What if these are the last forest whispers?

Following the footsteps of the Mikea people through the dry forests of southwest Madagascar, we were given a rare glimpse into a way of life shaped by deep reciprocity with the land. The Mikea live with an ethic of enoughness – never taking more than they need, always listening to the rhythms of nature. In a world driven by extraction and excess, their presence offers a quiet, powerful lesson in humility, adaptability, and care.

But the forest is shrinking. What we witnessed were not untouched traditions, but the last traces of a way of life under pressure. Many Mikea now live in small villages at the forest’s edge, their nomadic lifestyle increasingly challenged by deforestation, political neglect, and policies that threaten their autonomy. Their knowledge - and their home – is disappearing. And yet, their way of being in, with, and as forest shone through: in their eyes, their movement, their words - and their silences.