In 2007, photographer Adrain Chesser went to a traditional Native American ceremony called the Naraya when he was having a tough time in the wake of his mother's death.
While there, Chesser became acquainted with Finisia Medrano and J.P. Hartsong, who both lived as hunter-gatherers in the Great Basin, a part of the United States encompassing parts of Nevada, Utah, Oregon, and California.
“When I heard they were living this wild and free existence, my head exploded,” Chesser told me.
Chesser moved to Seattle so he could regularly visit the duo, who had begun to gather a group of people who were also committed to living a free existence in the wild. Before long, Chesser had spent six years following and documenting them and similar groups. Chesser says the experience changed his life.
With the help of Native American ritualist Timothy White Eagle, Chesser collected the work into a new book called “The Return.” Chesser shared a number of the photos with us here, and you can see the rest in the book or at his website.
J.P. Hartsong, Finisia Madrano, and their group live nomadically and travel according to the seasons.
The group, which calls itself Coyote Camp, travels along a centuries-old Native American route known as “The Hoop” (for its circular nature) that passes through Idaho, Nevada, California, and Oregon.
Coyote Camp travels in accordance with the harvest times for edible plants indigenous to the areas. They harvest roots such as breadroot, camas root, and bitterroot in the spring and summer; berries in the late summer; and acorns in autumn.
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