Hidden Compass: The Podcast

People of the Forest

• Season 1 • Episode 1

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Welcome to the first episode of the first season of Hidden Compass, The Podcast! Join Hidden Compass co-founders and podcast co-hosts Sabine K. Bergmann and Sivani Babu as they bring you stories from their award-winning magazine, and go behind the scenes with each storyteller to see what inspired them to venture to the frontiers of courage and curiosity. Season 1’s theme is “In Pursuit of Phantoms.”


This episode’s story is “People of the Forest” by the the über-talented photographer and writer Hayli Nicole. She speaks with Sabine and Sivani about the allure of the rainforest and our responsibility to protect the places and the individuals we love. But first, sit back and journey with us, as deep in the jungles of Sumatra, Hayli searches for the vanishing “People of the Forest.”


Guest: Hayli Nicole is an award-winning photographer, poet, and writer with roots in California, even as she travels the world. Whether it’s riding a motorbike through Vietnam, jumping out of an airplane, or walking the Camino del Norte in Spain, she believes there is always a story to be found. Check out Hayli’s website at https://www.haylinicole.com/ and her Hidden Compass profile at www.hiddencompass.net/journalist/hayli-nicole. You can also find her on Instagram: https://instagram.com/haylicans


Story: “People of the Forest” first appeared in the autumn 2019 issue of Hidden Compass as a photo feature in our Portrait department. It won silver at the 15th Annual Solas Awards in Adventure Travel, and was a Notable Mention in the 2020 edition of The Best American Travel Writing. See the full story, with its incredible photos, here: www.hiddencompass.net/story/people-of-the-forest.

In this episode, we spoke several times about the palm oil crisis. To learn more, visit https://orangutan.org/rainforest/the-effects-of-palm-oil/.

Hidden Compass, The Magazine: If you like the stories you hear on this podcast, you’ll love our magazine, which brings you more stories, alongside stunning photography and bespoke artwork. And you get to be a part of it! See the faces and hear the voices of the people behind our stories, and help us forge an alliance to turn storytellers and explorers into heroes and champion a new age of discovery. Learn more at hiddencompass.net, and sign up for our newsletter here.