending a reburial ceremony in Belaveno, Bezanozano Ethnic Area, Madagascar, are served food by the host family. The famadihana, the Madagascan reburial ceremony, is a custom in the highlands of Madagascar. The purpose of the ritual is to induce the ancestors to impart their blessings to their descendants, as without those blessings one cannot have a good life. The famadihana is held during the cooler half of the year, when the dead are said to be freezing in their graves and therefore need new clothing.
    5093.jpg
  • The male members of a family check the remains of the dead inside a grave opened for a reburial ceremony in the highlands south of the capital of Antananarivo, Madagascar. The famadihana, the Madagascan reburial ceremony, is a custom in the highlands of Madagascar. The purpose of the ritual is to induce the ancestors to impart their blessings to their descendants, as without those blessings one cannot have a good life. The famadihana is held during the cooler half of the year, when the dead are said to be freezing in their graves and therefore need new clothing.
    5114.jpg
  • Sisters and female cousins of a young Hamar man who will to perform the bull jump, a ritual making him eligible for marriage, show their devotion to him by dancing and singing about their excitement about his forth-coming jump in South Omo, Ethiopia. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5402.jpg
  • Together with young relatives the widow of a deceased Roma man grieve beside his open coffin during the wake held in their home in Valea Seaca Villlage in Bacau County, Romania.
    ARyman_20150909_174554.jpg
  • Deceased Roma man in open coffin during his funeral in the village of Valea Seaca in Bacau County, Romania.
    ARyman_20150912_133721.jpg
  • The final part of a reburial ceremony in Belaveno, Bezanozano Ethnic Area, Madagascar. When the dead have been restored to their resting place, their closest relatives go down to talk to them and bid a final farewell. Then they are covered in a new shroud and the tomb is sealed. The famadihana, the Madagascan reburial ceremony, is a custom in the highlands of Madagascar. The purpose of the ritual is to induce the ancestors to impart their blessings to their descendants, as without those blessings one cannot have a good life. The famadihana is held during the cooler half of the year, when the dead are said to be freezing in their graves and therefore need new clothing.
    5110.jpg
  • Dancing with the dead at a reburial ceremony in Belaveno, Bezanozano Ethnic Area, Madagascar. The family roll the bodies in straw mats and then carry them aloft in a dance round the tomb. The famadihana, the Madagascan reburial ceremony, is a custom in the highlands of Madagascar. The purpose of the ritual is to induce the ancestors to impart their blessings to their descendants, as without those blessings one cannot have a good life. The famadihana is held during the cooler half of the year, when the dead are said to be freezing in their graves and therefore need new clothing.
    5107f.jpg
  • A family grave is opened at a reburial ceremony in Belaveno, Bezanozano Ethnic Area, Madagascar. The famadihana, the Madagascan reburial ceremony, is a custom in the highlands of Madagascar. The purpose of the ritual is to induce the ancestors to impart their blessings to their descendants, as without those blessings one cannot have a good life. The famadihana is held during the cooler half of the year, when the dead are said to be freezing in their graves and therefore need new clothing.
    5100.jpg
  • The day before a reburial ceremony in Belaveno, Bezanozano Ethnic Area, Madagascar, a ritual is held at the tomb to inform the deceased to be ready. Rum is poured on the grave as an offering. The famadihana, the Madagascan reburial ceremony, is a custom in the highlands of Madagascar. The purpose of the ritual is to induce the ancestors to impart their blessings to their descendants, as without those blessings one cannot have a good life. The famadihana is held during the cooler half of the year, when the dead are said to be freezing in their graves and therefore need new clothing.
    5094f.jpg
  • A bull slaughtered to feed the guests attending a reburial ceremony in Belaveno, Bezanozano Ethnic Area, Madagascar. The famadihana, the Madagascan reburial ceremony, is a custom in the highlands of Madagascar. The purpose of the ritual is to induce the ancestors to impart their blessings to their descendants, as without those blessings one cannot have a good life. The famadihana is held during the cooler half of the year, when the dead are said to be freezing in their graves and therefore need new clothing.
    5091.jpg
  • A coffin containing a deceased Roma man is carried into the family yard and towards the entrance of his home in the village of Valea Seaca in Bacau County, Romania, while closely related women cry out their grief. Inside the house the lid will be taken off, so that family and friends can spend time with the deceased during the wake which will go on for three days.
    ARyman_20150909_173310.jpg
  • Newly circumcised, a nine-year-old boy who lives in a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey, proudly poses in his sultan outfit, which is the customary attire at circumcision. He stands beside his bed which his parents have worked hard to make fit for a sultan.
    5239f.jpg
  • A Hamar man sits on his stool while waiting for a bull jump to begin in South Omo, Ethiopia. The bull jump is ritual at which a young man runs across the backs of a number of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage. The man is a maz, somebody who has performed the bull jump but has yet to marry, and he is recognized as such by the strip of bark around his head. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5406.jpg
  • A young Hamar man with painted face who takes part in a bull jump, a ritual at which a man runs across the backs of a row of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The man is a maz, somebody who has completed the bull jump but has yet to marry, and the painted rings around his eyes show that he performed the jump eight days ago. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5413.jpg
  • A Hamar female dancer at a bull jump, a ritual at which a young man runs across the backs of a number of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The antelope skin and metal necklace indicate that she is married, while her belt studded with cowry shells shows she is a mother. Her hair and neck are coated in butter and red ochre and she has scarifications on her arms and shoulders. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5403.jpg
  • Two Roma infants and their mothers during a baby dedication ceremony in the Pentecostal church in the village of Valea Seaca in Bacau County, Romania.
    ARyman_20150913_094722.jpg
  • The head of a close male relative of the deceased is shaved before the cremations starts at Manikarnika Ghat, the main cremation site of Varanasi, India
    4703.jpg
  • A newly circumcised boy dances with relatives and neighbors at a henna party held in the courtyard outside the family home in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 24, 2006. As is the custom, the boy is dressed in a sultan's outfit.
    5247f.jpg
  • In order to give him a painkilling jab, a circumciser opens the trousers of a boy who is about to be circumcised at Kemal Özkan's Circumcision Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. Next to them a clown acts in a funny way to make the boy relax. As custom dictates, the boy is dressed up as a small sultan or prince.
    5227.jpg
  • While men hold a row of bullocks still a Hamar initiate runs over their backs at a bull jumping ritual, in South Omo, Ethiopia. By successfully completing the bull jump a Hamar man becomes eligible for marriage. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse South Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5419.jpg
  • A Hamar man’s face is painted before taking part in a bull jump, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The bull jump is a ritual at which a man runs across the backs of a row of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5410.jpg
  • Russian Orthodox wedding in the Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia
    5448.jpg
  • Boys about to be circumcised at Kemal Özkan's Circumcision Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, play games together. This is one of the many activities used to make the boys relax before the actual circumcision takes place. As custom dictates, the boys are dressed up as small sultans or princes.
    5226.jpg
  • Kemal Özkan, Turkey' s most famous circumciser, greets boys about to be circumcised at his Circumcision Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, During summertime, which is the circumcision season, groups of boys, usually aged five to ten, are circumcised every day at this establishment. As local custom dictates, the boys are dressed up as small sultans or princes.
    5205.jpg
  • A female member of her fiancé's family applies red ochre and butter to a bride-to-be's hair, shoulders and chest at a Hamar couple's betrothal ceremony, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse South Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5425.jpg
  • A Hamar bride-to-be takes of her fiancé's bark headband and hangs it in a tree during the couple's betrothal ceremony, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The ceremony is supervised by the young man's uncle. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse South Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5423.jpg
  • Young Hamar men and women take part in a courtship dance after a bull jumping ritual, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The bull jump is a ritual at which a man runs over a row of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage, and the erotic dances that follow continue all night and into the following morning. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse South Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5421.jpg
  • While men hold a row of bullocks still a Hamar initiate runs over their backs at a bull jumping ritual, in South Omo, Ethiopia. By successfully completing the bull jump a Hamar man becomes eligible for marriage. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse South Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5418.jpg
  • A Hamar man’s face is painted before taking part in a bull jump, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The bull jump is a ritual at which a man runs across the backs of a row of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
    5411.jpg
  • A young Hamar man shortly before his bull jump, a ritual making him eligible to marry, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The milk calabash in his hand will be useful in the months ahead as he is only allowed to drink milk and eat meat and honey until he is engaged to be married. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • At a farewell party before a Newar wedding in the Kahmandu Valley, Nepal, friends and family offer the bride their congratualations and deposit gifts in a large brass bowl.
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  • Hamar men hold bullocks still during a bull jump, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The bull jump is a ritual at which a man runs across the backs of a row of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • A boy is circumcised at Kemal Özkan's Circumcision Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. His family have gathered behind him in support. The father holds a reassuring hand on his shoulder while the mother watches the procedure with discomfort.
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  • Japanese bride in traditional costume at her Shinto wedding at Kamigamo-jinja Shrine in Kyoto, Japan.
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  • A Finnish couple dance a waltz outdoors after their wedding in the tiny chapel on Jurmo Island, off the west coast of Finland
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  • Bride and groom in traditional costumes at a Sami wedding in Kautokeino, Norway. The newly-wed couple emerge from the church to greet their friends and relatives, the bride wearing a glittering array of silver brooches.
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  • Newar bride cries loudly when taking farewell of her family and friends in Panga Village, Kathmandu, Nepal. It is in the middle of the night and the groom's family has arrived to bring the bride to their home, where the couple will be married the following day. It is customary for the bride to cry at this stage in the ceremonies, when she is about to leave her home and begin a new life with another family. She is comforted by friends and family and also by the matchmaker who is sitting to the left.
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  • Two young Xhosa male initiates, who have just returned home as men after one month of seclusion, are having their faces painted red by their guardian and teacher in Khayalethu South Township, Knysna, South Africa, in December, 2006. As initiates they were first circumcised, and they then spent one month in a special initiation camp, away from the normal living areas. For one week they will now wear red facial paint, a turban, long trousers, a shirt and a jacket, all signs that they have become men. When the week is over, the turban will be changed for a cap, which will then be worn for another six months.
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  • A procession during the cricumcision ceremony for three brothers in the Roma ghetto of Stolipinovo in Plovdiv, Bularia. The center of attention is the mother of the boys who is dressed in white. The family is Muslim and Turkish-speaking.
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  • A newly circumcised boy poses for a portrait on his ceremonial bed in his home in Istanbul, Turkey. As local custom dictates, he is dressed up as a small sultan or prince and holds a sceptre in his hand.
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  • The remains of a boy's foreskin are stitched after his circumcision at Kemal Özkan's Circumcision Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. As custom dictates, the boy is dressed up as a small sultan or prince.
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  • Boys about to be circumcised at Kemal Özkan's Circumcision Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, dance together with a clown. This is one of the many fun activities used to make the boys relax before the actual circumcision takes place. As custom dictates, the boys are dressed up as small sultans or princes.
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  • From a lookout point next to Pierre Lofti Cafe in Istanbul, Turkey, a boy who will soon be circumcised looks out over the Golden Horn. As custom dictates, the boy is dressed up as a small sultan or prince. A relative stands beside him, holding his sceptre. During the days leading up to the circumcision, it is customary that boys about to be circumcised  are taken on a tour of some of the famous mosques and landmarks of the city.
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  • Xhosa male initiates at a homecoming ritual celebrating their return after one month in seclusion. December 2006 in Ciskei, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. They have received turbans to cover their shaven heads and have had red ochre mixed with butter – a symbol of masculinity – applied to their skin. The traditional Xhosa male initiation, which transforms the teenager into an adult man, starts with circumcision. The initiate then spends about a month in an initiation camp, away from settled areas.
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  • Two bark headbands hang in a betrothal tree in Hamar territory, in South Omo, Ethiopia. During the Hamar betrothal ceremony, the bride takes off her fiancé's headband and hangs it in a special tree used for the purpose. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse South Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • Hamar women serve millet porridge at a feast held after a bull jump, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The bull jump is a ritual at which a man runs over a row of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse South Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • Before his bull jump a Hamar initiate wanders naked among the herd, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The bull jump is a ritual at which a man runs across the backs of a row of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage. Nudity represents his death and rebirth, as he is about to assume a new social role. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • A Hamar man ritually whips a young woman at a bull jump, a ritual at which a man runs across the backs of a row of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The initiate's sisters and female cousins ask the maz, men who have performed the bull jump but have yet to marry, to whip them, an act which shows the young women’s love and devotion to their brothers. To protect their breasts from stray strokes, the women nowadays wear cotton singlet’s during the ritual. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • Two Hamar women dance at a bull jump, a ritual at which a young man runs across the backs of a number of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage, in South Omo, Ethiopia. Their hair and neck are coated in butter and red ochre and they have scarifications on their arms and shoulders. A blue cotton singlet and safety-pin necklace add a touch of modernity to the dress of one of the women. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • A Hamar man taking part in a bull jump in South Omo, Ethiopia. The bull jump is ritual at which a young man runs across the backs of a number of bullocks in order to become eligible for marriage. The man is a maz, somebody who has performed the bull jump but has yet to marry, and he is recognized as such by the strip of bark around his head and his painted face. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • Tucked into his loincloth a young Hamar carries a boko, a phallic symbol showing that he will soon perform the bull jump, a ritual making him eligible to marry, in South Omo, Ethiopia. The knots on the string mark the number of days until the young man's jump. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • During a galekana ceremony, an elderly Hamar man blesses an infant by spraying it with a mouthful of coffee, in South Omo, Ethiopia, in October, 2006. After this ceremony the parents can resume their sexual relation and bring more children into the world. The 40,000-strong, cattle-herding Hamar are among the largest of the 20 or so ethnic groups which inhabit the culturally diverse South Omo region in south-west Ethiopia.
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  • A three-and-a-half-year-old boy waits to be circumcised at his home in Istanbul, Turkey. He is younger than the usual circumcision age because his parents want him to undergo the ritual together with his older brother.  Custom dictates that boys are dressed up as small sultans or princes at their circumcision, and the cloaks and hats and sceptres of the two boys are scattered on the sofa on which the boy is sitting. The boy will be circumcised by a licensed circumciser.
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  • Photographing the bride and groom at a traditional Shinto wedding at the Meiji shrine in Tokyo, Japan. The photographer helps the bride adjust her kimono.
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  • Close female realtives of a decased Roma man grieve beside his open coffin during a wake in the village of Valea Seaca in Bacau County, Romania.
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Anders Ryman

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