Adventure Travel Photography ASIA: The story behind the photos… carving a giant Phallus
The story behind the photos…strange cultures and tradition.
Carving a giant Phallus… was he the "Master Phallus Carver" in this Village?
It was during our last Adventure Photography Workshop; I strolled through the traditional Bhutan Village of Sopsokha, when a man approached and indicated that I should follow him, of course curiosity got the better of me and I went along.
After a few minutes we arrived at this house, he unlocked the door and politely ask me to come inside…did he invite me for a cup of tea I thought? But right there in the dark corridor, I saw WOW… the largest wooden Phallus ever… it was at-least some cool 5 foot in hight.
Without any explanation my new acquaintance picked up a chisel and hammer… gave me a cheeky smile and started to continue his craft. chopping away on this super large penis.
Carving a very large Phallus in the village of Sopsokha,Bhutan
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Shops selling carved penis and traditional houses decorated with Phallus symbols
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I had seen many other Phallus symbols in Bhutan, painted on Houses and for sale in all shapes and sizes in local souvenir shops, but this one was somehow special, not to mention its size.
Our craftsman kept on chiseling away at this monster… as we stood silently in this dark corridor in disbelieve… except for a big WOW that crossed our lips. Hubert who saw me wondering off earlier with a "strange man"…had followed me, he was also amazed seeing such a super large phallus…a first for both of us.
Against evil spirits; prayer flags, arrow and a
carved Phallus. right: A Phallus Handicraft shop
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Phallus paintings and carvings in Bhutan are esoteric symbols, which have their origins in the Chimi Lhakhang monastery near Punakha the former capital of Bhutan. The village monastery was built in honor of Lama Drukpa Kunley who lived in the 15-16th century and who was popularly known as the "Mad Saint" or “Divine Madman” for his unorthodox ways of teaching, which amounted to being bizarre and shocking.
These explicit paintings, though embarrassing to many urbanites now, this folk culture is now informally discouraged in urban centers, but can be seen painted on the walls of houses and buildings throughout Bhutan, particularly in villages and credited as Kunley's creations. Traditionally symbols of an erect penis in Bhutan have been intended to drive away the evil eye and malicious gossip.
You find these paintings on almost every house in particular at the
traditional village of Sopsokha,Bhutan
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Worship of the phallus was believed to be in practice even before the arrival of Guru Rimpoche and Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal…what is know about it, has been past on over many generations.
Phallic symbols are, generally not depicted in community temples and Dzongs (Fortress) which are most revered places of worship where Lamas or Buddhist monks reside.
But I seen them also during festivals in Bhutan, showing them off during dance performances and rituals.
Rural and ordinary houses continue to display them, in particular in the traditional village of Sopsokha where I found (or he found me) this master phallus carver.
After taken some shots I thanked our craftsman for his hospitality, I turned around at the door for one last look, and could not help noticing a big grin on our carvers face.
I guess he seen our stunned looks a few minutes earlier, I am sure he was very proud of this super Phallus he was creating, otherwise he would not have invited us into his home.
GD
The latest images from Bhutan are now on my PhotoShelter site, just click the large image on the Home page.
http://gdeichmann.photoshelter.com/
For more info go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phallus_paintings_in_Bhutan
Adventure Travel Photography ASIA : A very beautiful morning in Sri Lanka…now on PhotoShelter, plus a lot more
A very beautiful morning in Sri Lanka…
plus a lot more
Sunrise at Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
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The alarm went off at 3:00AM, oh boy…this was an early start and of course no chance for breakfast or coffee.
Joerg and myself had to cover some 2 hours, traveling through winding roads and catch the sunrise at this particular spot in the Mountains of Sri Lanka, also called “World's End” - Nuwara Eliya.
I had checked out this location the day before but it was way to late for any decent Landscape shots that day. So I decided to have another crack at it the next day… the painful thought of getting up real early crossed my mind, but at the same time I could visualize that this was the right location. Crossing my fingers, hoping that the weather would play along the next day.
Morning mist/clouds just on Sunrise at Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
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We arrived at my selected spot; our timing had been perfect, it was still dark but about half an hour later we were greeted by the appearing sun and got blessed with perfect light, and clouds covering the valleys below.
Early morning mist/clouds in the valleys below, at Nuwara Eliya,
Sri Lanka
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Wow…what a sight, nature at its best, the pain from the early morning wake up call was gone in an instant; even the withdrawal symptoms from not having any coffee that morning had disappeared.
This very special and magic moment lasted only 30 min.; a nice reward for the early morning call and making do without coffee.
Oh…I almost forgot to mention…the famous Ceylon Tea, we actually drank more of this then Coffee on this Journey, very nice indeed.
Please Note: The latest photos from Sri Lanka are now residing in my PhotoShelter Gallery and Archives, (you can view all the images from this mornings event at PhotoShelter now).
Followed soon by the latest from Bhutan and Nepal.
Sri Lanka is in my opinion totally underrated; it has wonderful people, a rich Buddhist culture and many historical sites not to mention the beautiful Mountain ranges that reach up to 2524.13 m.
Tea Plantations at Hortons Place, Sri Lanka
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In a Village near Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
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Enjoying the Ice Cream… Sri Lanka
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School Girls on an outing,Fort of Galle, Sri Lanka
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In Colombo,Boy and his Cricket Bat, Sri Lanka
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Ravaged by a long lasting civil war that just finished some 4 years ago, Sri Lanka is definitely on the way to recovery.
I also visit the Beach area where on December 26, 2004, the mammoth tsunami took thousands of lives; life is “almost” back to normal, and here you find the unique still fisherman of Sri Lanka trying to make a few Rupees.
The unique still fisherman of Sri Lanka
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The unique still fisherman of Sri Lanka
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Yale National Park: The elusive Sri Lankan Leopard in Yale National Park unfortunately eluded us (perhaps next time) but we got rewarded with other interesting animals including a spectacular display by a mating Peacock.
Mating performance by a Peacock, Yala National Park Sri Lanka
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Spotted Deer Yala National Park, Sri Lanka
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Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus),
Yala National Park, Sri Lanka
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Join me on one of my next Adventure Photo Expeditions to Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia or Sri Lanka and a super special one in Nepal for April ’13. (please note: Nepal is only available upon special request, and all participants have to be reasonable fit and be able to travel on Horseback for days, there is also no luxury accommodation except in Kathmandu our start and finishing point.)
If you’re interested please CLICK HERE
Just one more...
Lovely old lady along the coastal road, Sri Lanka
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For all other 2012 and 2013 GD Photo Workshop/Adventure Travel calendar dates please CLICK HERE.
We have also updated my main Website (Home Page), added Bhutan, and changed some images from Nepal and Sri Lanka.
NEW SriLanka on PhotoShelter
GD
Part two; Vanishing Cultures & Tradition - rare photos of ceremonial & tribal Aboriginals from Arnhem Land, Australia.
The story behind the photos… Tribal Aboriginals from their sacred land in Arnhem Land to rare ancient rock art & burial ceremonies. (Part two)
Dreamtime… tribal elder, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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Seldom seen images that date back some 30 years, shot on Kodachrome and Ektachrome film, way before the digital age.
Going back in time…Dreamtime “forgotten” cultures and tradition of the Australian Aborigines,
Part two. Arnhem Land Northern Territory.
Please remember that I can't show all the photos I have in my archives, and I also had to keep the text brief, otherwise I end up with a Book.
There were many more images I saw, but could NOT record them in respect for the Aboriginals and their believes, recorded only with my eyes, but the memory still lives very deep inside of me.
“At times I am very contend to take home the memory, instead of pursuing the image, this in turn will gain you respect.”-GD-
Tribal elder in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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During the mid 80th I visited Arnhem Land and Kakadu National Park many times, and during the cause of my visits became friends with some Aboriginal tribal elders. I am grateful for their spiritual guidance that I got to know some places seldom visited by others.
But even more important, I learned how to take care of our environment and only take from the land what is needed to survive.
I like to thank my dear old friend “Nipper” for his friendship and trust for allowing me into areas normally not visited by any outsiders.
Hunting in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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Australia's Aboriginal culture probably represents the oldest surviving culture in the world, with the use of stone tool technology and painting with red ochre pigment dating back over 60,000 years.
Arnhem Land is strictly an Aboriginal Reserve located next to Kakadu National Park in the tropical north of Australia. Travel to outside persons is restricted and visitors must obtain an entry permit.
Mysterious Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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There are no paved roads and getting around is difficult most of the time but in particular during the wet season when rivers swell and flood the swampy marches. The rivers, swamps and billabongs are also abundant with the large Australian Salt Water Crocodiles and care should be taken when camping near waterways.
An alternative to Arnhem Land is to visit Kakadu National park, which is more accessible, and the Aboriginals left their mark here too, in particular at Obirri Rock, a fantastic gallery of detailed ancient rock art. Or a visit to the spectacular Jim Jim and Twin Waterfalls along the Arnhem Land Escarpment is just breathtaking.
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The Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across south and southeast Asia with a large population in Australia and is very common at “Yellow Waters” in Kakadu National Park.
A visit to Yellow Waters in Kakadu National Park is a must once in the area, a swamp (flood plains) with its amazing variety and abundant of wildlife, huge congregation of water fowls, white breasted sea eagles on trees, monitor lizards and saltwater crocodiles that make this area a haven for wildlife photographers.
The Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory have left a great legacy of their culture in the form of art that can be found in caves and rock overhangs where it is protected from the elements. One of the richest of these areas is in Kakadu National Park, the traditional lands of the Gagudju people, in the Top End, west Arnhem Land. There are superb examples of Rock Art in the galleries of Nourlangie Rock and Ubirr, where you can view them easily.
Selection of not so common rock-art in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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Compared to the arid region in Central Australia, it comes as no surprise with such an abundance of wildlife in the area that in ancient times the aboriginal artist had a lot of motives for their rock art. The area is not only a source of food but played an important role in their spiritual life “The Dreamtime”.
Ubirr, or Obiri Rock for example in the north east of Kakadu, has some of the finest examples of "X-ray art" in the world. The artist not only painted the outside but also the bones and internal organs of the animals, mostly fish like barramundi, but also turtles, birds and reptiles.
A rare detailed painting of an unusual "Hand stencil", more of a
painting then the commonly found Hand stencils.
Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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Hand Stencils are also common all over Australia and some can be dated to 50,000 years old. Aboriginal rock art was still being retouched during my visits in the 80th as seen in the photos from Arnhem Land, thus making it the world’s longest lasting artistic tradition at that time.
Aboriginal art in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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Detailed Bark painting from Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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Aboriginal rock art being retouched in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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A not so common rock-art in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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Dreamtime… Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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Rock-art in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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The “Ruined City” near the Roper River Aboriginal settlement in Arnhem Land is called also “ruined city of the Moon.” The Aboriginals call this place “Burrangie” the legendary home of giant people who live in the realm of dreamtime.
The “Ruined City” is considered and ultra-sacred Aboriginal site and is strictly off-limits to outsiders.
The "Ruined City" before sunrise in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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In the early 80th I was extremely lucky to gain permission from the tribal elders in visiting and exploring the area on foot for a couple of days. This is an amazing and eerie place and no wonder it is considered very sacred to the local Aboriginal tribe.
Burial Cave in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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After my visit to the “Ruined City” a burial ceremony took place a few days later at the Roper River aboriginal settlement and after some discussions with the Elders I was permitted to take part in this ceremony…well at least for the first part of the burial, an experience that I never forget.
As for the second part of the ceremony, the elders denied permission and no outsiders were allowed to take part, it is known as the most sacred part of the burial ceremony.
Burial ceremony Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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Burial ceremony Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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This is another important time for ceremonies on the death of a person, when people paint themselves white as seen in my photos, cut their own bodies to show their remorse for the loss of their loved one, and conduct a series of rituals, songs and dances to ensure the person’s spirit leaves the area and returns to its birth place, from where it can later be reborn.
Burial ceremony Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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Burial ceremony Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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Bathurst Island, home of the Tiwi people, just of the coast of Darwin the capital of the Northern Territory. The facial and body painting of the people here have been described as the most colorful and elaborate of any Australian group.
Bathurst Island - The decorations essentially relate to the Tiwi people occasions for major ceremonies, for example the pukumani (mortuary or burial) by painting their bodies with white clay and pulling out their beards.
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A deep red ochre is obtained from the oval polished red stones found on the beach, which are ground then mixed with water; yellow is obtained from a soft yellow ochre stone, also ground to a powder. (The Tiwi sometimes burn the yellow to produce red.) White is generally taken from a clay found all over the island, and black is obtained from charcoal.
Traditional food sources... Northern Territory, Australia
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Aboriginal women collecting fresh water turtles and File snakes in the vast swamps of the Northern Territory. (Freshwater streams and billabongs of the Northern Territory are home to the non-venomous file snakes; the Arafura file snake gets its name from its rough, baggy skin, which feels like a file. A nocturnal reptile, the Arafura file snake keeps in the shadows of overhanging trees during the day and forages for food during the night.)
Dingo running across the dry flood plains in
northern Australia, Northern Territory,
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The Australian Dingo plays an important role in Aboriginal society but they did not arrive in Australia with the first aboriginals some 60,000 years ago as previously thought.
They arrived some 6000 years ago in Australia and were then adopted by the native aboriginals. Dingo bones first appear in faunal deposits between about 3500 and 4000 BP.
Please Note: The following LINKS provided me with some information on the Australian Aboriginals; they are also a good source for further and more detailed reading. Thank You!
GD
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corroboree
http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/index.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-necked_Stork
http://ozoutback.com.au/Australia/rockartkakadu/index.html
http://www.janesoceania.com/australia_aboriginal_mythology/index1.htm
http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/religion.shtml
http://ozoutback.com.au/Australia/rockartkakadu/index.html
Vanishing Cultures & Tradition - part one; rare & historical photos of tribal Aboriginals from Central Australia
The story behind the photos… rare photos of tribal Aboriginals in their sacred
land from Central Australia (part one) & Arnhem Land, (part two) Australia
Corroboree - Central Australia,
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A journey through Australia’s past, “forgotten” cultures and tradition of the Australian Aborigines, a two-part series on this Blog.
Rare and seldom seen images that date back more than 30 years, taken on Kodachrome and Ektachrome film, way before the digital age, manipulation and Computers as we know it today.
Images that can never be repeated again, but still represent an important part of Australia’s Culture and Heritage for many years to come.
Part one and two will introduce you to some of these unique images with some explanation on the culture, history and some sacred sites. Please remember that I can't show all the photos I have in my archives and I had to keep the text brief, otherwise I end up with a Book.
Aboriginal Ceremony near Katherine south of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
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I was fortunately enough to experience some of this amazing culture first hand during the late 70th and mid 80th taken part in tribal ceremonies, visited remote areas in Central Australia, took part of a Burial Ceremony and traveled to sacred parts in Arnhem Land, northern Australia.
I also witnessed how Aboriginals would take care of our environment, taken only what they needed from the land, an important lesson that I treasure to this day.
Corroboree - At corroboree's Aborigines interact with the Dreamtime through dance, music and costume. Many ceremonies act out events from the Dreamtime. Many of the ceremonies are sacred and people from outside a community are not permitted to participate or watch. "Their bodies painted in different ways, and they wore various adornments, which were not used every day."
Traditional song and dance is very much a part of any Corroboree, using clap sticks or bilma
and of course the famous Australian Didgeridoo - Central Australia.
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Recent scientific evidence shows, Aborigines arrived in Australia more than 50,000 years ago and some traditions and beliefs are followed to this present day in remote parts of Arnhem Land.
Some color images (slides) had to be turned into black and white due their color fading over the years, however they still represent this unique culture through Australia’s past.
Central Australia, Corroboree
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Central Australia, Corroboree
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Women preparing themselves as part of a rare
Central Australian Corroboree by applying
elaborate body paint
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Indigenous Australians' oral tradition and spiritual values are based upon reverence for the land and a belief in the Dreamtime, The Dreaming is considered to be both the ancient time of creation and the present day reality of Dreaming. There are many different groups, each with their own individual culture, belief structure and language.
Aerial view of ULURU
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Tribal Elder at ULURU (Ayers Rock) Central Australia
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So lets start with part one and the most sacred site in Australia…Ayers Rock or know to the Aborigines as “ULURU”
Located in Central Australia in the outback is a massive slab of rock know to local Aboriginal tribes as Uluru. Year’s later western explorers named it Ayers Rock after an explorer and the name stuck. Aboriginal people believe Uluru is the origin of life and the center of the universe.
The word Uluru means, “the all-knowing and everlasting” this giant freestanding rock is indeed the most sacred site in Australia to the Aboriginal people and an awesome site for any visitor.
Aerial view of the OLGAS showing Ayers Rock in the distance,
Central Australia
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But there are so many other mystical places in the Center that played an important role for the Aboriginal Dreamtime, places like the Olgas some 30 miles west of Ayers Rock, remote and spectacular Kings Canyon, Palm Valley an Oasis in the desert, Chambers Pillar or Rainbow Valley just south of Alice Springs.
A rainbow over Rainbow Valley, a very rare event in the desert region of Central Australia.
This rock formation is actually called Rainbow Valley due to its coloring at the rock face.
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The remote but beautiful Palm Valley in the Alice Springs region of Central Australia
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The method of applying colored earth to the body varies depending on purpose. In most areas, before hunting, The men roughly smeared their bodies with ochre. In southern areas, white settlers' journals often mention the practice of smearing the whole body with earth, colored charcoal and animal fat, ostensibly to camouflage smell, but probably also to maintain body temperature.
Corroboree's can last over many days pending on the type of ceremony.
Central Australia
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Once a serious Corroboree has started it can go on all night,
Central Australia
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Very rare and historical image from 1974 during a Corroboree near Tennant Creek,
Central Australia. Located 500 km north of Alice Springs and 1000 km south of Darwin.
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Very rare and historical image from 1974 during a Corroboree near Tennant Creek,
Central Australia. Located 500 km north of Alice Springs and 1000 km south of Darwin.
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Very rare and historical image from 1974 during a Corroboree near Tennant Creek,
Central Australia. Located 500 km north of Alice Springs and 1000 km south of Darwin.
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In tropical areas, coating the skin with earth and fat kept sand flies and mosquitoes at a distance. Much has been said about the decorative and ritual functions of body painting. However, paint on the body has other uses less concerned with painted designs. Paint, specifically ochre, is applied to the body as a coating for protection in fighting.
Once a serious Corroboree has started it can go on all night
and can last over several days.Central Australia.
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Aborigine carrying a Bark painting as part of this particular dance ceremony - Corroboree.
Central Australia.
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Once a serious Corroboree has started it can go on all night,
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Stay tuned for part two, Vanishing Cultures and Tradition from the remote and sacred parts in Arnhem Land…the Ruined City and a special burial ceremony.
GD
Please Note: The following LINKS provided me with some of my research on the Australian Aboriginals, they are also a good source for further and more detailed information. Thank You!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corroboree
http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/index.shtml
http://www.janesoceania.com/australia_aboriginal_bodylivingart/index1.htm
http://www.janesoceania.com/australia_aboriginal_sites1/index1.htm
http://www.janesoceania.com/australian_aboriginal_music/index1.htm
APERTURE 2 & AUSTRALIA… reviving and restoring these old and very precious scanned images with Aperture 2.1 it is a lot easier then you think…
© Gunther Deichmann - restored images...for more and to compare images
click on the GD PhotoGallery upper left corner on this page.
Whenever I get the time I import some of my very old and scanned images into Aperture 2.1 some dating back 30 years. Due to age and storage condition a few have deteriorated somewhat…loss of color, fungus due to the tropical environment or just good old age.
I used to use Photoshop but now with Aperture 2 there is seldom the need for it and at the same time I can re-catalog them into my system with the Metadata. Restoring Images that are extremely rare in particular old traditional ceremonies with the Australian Aboriginals seldom practiced today. I apply a variety of tools and techniques to retouch the images covered in fungus, scratches etc. with the clone or repair tool, plus the Adjustment Panel gives me a ton of other adjustments to bring the images back to life.
You be amazed what Aperture 2 is capable off, including one of my favorites the Monochrome mixer, given you all the options for some cool looking Black & White images, some of these old images actually look better in Black & White.
I have incorporated a NEW GD PHOTO GALLERY on my blog page now, (upper left side) there you find a selection of images that have been treated in Aperture 2 comparing the original with the restored or converted image next to it. Now and then I upload images into the GD Photo Gallery for you to compare, a lot easier then showing them all on the Blog direct.
Please remember these are only low resolution Images.
This is not image manipulation, I am only restoring some old and precious photos that would have been lost or considered unusable for publications without altering the overall visual.
Most of these images had been scanned from slides a long time ago for preservation and archiving purpose, now we just go back in Time and fix what needs fixing nothing else.
Aperture 2.1 handles the tiff format real well and I have no problems importing files with over 56 MB in size.
However some of the adjustment tools in Aperture 2.1 cant be used since they have been designed to work only with the RAW image format, but this has not stopped me for doing most of my restorations in Aperture 2 now, archiving and bringing them back to life again.
GD
