“Diversity of cultures represents the differences existing between factors around the world. Some traditions and cultures have survived for thousands of years but now, within a single generation everything can disappear. I feel very lucky to be one of the last witnesses of such diversity.

My passion has lead me to travel to the most remote parts of the African and Asian continents, capturing people’s traditions and cultures before they pass away. In recent years I have focused my research on the oldest indigenous tribes, their diversities, locations and habits – With an emphasis on their traditional and esthetic features.”

– Mattia Passarini has been living in Asia since 2006, documenting some of the little-known cultures that populate the area. His passion for photographing the habits, rituals, and traditions of disappearing cultures earned him the 2016 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year title.