NEPAL
August, 2014
 
The Raute are a nomadic indigenous ethnic group officially recognized by the Government of Nepal. They are known for subsistence hunting of langur and macaque monkeys and regularly gather wild forest tubers, fruits, and greens. To obtain essentials such as rice, iron, cloth, and jewelry, they carve wooden bowls and boxes to trade with local farmers. They do not sell other forest products, bushmeat, or medicinal plants.
There are approximately 150 nomadic Raute who, as recently as 2016, still chose to maintain their traditional lifestyle. The government of Nepal has allowed them to cut down small trees in state-run forests for poles needed to erect their tents, which sometimes creates tension with the local population. The Raute move from place to place, typically spending no more than 4 to 5 months in one location and often just a few days, in search of better water sources or villages where they can trade their wood products for food staples.
 
Between February 2014 and October 2015, I traveled the world continuously without going home. At the end of the trip, I published my first book, Walking Around, written in Portuguese. Since then, I have been working as a travel leader and photographer.