World of the Mohana: The secret culture of Asia

For thousands of years, the Mohana people, known as the “bird fishermen,” have lived on the waters of a vast Asian lake, preserving a unique way of life shaped by nature, tradition, and survival. This captivating documentary follows the rivalry between two families competing to capture the lake’s most prized bird—the pelican.
Through ancestral customs, family honor, migration seasons, and hopes for reconciliation, discover a remarkable community whose destiny is tied to the rhythms of the water and the flight of birds. A stunning journey into one of the world’s most extraordinary cultures.
Director: Jérôme Cecil Auffret

00:00 The Mohana: fishermen at the end of the world
00:48 The pelican, the impossible bird to catch
01:04 Two families, one truth: who was there first?
01:42 Owning a pelican: a matter of honor
06:47 The lord of the waters: he owns every drop of the lake
08:17 Mohammed bets everything on a pelican — and loses everything else
11:59 The entire village holds its breath
14:43 Once friends, now enemies — no one knows why
20:19 The second pelican: the sons break the fathers' law
23:27 The final duel: Mohammed challenges Ramzan for the ultimate honor