Forest of the Dancing Spirits

"In the beginning, women lived apart, unaware of the existence of men. Until one day, when the first woman, Toli, who was brave and adventurous traveled deep into the forest. Toli discovered solitary creatures with big muscles who knew how to climb trees and harvest wild honey. When Toli tasted their honey, she thought they should all live together...." That is how one of the creation stories of the Akka people from the tropical rainforest of the Congo Basin goes. Akaya, Kengole, Dibota and their friends and family are hunters-gatherers (and also great story-tellers) who guide us through their world. They explain their origins, myths, and the very spiritual meaning of life. The film follows their unique community life as it unfolds over many years. We experience the practice of their spirituality in the most difficult situations. Their religion is playful and highly creative in dealing with deeply serious matters of life and death, and may be the oldest human religion practiced on eart