Indigenous Maniq Weigh Future Between Forest Life and Modern Thai Society

TaiwanPlus News

The Maniq, one of Thailand’s last hunter-gatherer communities, are weighing their traditional nomadic lifestyle against the demands of modern society. Conservation rules have turned their ancestral forests into protected zones, limiting land rights and banning hunting, even though studies show Maniq hunting is sustainable and benefits biodiversity. Community members now live closer to mainstream Thai society as they seek stable housing, schooling, and income opportunities. Their struggle reflects a wider debate over Indigenous land use and cultural rights across the region, from Indonesia to Taiwan.

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00:00In the forests of Thailand, an indigenous Manik hunter stalks a monkey.

00:08As a member of one of the country's last hunter-gatherer groups, he's carrying on a

00:14centuries-old tradition, one that faces an uncertain future. Like many indigenous

00:22communities around the world, the Manik faced change. The Thai government made

00:27their forests a conservation zone, and laws now limit private land ownership and

00:32make hunting illegal. As Thailand develops, the Manik people must increasingly

00:38choose between their traditional nomadic lifestyle and a modern one with access to

00:43education and health care.

00:51Having a house is important because a structure like this breaks down easily, so we can't live in it for long.

00:57I want a house or a hut that I could occupy for a long time.

01:02For centuries, the Manik have roamed the Malay Peninsula, moving with the seasons and

01:08searching for food. Today, most of their community has moved to the edges of forests,

01:14closer to mainstream Thai society.

01:18For the Manik people, we've entered a transitional stage. We're transitioning from the

01:23traditional Manik who live off the forest to now we're not like that. We're living a new

01:28way of life. We send our kids to school and expenses follow. So we want land where we can

01:33make a living out of it.

01:35Manik hunting has transitioned from a main food source to an important cultural practice. And while

01:41studies suggest it is sustainable and helps biodiversity, it's now barred by environmental protection laws.

01:49It's not just the Manik people. Everybody needs to abide by the law equally. Everyone needs to

01:58adhere to the 2019 Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act within the wildlife conservation area, which

02:05doesn't permit collecting forest resources, hunting or encroaching an area where one doesn't have an

02:11ownership of. There are loopholes. Indigenous communities in Thailand can receive 20-year permits to use and

02:20harvest the land they live on. While some argue this makes them temporary residents on their own land,

02:27others see it as a reasonable compromise. They may not get ownership of a land, but they will get

02:36rights to utilize the land, which will also apply to their descendants. They can use it according to

02:42their traditional way of life, and at the same time they'll help preserve the land. This way they can

02:48live inside the conservation area. This is the way out. Giving them ownership of a plot of land is not the solution.

02:58The debate over the rights of small Indigenous groups to harvest their land

03:03is part of a much larger debate over Indigenous rights happening in the region. In Indonesia,

03:09mining is polluting the Hangana Manyawas rivers.

03:14And in Taiwan, widely popular laws on gun ownership, conservation, and animal rights conflict with laws

03:22protecting traditional Indigenous ways of life. And while the issue is a global one, for those it affects,

03:29it's deeply personal. I want to continue living in the forest, but I've already come down to study,

03:38and I have to move forward. I want my mom to be happy. I want her to have income.

03:43As Duan and others in her community transition to a different way of life, they join Indigenous

03:49groups all over the world, navigating changes brought on by a distant central government,

03:55even as they navigate the land they once called home. Howard Tung and Zalan Chata for Taiwan Plus.

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