Tribal Cultures

Many indigenous and tribal people are striving to hold on to their cultural traditions and uniqueness in countries where basic human rights are threatened—from Ethiopia and Kenya to Tibet, and from Mexico to Indonesia. Some are experiencing their first contact with the outside world; some have survived exploitation and repression for years; some whose cultures have been decimated and are attempting a comeback—people trying to hold on to their cultural traditions and identities. We partnered with Amnesty International to create the exhibition and book titled Enduring Spirit celebrating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

PORTRAITS

BOOK

enduring spirit

With his stunning portraits and accompanying captions, Borges bridges his subjects' worlds and ours, offering a compelling yet unsentimental portrait of their homelands, their dreams, and the close family and community relationships that sustain their lives. In her introduction, Isabel Allende reflects on the importance of mutual respect for individuals different from ourselves—people who, like those captured by Borges' lens, "possess profound spiritual resources, natural wisdom, and knowledge of their physical surrounding that we have lost."

These portraits of indigenous and tribal people around the world is a quietly beautiful testament to the strength and inherent dignity of the human spirit. Enduring Spirit focuses on individuals upholding their cultural traditions in countries from Ethiopia and Kenya to Tibet, and from Mexico to Indonesia. The book is published in association with Amnesty International to mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document adopted by the United Nations in 1948 that outlines fundamental freedoms for all people.