Fiona Birt, Once Were Warriors (PEOPLE 2024)

This elderly Naga gentleman wears the wisdom and caution of a long and vibrant history on his face. The rest of his body is adorned with warm and comfortable attire to cope with the latitude and altitude and late afternoon temperatures in the throws of winter. The Naga people have a long history as fierce warriors, where head hunting was a rite of passage for young men going into adulthood. The scalps of rival tribesmen were claimed to declare victory and were kept as trophies. Claiming a head helped to elevate one’s status in the clan. The practice of headhunting was banned in 1962, but the rituals remain.

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