Amateur photographer Maxim Russkikh trekked more than 75 miles into the forest in South Eastern Papua New Guinea to document the Korowai people – but was concerned by what he found.
On his journey he discovered a number of abandoned Korowai settlements – and only two occupied ones.
Maxim, from Moscow, believes missionary villages funded by the Indonesian government are trying to convert what they think are "primitive" tribes "living pitiful lives in the dark".
"Christian missionaries, who have been making contact with tribes for five hundred years, are still trying to do so today," he said.
"Korowai have managed to survive in the harsh environment of the rainforest over thousands of years keeping its traditional culture alive. And it seems like right now they are disappearing day by day."
The 36-year-old's riveting images show the tribe chopping wood, hunting and gathering and feeding their children, but Moscow-based Maxim is concerned this way of life is endangered.
Since the Korowai people were first discovered in 1974 they have been the subject of much media scrutiny, including from BBC documentary makers who were forced to admit that the "traditional" settlement on their programme had actually been created by them.
Korowai people live in clans that usually consist of two to three tree houses in one forest cleared site, with up to eight people living in the tree house at one time.
Maxim believes the threat to the Korowai does not come from media attention, but a push by Christians to convert the tribe.
"They are surrounded by the dozens of missionary villages supported by the Indonesian government with the only purpose to introduce the western culture and spiritual values," he said.
"Hundreds of Korowai have moved already from the jungles to newly constructed missionary settlements and more are coming.
"The missionaries think that the tribes are primitive and living pitiful lives in the dark and their ultimate aim is to convert them to Christianity."
The tribe are known to be super-strong hunter-gatherers who are skilled fishermen and horticulturalists and share everything to survive.
The strongest and oldest in the tribe are the most respected, though perhaps surprisingly, men and women have equal standing in society.
The Korowai have been reported to be cannibals but anthropologists suspect that it is is no longer practised.
Men in the tribe are said to go away for days at a time to hunt for rats, pigs, birds and fish, but they rely on a staple made from sago palm as well as bananas to survive.
Maxim believes it is vital that their unique way of life is protected.
"There are less than a hundred uncontacted small tribes around the world and they need to be protected by international law," he said.
"Uncontacted tribes are the most vulnerable people on earth, especially in West Papua, and they need to survive."
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