Indonesian Indigenous Peoples: Guardians Of The Forest

Only when the last tree has died,
And the last river been poisoned,
And the last fish been caught,
Will we realise we cannot eat money.

– Cree Indian Proverb.

This film shares the fears, hopes and wisdom of the Indigenous peoples of Indonesia who rely on the forest for their livelihood.

The Indonesian forest is still the largest remaining on our planet and accounts for almost 60% of the nation’s land area.

The cultivation of natural forest for Palm oil, coal and plantations is responsible for the destruction of nearly 1 million hectares per year.

Forest destruction is a major contributor to climate change. Indonesia is now the third largest polluter in the world, after the US and China.

Across Indonesia, representatives of indigenous peoples agree on the importance of forests. They have proven themselves to be the faithful guardians of Indonesian forests.

Without the forest to provide, many of these communities simply cannot exist.

Now is the time, says this film, to return the land to the Indigenous people to not just save their own future, but the whole planet.

A film by Telapak and Gekko Studio
Supported by Siemenpuu Foundation

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