Photos

In the early morning, as Tafi Atome stirred from its slumber, a group of mona monkeys were already descending upon the small village in search of food. A celebration had occurred the night before, and the small population of roughly 500 were overtaken by deafening music and wild dance. But as the morning sun swathed the mud dwellings of the village in fresh light, only the trees rustled with movement as monkeys surveyed the scene for a morning meal.

The villagers in this jungle village express no hostility to the raiding primates, who draw a trickle of visitors to the otherwise sleepy and uninteresting place. Tourists, in turn, mean revenue for the village and a means of keeping the community healthy and prosperous. Scraps of food are the only fee the monkeys demand in return.