Discovery Channel Showcases The Explorations Of Bruce Parry And Going Tribal For A Second Season
New Season Immerses Viewers in Ethiopia With Tribal Warriors/ Tribal Chiefs and Nomadic Cattle Herders
On Tuesday, May 2 at 9:00 PM (ET /PT), Discovery Channel′s GOING TRIBAL takes viewers to extreme, uncharted locations in Africa as former Royal Marines commander Bruce Parry provides a fresh perspective of the human experience by illuminating the disappearing cultures of the continent′s ancient tribes and examining their adventurous lifestyles and dangerous rituals.
Parry′s gets up close and personal, living side-by-side with the Nyangatom, Hamar and Dassennach tribes, profiling and celebrating the extraordinary way of life led by these people. He offers an intimate and knowledgeable view of how they have maintained their culture while surviving in the wilderness.
"Bruce brings the wonders of these people to us in an extraordinary way, a way that helps us understand a completely different and important way of life," said Jane Root, executive vice president and general manager of Discovery Channel. "Each episode of GOING TRIBAL presents the extraordinary knowledge and imagery of hidden parts of the world that are the hallmark of Discovery Channel′s global programming."
Episode One kicks off with Bruce returning to visit the Suri tribe, his hosts from last season. After an emotional reunion with old friends, Bruce announces his intention to travel south through the Omo Valley to visit the Nyangatom tribe, archenemies of the Suri. The Nyangatom, also known as the Bume, are one of the most feared of the Omo people.
Bruce walks into Nyangatom country to discover more about these warlike people. They live in a barren, harsh landscape on the Sudanese border, having to dig for over 7 feet to collect water. There is little land for grazing the livestock that they depend upon. They are surrounded by enemies on all sides, raiding and counter-raiding each other for livestock.
For the Nyangatom men, strength is essential for survival and viewers are immersed into the tribe′s culture. In order to truly become one of the Nyangatom, Bruce must prove himselfhe must make a sacrifice to the elders. Bruce becomes a warrior by spearing his own cow and then drinking the cow′s clotted blood.
Next stop is the Hamar people. They live in the hills where the land is fertile. The Hamar culture is rich, known for its spectacular celebrations, dancing and adornments. At this time of year, after the harvest, the Hamar hold extraordinary initiation ceremonies for their young men. The celebration involves the tribes′ young men (and Bruce!) running naked across a line of bulls. For the young men who successfully complete the ceremony, they have signaled to their elders that they are now ready to go out in the world and find a mate to marry, start a family and passing along the special traditions of the Hamar. At the same time, another group of men whip the women with sticks, raising bloody welts across their backs. But what′s even more surprising is that the women taunt them to be whipped more, believing this represents the pain of love.
In Episode Three, Bruce goes to live with the Dassennach people, one of the few tribes who do not herd cattle. Bruce joins them in the deadly business of hunting huge crocodiles with a wooden harpoon and is rewarded with a dramatic and violent climax.
GOING TRIBAL kicks off Tuesday, May 2, from 9:00 PM, with the one-hour Nyangatomi Hamar premieres the following Tuesday, May 9, from 9:00 - 10:00 PM and the series concludes Tuesday, May 16, with Dassennach from 9:00 - 10:00 PM (all times (ET/PT).
About Bruce Parry
In the Royal Marines, Parry specialized as a physical training instructor and became the youngest ever officer in charge of all physical aspects of Royal Marines Commando Training.
During his service, he also served in arctic Norway and on operations in Iraq before leaving as a Lieutenant after six years of service.
As an expeditioner, Parry has personally organized and led over 15 major expeditions to various extreme parts of the world and has extensive remote experience in the desert, jungle and mountains. Parry hosted BBC′s EXTREME LIVES: CANNIBALS AND CRAMPONS, an award-winning film about his journey into the heart of Irian Jaya, and he recently appeared in an award-winning kids′ series, SERIOUS JUNGLE.
