While Koyaanisqatsi focused on the modern life in industrial countries, Powaqqatsi, which similarly has no dialogue, focuses more on the conflict in third world countries between traditional ways of life and the new ways of life introduced with industrialization. The title is from the Hopi Indian for "sorcerer who lives at the expense of others" and "life," resulting in a word meaning approximately "a way of life which consumes other ways of life to remain alive."
As with Koyaanisqatsi and the third and final part of the 'Qatsi' trilogy, Naqoyqatsi, the film is strongly related to (and dependent on) its soundtrack, written by Philip Glass. Here, human voices (especially children's and mainly from South America and Africa) appear more than in Koyaanisqatsi, in harmony with the film's message and images.