Myanmar's indigenous people use ancestral customs to fight for land

Indigenous people in south-eastern Myanmar want to stop poachers, loggers and agribusinesses from laying waste to the globally significant wilderness of Tanintharyi, home to threatened species like tigers and Asian elephants. Photos: dpa

From tying umbilical cords to sacred trees to paying homage to spirits before a hunt, indigenous people in south-eastern Myanmar are tapping ancestral customs to protect the pristine forests they call home.

The rituals are part of an in-depth plan to stop poachers, loggers and agribusinesses from laying waste to the globally significant wilderness of Tanintharyi, which is home to threatened species like tigers and Asian elephants.