Doomed Paradise

Over the years, Swiss photographer Tomas Wüthrich has visited Borneo many times to document the daily life of the Penan, a partially nomadic indigenous people living in the rainforest of Borneo. The way of life that these hunter-gatherers lead in the Sarawak state of Malaysia is critically threatened by illegal logging and oil palm plantations. The Penan people came to the world s attention thanks to Swiss-born environmental activist Bruno Manser, who disappeared in the jungle without trace in the year 2000 while campaigning for the Penan cause. In this book, Wüthrich paints a nuanced portrait of this unique culture. A selection of Penan myths, collected by Ian Mackenzie are published for the first time alongside Wüthirch s photographs. An essay on Bruno Manser and his mission for the Penans case completes the book. Text in English, German and Penan.