Faces of the World

Autodidact photographer Dr Gilad Fiskus has roamed the world to capture these evocative images nurturing his fascination for cultural ceremonies, clothing and rituals.

Published July 9, 2018

Words and Photography by Dr Gilad Fiskus | INSTAGRAM

Two artistes in Venetian masks and colourful costumes in Venice, Italy — Masks are an important feature of the annual Carnival of Venice in Italy and costumed artistes are seen at every corner.

Two Ethiopian women with distended lips from plates inserted into them — Women of the Mursi tribe from southern Ethiopia are initiated into womanhood by the ancient tradition of lower lip piercing followed by inserting a plate. This ritual supposedly originated in order to protect them from bride kidnapping.

A kneeling girl in front of a mirror dressed in white and a head scarf, Jerusalem — Every year tens of thousands of Christian pilgrims come to celebrate Easter in the holy city of Jerusalem. This colourful Ethiopian Orthodox Church is a place of pilgrimage for a multitude of worshippers

An old bearded Chinese man amongst other faces looking at camera, China — Men of the Miao tribe, preparing for an annual celebration.in China. The Miao people are one of 55 ethnic minority groups and are mostly concentrated in Southern China.

The Tuareg people are a nomadic herding tribe principally inhabiting the Sahara. They are identifiable by their traditional deep blue clothing and are sometimes called the “blue people” as their skin often stains blue from the indigo dye used on their clothes.

Elderly woman with a tattooed face smoking a pipe, Myanmar — The mesmerising facial tattoos of a woman in Myanmar’s Chin state. This was again an ancient tradition intended to protect the women from being abducted.

Group of Mongolian huntsmen on horses. — The Golden Eagle Festival in Mongolia celebrates traditional hunting assisted by golden eagles and showcases the skills of the trainers and the eagles.

Group of Jewish men around a table, Israel — A tish, which means table in Yiddish, is a holy gathering of Hasidim — extremely orthodox Jews — around their Rebbe.

Two boy monks skipping through the stupas of a temple, Myanmar — Myanmar is the foremost Buddhist country in the world. Every Burmese boy is expected to serve as a monk at least twice in their lifetime and about one per cent of them go on to embrace monkhood for life.

Fisherman balanced on one foot while paddling with the other in Myanmar — Myanmar’s balancing fishermen have mastered the technique of standing on one leg, while controlling the oar with the other which leaves their hands free to hunt carp fish.

A long bridge on stilts in Myanmar — U Bein, near Amarapura in Myanmar was built around 1850. It is the oldest teakwood bridge in the world, and with its 1200 metre-span, was once the longest bridge in the world.

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