Precautions
Try always to be in a group or with enough safety when travelling near to these tribal reserve regions. Sometimes the tribes are quite aggressive towards outsiders and the 'toxin arrows' could be aimed at you if you have not enough careful.
It is very important to know that the tribal tour you are taking up will be welcomed by the community you are visiting. If there is any hesitation regarding your acceptance, the best suggestion is not to visit - there is nothing below par than feeling uninvited. Some times both tourism and tourists simply bother with this little thought.
Another important aspect while taking a trip to tribal regions is your sense of clothing, avoid wearing shorts - on women, they're considered insulting, and on men foolish. Try to be decently dressed up in comfortable loose-fitting clothes. Don't bother for a coat and tie else you plan to go to the most exclusive clubs.
Plan ahead and always change money in the big cities as in smaller locales there is no provision for exchanging money.
Don't be astonished if you get problems for taking photos in tribal regions. Avoid photographing people as it may not be a welcome gesture and you might hurt their self-respect.
Essential Skills
It is always important either you travel with a local tour company with a reliable track record, or take a guide from the local community to ensure that you gain from their information of what is or is not, appropriate. Take out time to go through some reading material on the tribes you are about to visit in a good guidebook, and remember at all times that you are a guest in somebody else's home.
In addition to ensuring that you lower any rejecting impacts, always ensure that local people gain from your visit. Trading for crafts, paying for the services of local guides or for photographs will benefit local people. It is an essential skill to greet adults you encounter, paying particular respect to age. Smile at children or offer them some candies as a gesture of love, children will definitely accept it with excitement.
Gear Up
It has become essential that tribal people should be protected from tourists in order to retreat their unique cultures, and in many cases this is true. However we must not forget that tribal communities have a right to make their own judgment about their progress.
The reason most travelers come here is for an extraordinary encounter with traditional tribal cultures in a country where the word "adventure" still has undeniable meaning.
Common Terms
Tribe: A tribe is a group of bands under one leadership.
Indigenous tribes: Primitive group of people
Paramount chief: It is the most important chief out of all the chiefs/head. |
