The Xavante live in the rolling hills of Mato Grosso, in central Brazil. Their society is based on a system of age sets: the men are divided into groups comprising all those of a similar age. Each group spends five years in each category. The youngest set is the bachelors, the second youngest the warriors. Over the next 30 years, the men pass through six “mature” stages, moving up every five years as a new group 
of bachelors is initiated in the wai’a. Once they have passed through all eight sets, the men move back and are “twinned” with the youngest group. The black and red faces  represent the duality in nature, the opposing forces. Red is the pure or ‘tamed’ force, black—the dark or ‘untamed’ force.

Mato Grosso, Brazil

Museo Silver Rag (Color Digital Print)
Dimesion: 10.805” x 16”
US$600
Edition 1/25
Xavante sing and dance constantly, not only around the village, but also in their major ceremonies, where most people will dance themselves virtually into a coma.
Brazil, South America.
Xavante sing and dance constantly, not only around the village, but also in their major ceremonies, where most people will dance themselves virtually into a coma.
Brazil, South America.
Xavante log race. The log race is not really a race at all, it's a ceremony, an aesthetic event. Xavante are nonplused by notions of winning  and losing. The logs are carried by two team, representing the oppositions that Xavante believe go to make up the universe. The running of the logs expresses the dynamic tension between opposing principles. The purpose of the ceremonies to stress that these antithesis need not tear the world apart. Opposing can be controlled to complement each other and create equilibrium and harmony.
Brazil, South America.
Xavante sing and dance constantly, not only around the village, but also in their major ceremonies, where most people will dance themselves virtually into a coma.
Brazil, South America.
Xavante sing and dance constantly, not only around the village, but also in their major ceremonies, where most people will dance themselves virtually into a coma.
Brazil, South America.
Xavante sing and dance constantly, not only around the village, but also in their major ceremonies, where most people will dance themselves virtually into a coma.
Brazil, South America.
Xavante mother with her new born.
Brazil, South America.
The boys are a splendid sight painted in scarlet and black with board ceremonial collars and wristbands of white cloth.
Brazil, South America.
Xavante sing and dance constantly, not only around the village, but also in their major ceremonies, where most people will dance themselves virtually into a coma.
Brazil, South America.
Xavante sing and dance constantly, not only around the village, but also in their major ceremonies, where most people will dance themselves virtually into a coma.
Brazil, South America.
Xavante sing and dance constantly, not only around the village, but also in their major ceremonies, where most people will dance themselves virtually into a coma.
Brazil, South America.
See photo in original gallery.