Meet the polygamists of the Bible
The Arhuaco people of Colombia's Sierra Nevada see it as their responsibility to keep the planet in harmony. They believe droughts and famines are the consequences of humanity's failure to keep the world in balance.
Equal status between men and women is a normal thing for the Awá tribe in the Brazilian Amazon. Awá women participate in hunting trips and can even take several husbands.
The Bajau people of Malaysia can hold their breath for up to three minutes and free-dive 65 feet (20 meters) deep. Now that's impressive!
According to the Aymara people of the Andes, the future is behind you and the past in front of you. They believe that you can "see" the past, but not the future.
It's believed that South America is home to around 100 isolated tribes, all living in the Amazon, except for the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode tribe. Living in Paraguay, some of them have chosen to reject interaction with mainstream society.
Natives of Central Africa, Bayaka fathers spend half the day near their babies. If a mother or another woman isn't available, it's even common for them to offer the child a nipple if they're crying.
The Enawene Nawe tribe of Brazil practices one of the longest ritual celebrations, lasting over four months. The ritual consists of building intricate wooden dams across rivers to catch migrating fish. The dams are destroyed after the ritual.
It's said that the Dani people, living in the stunning Baliem Valley in West Papua, developed agriculture at least 9,000 years ago. That's way ahead of Europe!
Sources: (Survival International) (Cultural Survival) (International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs)
See also: Fascinating ways different cultures ward off evil spirits
Spoken by the bushman tribes in the Kalahari Desert, the Taa language, also known as ǃXóõ, has over 160 different sounds. This includes five different "click" sounds. In comparison, the English language has just 44 sounds.
Everyone talks to their pets, and Ethiopia's Bodi tribe is no different. They even sing special poems to their favorite cows. The Bodi people are agropastoralists whose culture revolves around their cattle.
When monsoon hits India's Niyamgiri Hills, hundreds of perennial streams and rivers rise up. The Dongria Kondh people that inhabit this landscape call themselves Jharnia, meaning protectors of the streams.
Living on the amazonian border of Brazil and Venezuela, Yanomami hunters never eat their own catch. Instead, they give it away to other tribe members and eat what is given to them.
The power and independence enjoyed by the Innu women of Canada scandalized Catholic missionaries in the mid-20th century. They tried to impose European customs upon the tribe, making the women subservient to their husbands.
The Guugu Yimithirr people of Australia had no words for left and right. Instead, they used North, South, East, and West for direction.
Himba women of Namibia and Angola cover themselves in otjize paste, a mixture of fat and ochre. Apart from aesthetics, the paste also protects against the sun and mosquito bites.
The Mokens of the Andaman Sea have developed remarkable underwater vision thanks to their aquatic lifestyles. They have the unique ability to focus their eyesight when diving for food on the sea floor. Their sight is about 50% more acute than the average person.
Thanks to their understanding of the environment and ability to interpret natural phenomena, the tribal people of the Andaman Islands saved themselves from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
In terms of different tribes, the island of New Guinea is the most diverse place on Earth. Though only about 0.1% of the world’s population lives there, it's inhabited by around 1,000 different tribes.
The Piaroa people of Venezuela totally dismiss the concepts of ownership, competition, vanity, and greed. Men and women are believed to be of equal status, and they're against any type of violence.
The Penan tribe, living in Malaysia and Brunei, has a different way of fishing. They use toxins from plants to stun fish, which then float to the surface. They then take only what they need, and let the remaining fish recover and swim away.
Native to Mexico, the Rarámuris developed a tradition of long-distance running, sometimes traveling up to 200 miles (321 kilometers) at a time. This custom assisted their inter-village communication, transportation, and hunting.
Quinine, a bitter compound that comes from the bark of Cinchona trees, has been vital in the fight against malaria. It was first used medicinally by indigenous peoples like the Quechua of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
The Shipibo people of Peru make intricate geometric art that can be read as music. Associated with Ayahuasca healing ceremonies, people can "hear" the song simply by looking at the patterns.
The Sámi are the indigenous people living in the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola peninsula in Russia. Reindeer herding is a strong part of their culture and ancestry. The practice is today legally protected as their exclusive livelihood in Norway and Sweden.
The Wodaabe people in northern Niger hold a male beauty contest every year at the end of the rainy season. The contestants wear makeup, jewelry, and their best clothes to compete for the attention of women.
As a form of contraception, men from some tribes in West Papua traditionally drink a tea made from a plant called justicia gendarussa.
The Baka people of Central Africa have more than 15 words for "elephant," depending on factors such as the animal's age, gender, and temperament. They also believe that their ancestors live with the animals out in nature.
Colombia’s Nukak tribe traditionally used piranha teeth to cut their hair. The tribe was not in contact with other societies until 1988, when they happened upon a newly-established town inside their territory.
When a child is born in the Orang Rimba tribe of Indonesia, the umbilical cord is planted under a tree. It's believed that the child has a sacred bond with that tree, and cutting it down is equivalent to murder.
The Guarani language, spoken by the Guarani tribes in Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil, has two different words for "we." One meaning includes the person you're talking to, "me and you". The other is used when talking about a group that isn't present, like saying "me and them."
Indigenous peoples are distinct social and cultural groups that share ancestral ties to the lands they live, or once lived, on. Throughout history, from the Americas to Asia, indigenous peoples have been marginalized and denied their right to control their land and their own development, which is something that still happens to this day. With the lack of formal recognition of their territories, natural resources, and cultures, they still face a lot of prejudice and inequality. But even facing so much adversity, indigenous peoples around the world still fight for their rights and recognition.
Want to know more about their extraordinarily diverse cultures? Then click through the gallery.
Fascinating facts about indigenous cultures around the world
Discover their rich traditions, beliefs and histories
LIFESTYLE Native people
Indigenous peoples are distinct social and cultural groups that share ancestral ties to the lands they live, or once lived, on. Throughout history, from the Americas to Asia, indigenous peoples have been marginalized and denied their right to control their land and their own development, which is something that still happens to this day. With the lack of formal recognition of their territories, natural resources, and cultures, they still face a lot of prejudice and inequality. But even facing so much adversity, indigenous peoples around the world still fight for their rights and recognition.
Want to know more about their extraordinarily diverse cultures? Then click through the gallery.