Short Documentary Films About Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge

Visit the largest outdoor market in Sabah State, Malaysia. Tamu Besar takes place every Sunday morning in the mainly indigenous town of Kota Belud. It offers one of the best cultural experiences in the whole country.

A travel guide to the best destinations to visit indigenous people. Guatemala, Argentina, Laos, Mali and Mongolia are our top picks. From majestic Andean vistas to magnificant golden eagles, you'll see why.

The Mekong has the richest history and culture of all the great rivers. Travel downstream and learn about its ancient empires and kingdoms. Visit numerous communities to see how people live their daily lives. See why this unique area should be on your travel bucket list.

The Karo Batak are one of six related people from Sumatra, Indonesia. Spend a few days in their communities learning about their history, culture and modern life. Attend a traditional wedding where guests dance, give the newlyweds advice and, as a gift, a live hen. Watch our feature-length documentary, Indigenous Peoples of Southeast Asia.

One of the natural wonders of the world, Halong Bay off Vietnam's north coast should be on everyone's bucket list. Spend three days cruising the bay and learn about its history and its mythology.

The indigenous Akha people observe the spiritual beliefs of Animism more than any of their neighbors. Visit Akha communities and learn how these beliefs affect their daily life as they come into greater contact with the modern world. Watch our feature-length documentary, Indigenous Peoples of Southeast Asia.

The indigenous Lahu people are known as tiger hunters. They live in small villages in basic houses. Learn about their history, customs and folklore. See how rice plays a practical and spiritual role in their everyday lives. Watch our feature-length documentary, Indigenous Peoples of Southeast Asia.

The indigenous Quichua (Quechua) people pre-date the Inca Empire. They are among the few peoples living in both the Andes and the Amazon. Explore these dual cultures in two starkly contrasting regions and learn how similar they are despite having diverged centuries ago.

Southeast Asia was originally populated by many different peoples. Although many originated in the Tibetan Plateau, their journey took them to different parts of the region. Examine the timelines and the routes by which the region came to be populated. Watch our feature-length documentary, Indigenous Peoples of Southeast Asia.

The Payatas garbage dump in Manila, the Philippines was closed in 2017. Witness the inhumane conditions under which people once lived by scavenging garbage there.

Politicians argue about who caused the climate crisis and who should fix it. Learn how Iceland is already addressing climate change instead of waiting for consensus among world leaders.

Some migrants at the US southern border are indigenous Ixil Mayans. Visit Ixil communities to understand their motivation to risk all in taking the hazardous journey toward a better life. Watch our feature-length documentary, Ancient and Modern Mayan Peoples.

San Pedro La Laguna is a Tz'utujil Mayan community in Guatemala. Each year it honors the town's patron with the coronation of a new queen. Watch our feature-length documentary, Ancient and Modern Mayan Peoples.

Mongolia's national sport, wrestling, is practiced by all its ethnic groups. Witness a wrestling competition in a small, rural Kazakh community. Watch our feature-length documentary, The Last Kazakh Nomads of Mongolia.

The indigenous peoples of Southeast Asia have had customs for thousands of years. Examine the origins of these customs. Music, alcohol, and jewelry help define a people and their culture through these customs. Watch our feature-length documentary, Indigenous Peoples of Southeast Asia.

A people are pre-literate if no writing system has been invented for their language. A team of specialists was assigned to create new writing systems for Cambodia's indigenous languages. We were among the first to document their work. Watch our feature-length documentary, Indigenous Peoples of Southeast Asia.

Daily life for indigenous people in Southeast Asia is changing fast. Explore how these changes are impacting their culture. Watch our feature-length documentary, Indigenous Peoples of Southeast Asia.

The Mayan empire comprised multiple peoples in geographically diverse areas. They were often at war with each other. Watch a historical overview of their timeline and eventual decline. Watch our feature-length documentary, Ancient and Modern Mayan Peoples.

Ruk'u'x (meaning "heart" in Mayan Kaqchikel) is a Guatemalan arts festival. Watch live performances including indigenous musicians and actors in an ancient Mayan ritual. Watch our feature-length documentary, Ancient and Modern Mayan Peoples.

In rural Kazakh communities, wealth is measured by livestock — including horses. Watch a horse slaughtered and butchered in preparation for a boy's coming-of-age ritual. Watch our feature-length documentary, The Last Kazakh Nomads of Mongolia.

The Kazakh train golden eagles to hunt. In winter, they roam the Altai Mountains hunting for small animals, from whose fur they make clothes. Spend a day with two hunters and their eagles. Watch our feature-length documentary, The Last Kazakh Nomads of Mongolia.

View daily life in three different Guatemalan Mayan communities. The Itza: Lake Peten. The Poqomchi: San Cristobal Verapaz. The Kaqchikel and Tzutujil: Panajachel. Watch our feature-length documentary, Ancient and Modern Mayan Peoples.

Many Kazakh people are nomads. For most of the year they live in tents called gers (yurts), which they erect very fast. Using timelapse video, we see them erect a ger in just 4 minutes. Watch our feature-length documentary, The Last Kazakh Nomads of Mongolia.

Most of Mesoamerican history is about the Mayans. But they weren't the only ancient people to flourish there. We chronicle the rise and fall of other ancient Mesoamerican peoples. Watch our feature-length documentary, Ancient and Modern Mayan Peoples.

Before the Inca and the Spanish, the Andes had a thriving indigenous population. The region's indigenous music has survived. See how modern musicians preserve the traditional style, blending it with modern influences.

Mayan knowledge of astronomy, mathematics and engineering was far in advance of Europe. We explain their calendars and their counting systems to reveal this ancient wisdom. Watch our feature-length documentary, Ancient and Modern Mayan Peoples.

In 2017 the Alma Kuk Golden Eagle Association held its first festival during a freezing day. It is now a regular fixture of the Kazakh cultural calendar. Watch our feature-length documentary, The Last Kazakh Nomads of Mongolia.

West Africa is rich in traditional "tribal dancing." The music, chanting, movement and costumes have indigenous knowledge embedded within them. See dance performances by the Dogon, Mandinka and Jola peoples.

Gandhi used salt to defeat the British Empire. Visit indigenous Afar salt miners in the Danakil Depression, Horn of Africa — the hottest inhabited place on Earth. They mine the salt using hand tools and transport it by spectacular camel caravans.