Tatiana Cardeal

Cacique Nambikwara, Indigenous Meeting of Tribal People, Betioga, Brazil

Tatiana Cardeal is an immensely talented humanitarian photographer based in São Paulo. She has worked with numerous NGOS and publications internationally. In Tatiana’s words Cacique means the Indian tribal chief. He is the leader of the “People from the Ashes”, and he emphasized it to me when I asked permission before taking his portrait. They have a special ritual for this nose piercing. They do it to mark the puberty’s masculine passageway, where the boy should show courage, firmness and spiritual power. I looked to this photo more then a hundred times. First, I’m still asking why he was looking to me so deep. Second, I just can’t believe that I did this…

We should all be grateful that she did. Stay tuned for an extended interview with Tatiana to read more about her various projects and the ways that her life and work are linked.