Jungle Child 2011

Klaus Kuegler, a linguist, travels with his Doris Kuegler and their three children into the tropical rainforest of Western New Guinea, Indonesia in 1979 to study the language of a newly discovered native tribe, the Fayu. The eight-year-old daughter Sabine Kuegler, Sina Tkotsch, quickly settles into the unfamiliar environment. Yet they soon realize they have arrived in the midst of a tribal feud whose battles they do not start, but which gradually draw them in.

Communication across cultures proves difficult, as both sides bring different values to love, hate, life, and death. What begins as curiosity slowly becomes mutual learning, and a cautious rapprochement develops as each side learns from the other, shaping a fragile harmony in a world where every action can tilt the balance.

One day, Sabine and her brother find the severely injured Auri, Emmanuel Simeon, and the family feeds him at home, an act that could tilt the balance toward war or peace between the tribes. Sabine and Auri immediately develop a deep bond, showing how personal friendship can bridge seemingly impossible divides.

Years later, when the family travels to Germany for a holiday, the sixteen-year-old Sabine confronts a world that feels foreign and far from the jungle life she knows. Their search for belonging and security becomes a journey of self-discovery as they question where home truly lies. Only after returning to the jungle does Sabine realize where her true home is.