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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