strike a pose befitting of any catwalk supermodel . Her family laughs and encourages the photo shoot , I give her the thumbs up , and she beckons for more . It ’ s an encounter like no other , I can ’ t help but wonder where she learned about posing in such a way , then I notice the mobile phone . Oh , yes , despite the simplicity of the life here in Taka every adult seems to have the latest phone , no doubt influenced heavily by neighbouring China and the Tik Tok craze .
I bid farewell to my tea making friend as we are encouraged to head back to camp , a local schoolyard playing host to an array of tents , our last night in the area , a chance to reflect on the encounters .
A commotion comes with the morning dawn . Beyond the wall of our camp a number of local people are excitedly preparing something , men on one side , women and children on the other . We venture forth and discover a collection of trinkets , instruments and religious artifacts . The crowd continues to build , people on foot coming from Taka and the closer hamlet of more affluent homes .
An electricity fills the air , something exciting is happening . People point and whisper , we are no longer the centre of the excitement , three men , smoking the local tobacco , drinking the clear whisky , and preparing some sort of ritual have stolen the limelight . It ’ s unclear what is happening yet indications are that it is something extremely important .
The strangers are beckoned forward , we are now part of the excitement . We are asked to sit , and the village people look on expectantly , do they want us to participate or are they questioning our faith ?
The men are shaman and we are now part of their ritual . For some in our group it is an uncomfortable request , perhaps challenging their
TRAVERSE 142