In the South Pacific between Australia and Fiji lies a small island that has been untouched by modernity, highways or high-rises. On Vanuatu’s remote Tanna Islands, survival is a daily adventure, and ancient customs are still observed with pride.
Hayden Turner, an Australian conservationist and Hayden Turner presenter, embarks on a journey that will take them deep into the jungles of Tanna Island. They’ll also learn about the history of humanity. Turner’s journey with the tribe is more than just an observation of life. He’s also experiencing a way of life that humanity used to embrace: hunting for survival.
What he discovers is a profound lesson on biology, geography and humanity.
A World where the hunt is life: The Manhunt Education Worksheet
For the Namal people, hunting is more than a sport. It is a matter of survival. Each hunt determines if the community will eat that night. The stakes are high, the skills are ancient, and lessons learned will last a lifetime.
Hayden Turner is faced with challenges that most people could not imagine. He follows Namal Hunter’s every day through slippery riverbanks and steep tree climbs. Turner finds it a challenge. For Namal, it’s a second nature.
What are their tools? No GPS or rifles. Instead, bamboo traps and deep ecological understanding.
They’re not only hunting animals. Turner reflects that they’re reading the land like a family book,”.
This isn’t primitive living. This is intentional, intelligent and sustainable living, honed for thousands of years.
Geography on the Move: Where is Tanna Island located?
Tanna Island is a part of the island nation of Vanuatu, located in the South Pacific Ocean. The island is located approximately 2,000 km northeast of Brisbane in Australia. Vanuatu’s capital is Port Vila on the island of Efate. Tanna, however, remains more rural and traditional.
Vanuatu has a modest population, around 300,000. However, it is rich in culture and boasts more than 100 languages the highest linguistic density in the world. Tanna’s people are Melanesian, and many communities like the Namal continue to live harmoniously with the land.
Mount Yasur is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The Namal revere this fiery mountain, rather than fearing it. The Namal make a pilgrimage to Mount Yasur when they need strength for hunting. This ritual highlights the spiritual ecology that is woven into the lives of the hunters.
Weapons of the Wild – Engineering by Instinct
Each hunt in Tanna is a masterclass of applied science and engineering.
When hunting wild pork, which is a dangerous, intelligent and evasive prey, hunters craft customised spears that are tailored to the height and reach of each hunter. These aren’t weapons that have been mass-produced. These are extensions of the human body that were designed with ergonomics long before the term was even coined.
Tracking prints, reading broken branches, and mud patterns are all part of the process. The Namal can tell the difference between a new track and an old one, with the same ease as we scroll through our phone.
Then, there are Flying Foxes, which are a delicacy in the area and can only be hunted for six months. To hunt them, hunters must climb trees up to 20 meters high and reach platforms in the canopy. Hunters use their spears to launch from such dizzying heights. They show amazing coordination and courage.
By only hunting part of the year, they allow the flying fox populations to recover. This was a natural conservation method that was in use long before the term “sustainable” became popular.
Science in the Jungle – Learning from the Land
Science education is often based on controlled experiments and laboratory reports. On Tanna, however, science is experienced in real-time.
Namal’s knowledge of animal behaviour and ecosystem dynamics, as well as weather patterns, rivals that of many biologists. It must Their lives depend on it.
Their lifestyle is a perfect example of scientific thinking: observation, hypothesis experimentation.
Their tools are still minimal. No satellite data. No digital thermometers. No digital thermometers. Just generations of oral learning and practice.
A Classroom without Walls
Man Hunt goes beyond a documentary. It’s also a geography and science lesson. The film is a great resource for educators, students and anyone interested in our shared human history. It opens up a window to a world where survival requires an intimate relationship with the natural environment.
The curriculum links are rich in layers:
For Primary School Students:
- Understanding environmental diversity
- Explore traditional lifestyles, resource usage, and
- Learn how culture influences human interactions with ecosystems
For Secondary School Students:
- Investigating sustainable living models
- Understanding the Science of Hunting Tools and Techniques
- Exploring the human-environment relationship in time and space
Students can compare different environments through the lens of geography: How does living on an island like a volcano differ from a large city such as Sydney or Auckland? How do ecosystems sustain life differently?
Students can learn about materials, forces and animal biology through science. For example, why are some tools better suited for hunting flying animals than swimming ones? What adaptations have animals made to avoid predators?
Lessons on Sustainability
The Namal provide a completely different perspective in a world that is so removed from the source of the food we eat.
They only hunt what they need. They follow a natural cycle. They use cultural and ritual rules to guide their behaviour, not just convenience.
A hunter told Turner that if they hunted the flying fox for a whole year, there would be none left. What would our children then eat?
This is a question that resonates beyond Tanna. How often do you ask yourself: Is this sustainable? Is it necessary?
The Namal have lived in harmony with nature for centuries.
A Tale of Two Lives
Imagine for a minute the life of a Namal girl or boy.
They awaken in a home with thatch, surrounded by forests. The food is not in the fridge, but in the bush, trees and streams. They may be asked to help prepare for a hunting trip, gather firewood or learn from elders about how to read a forest.
Compare that to a typical Western kid. The day may start with cartoons and toast, then a run to school, indoor classes and homework in the evening. Their food comes in a package. They get their energy from outlets and not volcanoes.
It is not better to live in one place or another. One is more in touch with nature.
What can we learn from?
Hayden Turner, through Man Hunt, connects viewers to a past we’ve largely forgotten. Instead of romanticising the world, this documentary encourages us to better understand it. To learn from. To Rethink Our Assumptions About Progress, Sustainability, and Survival.
It’s a good reminder to students that science and geography are not only academic subjects. These are living, breathing disciplines found in every corner of our planet, in every community and every culture.
The film and the accompanying learning activities are a great way for educators to bring these topics to life. The students aren’t only learning about Tanna, they’re also asking how people live there. What are the challenges they face? What are their solutions?
Classroom Activities: Engaging Young Explorers
Manhunt is a great teaching tool for primary and secondary schools. Here are a few examples of how it can be used to support curriculum outcomes.
Upper Primary Learning Orientation
- Learn about the diverse cultures and environments of the world.
- Learn about traditional ecological knowledge and how to sustainably use it.
- Maps, drawings and narratives can be used to visually and verbally communicate findings
A Book Sitting on the Table
Junior Secondary Education Focus
- Understanding human-environment interaction over time
- Real-life examples of sustainability will help you to understand the concept.
- Make informed decisions using scientific and geographical inquiry
Final Reflections – A World Apart but Deeply Connected
Man is a story that is full of contrasts. It’s a tale about modernity and tradition, city life versus rural, convenience vs. need. It’s also a story of connection – to the land, food, ancestors and the future.
Namal people remind us what it means to live in awareness, respect and purpose. The hunts of the Namal are more than just survival. They are also ceremonies of patience, knowledge, and purpose.
They challenge us most to examine our own lives, and ask: