Hunters & Gatherers

Explora Live Report

The rainforests of Southeast Asia are home to some of the world's last hunter-gatherer societies. With them there are no leaders, no property, no gods, and neither past nor future. Social researcher Khaled Hakami learns their language and experiences a culture shock that couldn't be more surprising, funny, and startling. His multi-award-winning story shakes the foundations of Western values and beliefs.

Humans have spent 95 percent of their history as hunter-gatherers, but in two generations at the latest, this form of society will no longer exist. Their nomadic life in the rainforests of the Malay Peninsula knows no social, political or economic inequality, neither between men and women, nor between children and adults. The cliché of primitive Stone Age man does not apply to them any more than the romantic idea of indigenous life in harmony with nature. But how does a society function without hierarchy, without possessions, without social institutions and without complex technologies? What is daily life like in a world that does not go beyond the boundaries of the rainforest? What do hunter-gatherers think about the "strange creatures" from industrialized countries that do not find their way in the rainforest and therefore offer pure entertainment?

Khaled Hakami, macrosociologist at the University of Vienna, won the 1st prize at the Discovery Days in Flims with his presentation. His story is so exciting and explosive that it was talked about for days after the festival. He not only tells about the hunter-gatherers, but also transfers their everyday life and values to our Western society again and again with a lot of wit. Laughter and amazement are just as inevitable as surprise and horror. An Explora highlight that captivates every visitor with unique stories and despite few pictures and will not be forgotten for years.

Please note that in the second part of the lecture, sensitive moral issues will be discussed. Age recommendation: from 14 years