In our modern world, the paleolithic ritual of ‘hunting’ has been reduced to buying cold cuts from the frozen aisle. But in the wildest regions of Outer Mongolia, a nomadic tribe continues to acquire their meat the authentic way.
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They are the Mongolian Tsaatan, a small community of reindeer herders who live in the achingly beautiful mountains of Taïga.
These indigenous people spend their days living and hunting for wild animals with wild animals.
These descendants of ancient legends believe in a sacred alliance between people, ancestor spirits, and reindeer.
To this day, they live amongst these majestic beasts, riding them into the forests to hunt for food and collect antlers, which they then barter for basic supplies to nearby villages.
Their traditional lifestyle has been passed down to them by their deceased ancestors, remaining intact even after thousands of years.
Their spiritual connection is not limited to these docile creatures, however.
One other age-old tradition preserved in Mongolia is the practice of capturing, training, and hunting with eagles.
It is largely considered a dying skill, and there are but very few left deserving of the title of Eagle Hunter.
At present, only 44 Tsaatan families remain.
Their existence is threatened by the declining numbers of domesticated reindeer, as well as the irresponsible actions of foreign companies.
Photographer Hamid Sardar-Afkhami is a scholar in Mongolian and Tibetan languages with a Phd from Harvard. He set off in the 1980’s to explore the Himalayan regions, and uses photography to tell the fascinating story of these people whose lives are so closely intertwined with the natural and spiritual realm.
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