Humanity may be losing half of its intellectual, social and spiritual legacy in a single generation, as the world loses a reported one language about every two weeks. Light at the Edge of the World examines this distressing truth, tracking four indigenous cultures, each uniquely dedicated to the preservation of their customs in the face of modernization: Inuit, Nepali Buddhist, pan-Andean and Polynesian.

Light at the Edge of the World follows National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and celebrated author Wade Davis from his spiritual trek through the Himalayas of Nepal to a thrilling Inuit polar bear hunt expedition in Canada as part of this four-part series. Davis experiences the art of Wayfinding – an ancient Polynesian navigation technique using wave “fingerprints” and the stars, and accompanies a Peruvian village to a mystical mountain for one of the largest festivals of the year.

Along the way, Davis explores how these cultures have withstood pressures of the modern world and addresses some of the biggest issues threatening their lifestyle today. If the world’s climate change robs the Inuit of polar bears – one of their primary food sources – how will their historic hunting tradition continue to survive? Conversely, while some cultures struggle to hold onto their ways of life, the pan-Andeans of South America seem to flourish, with attendance at their Qyollur Rit’i festival increasing significantly over the years. As Davis poignantly highlights, these cultures are not failed attempts at being modern, but unique answers to the fundamental question: what does it mean to be human?