Abundance: Living With A Forest, a powerful new documentary by UC Santa Cruz Anthropology Professor Dolly Kikon, has been selected for screening at the prestigious South Asia Film Festival in Nepal. The documentary, which explores the resilience of Indigenous communities in Nagaland, has garnered international recognition for its deep connection to ecological and cultural preservation in the region.
In the film’s opening moments, insects hum in the background as foragers make their way through a lush landscape in search of edible plants, setting the stage for a contemplative narrative. The film focuses on a way of life rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems and community practices, offering an intimate portrayal of the traditional agricultural practices and foraging techniques that sustain Nagaland’s Indigenous people.
Kikon, a native of Nagaland, has long been committed to documenting the challenges faced by her homeland, where modern agricultural practices, such as monocropping and land-use changes, threaten traditional ways of life. These changes are compounded by ongoing ceasefire agreements in the region, further imperiling the natural resources that Indigenous communities depend on.
The documentary follows the journey of Zareno, a Lotha forager from Khumtsü, as he gathers edible plants, ultimately tracing them to the marketplace in Wokha. Through Abundance, Kikon not only documents the profound connection between the people of Nagaland and their environment, but also advocates for a broader recognition and respect for Indigenous practices as a path toward ecological stewardship.
As one of the few films to address these issues from an Indigenous perspective, Abundance has been selected by an international jury for the South Asia Film Festival alongside other prominent films from Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and beyond. This marks a significant milestone for Kikon, following the success of her 2019 film Seasons of Life, which screened at five film festivals.
Beyond her filmmaking, Kikon is a passionate advocate for Indigenous rights and cultural preservation. She recently played a pivotal role in halting the auction of a 19th-century Naga human skull in England, a controversy that sparked international outcry and strong opposition from the Naga tribal community. As a member of the Return, Restore, and Decolonize (RRaD) initiative, Kikon has worked to promote the repatriation of Naga ancestral remains and has initiated community dialogues around these crucial issues.
In addition to her filmmaking and advocacy work, Kikon serves as the Director of the Center for South Asian Studies (CSAS) at UC Santa Cruz. She is also the author of several books, including Experiences of Naga Women in Armed Conflict: Narratives from a Militarized Society. In her academic and creative work, Kikon embraces a philosophy centered on care, courage, and justice.
(With inputs from the article written by Dan White at news.ucsc.edu for UC Santa Cruz)
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