What to Wear for a Ritual?

Girls of the Long Horn Miao people in China wear elaborate wigs including their female ancestors’ hair, wrapped around wooden horns, along with intricately hand woven jackets, for their courtship rituals.

In Senegal, professional wrestlers wear ritual amulets called Gris-gris. Strapped across their chests and around their limbs, these talismans are thought to imbue them with magical strength and protect them from the spells of their opponents in their bid for victory.

Jose Luis wears the costume of the Ukumaris of the ancient Peruvian Paucartambo clan for the festival of ‘Qoyllur Riti’ in the high Andes. The shaggy llama wool black tabard has a great red cross, which are the colours of his clan. The whip is for the ritual initiation of new members. The crucifix and balaclava represent their mix of Inca and Catholic beliefs. The costume is only worn at Qoyllur Riti, transforming Jose Luis into a bear, allowing him to lead his clan with the strength of the animal.

Boys of the Balngarra community paint themselves with white clay in preparation for a Dow Ceremony near their home in Australia’s Northern Territory. It symbolises a connection to the bones of the earth and to those of their ancestors.

In Papua New Guinea, Kaningara villagers undergo an extreme rite of passage into adulthood. Hundreds of cuts are made in their skin to resemble crocodile scales, giving them the power of the crocodile spirit. They carry these full body tattoos for life. Today these ancient rituals continue alongside Christian beliefs.

Young and old from the town of Shingu in Japan wear white robes representing purity and a straw rope wrapped a lucky number of times around their waists for sacred protection. They carry torches painted with their wishes for the new year and wear protective hats for the Shinto fire festival of Oto Matsuri.

To welcome a new chief, the Kayapo people of Brazil paint geometic designs on their bodies with the black dye of the genipa fruit mixed with charcoal. The red paint is from ground seeds of the achiote shrub, while yellow and green parrot feathers make up their headdress. Ritual body painting begins soon after birth and accompanies every major community event.

Burning Man in Nevada builds an alternative community linked by rituals of fire. Every night more than 100 volunteers wear the simple, painted robes of the lamplighters, as they process through the temporary city distributing more than a thousand kerosene lanterns to illuminate the desert each night. Goggles help to protect them from the fine, alkaline dust.

In praise of the Hindu god Murugan, Rajesh Nagaretinam carries a kavadi, a heavy religious burden. The image of Murugan is surrounded by flower garlands and peacock feathers, the bird on which Murugan is said to ride. LED lights are a more recent addition to the display. Rajesh’s cheeks are pierced by a golden spear and further piercings hang from his back. This extreme devotion at the Thaipusam festival in Malaysia is to give thanks for the safe birth of his daughter.