Indigenous Body Painting 

Natural Pigments & Dyes

Xingu body painting is highly developed among the Xingu native tribes. Note how his hair is colored red with a paste made from seeds of the annatto (urucum) tree. A black dye is made from fruit of the genipap (genipapo) tree. The butterfly design is a common theme in the Xingu and abstract swallowtail butterfly designs can be seen on both his face and chest. Female body painting is also ubiquitous in the Xingu region with both women and girls commonly decorating their bodies with various natural pigments and dyes.