Jatenipat Ketpradit Preserving Cultures of the Past Through Photography
A passionate photographer from Thailand, Jatenipat Ketpradit has been traveling through the depths of the world in search of forgotten and hidden cultures.
As humanity begins to advance at an unstoppable momentum, there are those who still stick with their tribes and traditional ways of living, long separated from the modern world. With each of them possessing a different kind of civilization, follow in the footsteps of Jatenipat and explore these rare gems hidden from the eyes of society.
Reign of the Eagle Hunters
On one of his journeys to the border between Kazakhstan and Mongolia, Jatenipat searched for a certain group of people – the honourable “Burgedchins”, or “Eagle Hunters” in the Altai Mountains. As pride hunters who inherited their hunting spirits alongside their personal Golden Eagle, they have been trained to hunt since 10 years old in a harsh and extreme environment, for more than 250 years. Bonding them together with their eagles due to the conditions, they have created friendship that combines hunting skills and natural predators. Up till today, there are still approximately 250 hunters left in the country, but more and more are leaving for the city in search of a better life. But the great Altai hunters will remain, as long as there are those who respect their own way of life.
Mentawei: Keepers of the forest
Venturing deep within the Siberut Island rainforest in Indonesia, he has found a location that has not connected with the rules of time, where Mentawai aborigines have resided for almost 1,000 years. They heed the beliefs of nature and revere spirits, and are skilled with tattooing their bodies with natural ink. Having a strong relationship with nature, the Mentawai live in a manner that reminisces ancient times. On the other hand, following the independence of the country in 1950, the culture has experienced a significant impact that has led to a decrease in numbers due to the government’s campaign in decreasing brutality and civilizing the metropolis.
Akha: People of the Hill
High in the mountains of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and also Yunnan Province of China, stays the Akha, an ethnic group that lives in smaller villages. Freezing the moment in time, Jatenipat shows rare photo sets of the “Akha” people in traditional dresses of the entire Akha clan in the north of Thailand, including Ulo Akha, Pamee Akha, and Lomi Akha. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic in the country, some of the beautiful people in the images have already passed away.
Ethiopia: The Ethnic Earth
Moving to the Lower Omo River in southwest Ethiopia, is home to 8 different tribes who have been occupying the space for centuries. Each tribe in the region implements a unique culture and way of life. Almost all tribes are differentiable in language, clothing, food, and traditions, all developed over millennia.
Credits
Entry 1 – Reign of the Eagle Hunters
Entry 2 – Mentawei: Keepers of the forest
Entry 3 – Akha : People of the Hill
Entry 4 – Ethiopia : The Ethnic Earth
View the 2022 European Photography Awards professional jury panel here.
