Browse Titles - 52 results
Ati-atihan Lives
directed by Patrick Alcedo (Alexandria, VA: York University, 2012), 55 mins
This documentary, by ethnographer Patrick Alcedo, is about the Ati-atihan festival.
Sample
directed by Patrick Alcedo (Alexandria, VA: York University, 2012), 55 mins
Description
This documentary, by ethnographer Patrick Alcedo, is about the Ati-atihan festival.
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Patrick Alcedo
Author / Creator
Patrick Alcedo
Date Published / Released
2012
Publisher
York University
Topic / Theme
Filipino, Jesus Christ, Saints, Religious beliefs, Religious conversions, Cultural identity, Local customs, Folklore, Myths and legends, Fairs and festivals, Ethnography, Filipinos
Copyright Message
Copyright 2012. Used by permission of Patrick Alcedo. All rights reserved.
×
Barrie Machin's Greece, Episode 40, Mnimosino Nine Month Memorial Service July 1979
directed by Barrie Machin, fl. 1972; produced by Barrie Machin, fl. 1972, in Barrie Machin's Greece, Episode 40 (Privately Published, 2018), 16 mins
This video, by Barrie Machin, shows nine month memorial service.
Sample
directed by Barrie Machin, fl. 1972; produced by Barrie Machin, fl. 1972, in Barrie Machin's Greece, Episode 40 (Privately Published, 2018), 16 mins
Description
This video, by Barrie Machin, shows nine month memorial service.
Date Written / Recorded
1979
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Barrie Machin, fl. 1972
Author / Creator
Barrie Machin, fl. 1972
Date Published / Released
2018
Publisher
Privately Published
Series
Barrie Machin's Greece
Topic / Theme
Religious rites and ceremonies, Cretans
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2018 Barrie Machin
×
Being Maasai Today, 2, Making Maasai Men: Growing Courage Toward Circumcision
produced by Barbara Hoffman, 1955-, in Being Maasai Today, 2 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2006), 32 mins
One aspect of traditional Maasai culture that remains central to the passage from boyhood to manhood is circumcision. It is a physical and psychological ordeal that Maasai boys look forward to and also dread. This remarkable ethnographic documentary explores the complex meanings of masculinity and Maasai ethnicity...
Sample
produced by Barbara Hoffman, 1955-, in Being Maasai Today, 2 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2006), 32 mins
Description
One aspect of traditional Maasai culture that remains central to the passage from boyhood to manhood is circumcision. It is a physical and psychological ordeal that Maasai boys look forward to and also dread. This remarkable ethnographic documentary explores the complex meanings of masculinity and Maasai ethnicity, and the place of circumcision and its attendant rituals in their cultural construction.For the Maasai, circumcision is a key public c...
One aspect of traditional Maasai culture that remains central to the passage from boyhood to manhood is circumcision. It is a physical and psychological ordeal that Maasai boys look forward to and also dread. This remarkable ethnographic documentary explores the complex meanings of masculinity and Maasai ethnicity, and the place of circumcision and its attendant rituals in their cultural construction.For the Maasai, circumcision is a key public celebration of manhood. The principal events that surround and take place in a Maasai circumcision are shown in detail, including an actual surgery. The surgery itself is remarkably different from that familiar to Western peoples; the cutting is as intricate as the Maasai notion of masculinity.Important commentary is provided by David Kampatae ole Oinyeyie, an unmarried junior elder, who discusses the experiences of Maasai boys that grow their courage until they are ready for the ultimate test of the knife. A Maasai man, he says, must be fearless and always ready to confront danger in whatever form it may present itself. Whether it be the teeth of a leopard or the knife of the circumciser, a Maasai man is ever-ready to face danger without complaint.Proud of his culture and its traditions, David also acknowledges that Maasai life is changing as Western life influences tastes, desires, and practices. The Maasai way of dress, although less desirable in some contexts than Western clothes, is more suited to the environment of the pastoralist way of life, but young Maasai in particular prefer shirts and slacks to shukas.This is the second in a developing series of films (see also Womanhood and Circumcision: Three Maasai Women Have Their Say) on culture change among the Maasai of Kenya at the end of the 20th century. The two films together illustrate the important differences between the contexts of male and female genital-cutting among the Maasai.Boys are altered outside in public, surrounded by dozens of their age mates who taunt and goad them to avoid the disgrace of expressing hesitation or pain. Girls are cut inside their mother's house, in privacy, surrounded by only four women who whisper encouragement. Women initiates stand and walk to the bed where they will rest and heal; men are carried. These differences are iconic of the distinctions that will differentiate Maasai women and men from this point forward in their lives.The films clearly demonstrate how the Maasai divide life into stages that mark the progression from child to elder. While females pass directly from initiate to woman, males must be tested again and again: attaining adult manhood is a complex process that challenges and changes both body and mind.This outstanding documentary will engage students and generate analysis and discussion in a variety of courses in cultural anthropology, African studies, and gender studies. It was produced by Barbara G. Hoffman, Associate Prof. of Anthropology and Director, Visual Anthropology Center, Cleveland State University. The DVD version of the film is fully authored by Prof. Hoffman, and includes menus, chapters, and scene previews.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Barbara Hoffman, 1955-
Author / Creator
Barbara Hoffman, 1955-
Date Published / Released
2006
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Series
Being Maasai Today
Topic / Theme
Religious rites and ceremonies, African ethnic groups, Circumcisions
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2006 Berkeley Media
×
A Bishop for Mendi
directed by Philip Gibbs, 1947-; produced by Fidelis Sope, fl. 2012, Fidso Media Productions (Privately Published, 2012), 43 mins
A BISHOP FOR MENDI, 2012, 42 minutes. The blending of indigenous beliefs with Catholic ceremonies. This one in welcoming a new Catholic Bishop.
Sample
directed by Philip Gibbs, 1947-; produced by Fidelis Sope, fl. 2012, Fidso Media Productions (Privately Published, 2012), 43 mins
Description
A BISHOP FOR MENDI, 2012, 42 minutes. The blending of indigenous beliefs with Catholic ceremonies. This one in welcoming a new Catholic Bishop.
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Fidelis Sope, fl. 2012, Fidso Media Productions
Author / Creator
Philip Gibbs, 1947-
Date Published / Released
2012
Publisher
Privately Published
Topic / Theme
Catholicism, Ordinations, Missionaries
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2012 Philip Gibbs
×
Carnival in Q’eros: Where the Mountains Meet the Jungle
directed by Juan Núñez del Prado, fl. 1991-2004 and John Cohen, 1932-; produced by John Cohen, 1932- (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1991), 33 mins
This groundbreaking documentary shows the remarkable Carnival celebrations -- never before seen by outsiders -- of a remote community of Indians high in the Peruvian Andes. Their culture offers important clues into the Inca past and the roots of Andean cultures.The Q'eros play flutes and sing to their alpacas in a...
Sample
directed by Juan Núñez del Prado, fl. 1991-2004 and John Cohen, 1932-; produced by John Cohen, 1932- (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1991), 33 mins
Description
This groundbreaking documentary shows the remarkable Carnival celebrations -- never before seen by outsiders -- of a remote community of Indians high in the Peruvian Andes. Their culture offers important clues into the Inca past and the roots of Andean cultures.The Q'eros play flutes and sing to their alpacas in a ritual to promote the animals' fertility. The film shows how the music evolves from individual, to family, to ayllu, to community, a s...
This groundbreaking documentary shows the remarkable Carnival celebrations -- never before seen by outsiders -- of a remote community of Indians high in the Peruvian Andes. Their culture offers important clues into the Inca past and the roots of Andean cultures.The Q'eros play flutes and sing to their alpacas in a ritual to promote the animals' fertility. The film shows how the music evolves from individual, to family, to ayllu, to community, a structure of spiritual activity distinct from the structure of kinship. The Q'eros sing and play separately from each other, producing a heterophonic sound without rhythmic beat, harmony, or counterpoint -- a "chaotic" sound texture that exemplifies a key connection between the culture of the Andes and that of the Amazon jungle.The film also focuses on the protracted negotiations by which the Indians were compensated for their participation in the project.This classic and widely acclaimed film is essential viewing in a range of courses in cultural anthropology, ethnomusicology, folklore, Latin American and Andean studies, and comparative religion. It was produced by renowned filmmaker and musician John Cohen.
Show more
Show less
Date Written / Recorded
1991
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
John Cohen, 1932-
Author / Creator
Juan Núñez del Prado, fl. 1991-2004, John Cohen, 1932-
Date Published / Released
1991
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Topic / Theme
Religious rites and ceremonies, Folk music, Fairs and festivals, Animal husbandry, Cusco Quechua
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1991 Berkeley Media
×
Celebrating Semana Santa: Change, Conflict, and Continuity in Rural Honduras
directed by Sam Pack, fl. 1999-2012; produced by Sam Pack, fl. 1999-2012 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2012), 44 mins
This "superb, thought-provoking" ethnographic documentary explores the vitality and controversies surrounding a remarkable syncretic religious ceremony held in neighboring remote villages in rural Honduras during the Easter Holy Week. The ritual drama enacted in this ceremony resonates with persistent indigenous b...
Sample
directed by Sam Pack, fl. 1999-2012; produced by Sam Pack, fl. 1999-2012 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2012), 44 mins
Description
This "superb, thought-provoking" ethnographic documentary explores the vitality and controversies surrounding a remarkable syncretic religious ceremony held in neighboring remote villages in rural Honduras during the Easter Holy Week. The ritual drama enacted in this ceremony resonates with persistent indigenous beliefs although expressed within a familiar Catholic framework. During the week leading up to Semana Santa, the two villages are litera...
This "superb, thought-provoking" ethnographic documentary explores the vitality and controversies surrounding a remarkable syncretic religious ceremony held in neighboring remote villages in rural Honduras during the Easter Holy Week. The ritual drama enacted in this ceremony resonates with persistent indigenous beliefs although expressed within a familiar Catholic framework. During the week leading up to Semana Santa, the two villages are literally overrun by characters called "Judios" (Spanish for "Jews"), masked individuals who carry wooden swords, speak in a strange guttural manner, and generally cause mayhem by staging riotous mock sword fights. Not surprisingly, members of the local Catholic Church -- most notably the parish priest -- consider these indigenous celebrations to be sacrilegious and want them ended. Tensions between Church members and the celebration participants are high, and the conflict is further exacerbated because the opposing sides are not comfortable speaking directly to one another about the issues involved. However, by including the divergent perspectives of members of the various constituencies, one of the principal goals of the film itself is to facilitate a channel of communication between the opposing parties that will enable dialogue to take place between them. With that goal in mind, the filmmaker returned to Honduras to screen a preliminary version of the film in order to make this invaluable cultural heritage available to the very community to which it belongs. Community members with opposing views were asked for their reactions, which were then incorporated into a final version of Celebrating Semana Santa, thereby adding a unique reflexive component to the film. Celebrating Semana Santa powerfully illustrates how symbols from the past may be re-interpreted in modern contexts and not simply survive but thrive in those radically changed situations. In so doing, the film illuminates the varied ways that people craft their understanding of the present with reference to the past and their hopes for the future. The film will engage students and inspire thought and discussion in a wide variety of courses in Latin American studies, cultural anthropology and ethnography, and religious studies. It was produced and directed by Sam Pack, Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kenyon College. It is in Spanish with English subtitles.
Show more
Show less
Date Written / Recorded
2012
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Sam Pack, fl. 1999-2012
Author / Creator
Sam Pack, fl. 1999-2012
Date Published / Released
2012
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Topic / Theme
Indigenous peoples, Holy Week, Religious differences, Religious rites and ceremonies, Hondurans
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2012 Berkeley Media
×
Choqela: Only Interpretation
directed by John Cohen, 1932-; produced by John Cohen, 1932- (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1987), 12 mins
This provocative and profound film documents the Choqela ceremony, an agricultural ritual and song of the Aymara Indians of Peru. By offering several different translations of the proceedings, the film acknowledges the problems of interpretation as an inherent dilemma of anthropology."Choqela" will stimulate thoug...
Sample
directed by John Cohen, 1932-; produced by John Cohen, 1932- (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1987), 12 mins
Description
This provocative and profound film documents the Choqela ceremony, an agricultural ritual and song of the Aymara Indians of Peru. By offering several different translations of the proceedings, the film acknowledges the problems of interpretation as an inherent dilemma of anthropology."Choqela" will stimulate thought and discussion in courses in cultural anthropology, Latin American studies, comparative religion, and any course in which the proble...
This provocative and profound film documents the Choqela ceremony, an agricultural ritual and song of the Aymara Indians of Peru. By offering several different translations of the proceedings, the film acknowledges the problems of interpretation as an inherent dilemma of anthropology."Choqela" will stimulate thought and discussion in courses in cultural anthropology, Latin American studies, comparative religion, and any course in which the problems of interpreting cultural identities and events are considered. It was produced by renowned filmmaker and musician John Cohen.
Show more
Show less
Date Written / Recorded
1987
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
John Cohen, 1932-
Author / Creator
John Cohen, 1932-
Date Published / Released
1987
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Topic / Theme
Translations, Hunting, Folk dance, Religious rites and ceremonies, Aymara
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1987 Berkeley Media
×
The Cross and the Bodhi Tree: Two Christian Encounters With Buddhism
written by Alan Channer, fl. 1986-2001; directed by Alan Channer, fl. 1986-2001; produced by David Channer, Clare Gartrell Davis and Alan Channer, fl. 1986-2001 (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 2001), 43 mins
This fascinating film is about two unique individuals, a French Catholic priest and an English Protestant nun and the powerful influence of Buddhism on both of them. Father Francois Ponchaud, a published author, writes on Cambodian politics and history and speaks fluent Khmer with Cambodian villagers. Mother Rosem...
Sample
written by Alan Channer, fl. 1986-2001; directed by Alan Channer, fl. 1986-2001; produced by David Channer, Clare Gartrell Davis and Alan Channer, fl. 1986-2001 (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 2001), 43 mins
Description
This fascinating film is about two unique individuals, a French Catholic priest and an English Protestant nun and the powerful influence of Buddhism on both of them. Father Francois Ponchaud, a published author, writes on Cambodian politics and history and speaks fluent Khmer with Cambodian villagers. Mother Rosemary leads a life of silence and prayer in a convent in Oxford. Yet both the active missionary priest and the contemplative Mother Super...
This fascinating film is about two unique individuals, a French Catholic priest and an English Protestant nun and the powerful influence of Buddhism on both of them. Father Francois Ponchaud, a published author, writes on Cambodian politics and history and speaks fluent Khmer with Cambodian villagers. Mother Rosemary leads a life of silence and prayer in a convent in Oxford. Yet both the active missionary priest and the contemplative Mother Superior practice Buddhist meditation. For Father Ponchaud, who lost nearly all his students in the Cambodian "killing fields," meditation sustains him in the face of tragedy, as well as in everyday life. For Mother Rosemary, this meditation lent support to her life of prayer when "prayer seemed to go dead." In the era of globalization, when human ventures and ideas are being thrown together an unprecedented rate, Father Ponchaud and Mother Rosemary point a way forward both for institutional religions and for seekers of truth outside the confines of convention. They shed light on the character of Jesus Christ, the path of the Buddha and the call to holiness. They demonstrate that it is possible to retain deep roots in one tradition while being profoundly enriched by another. College Adult
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Alan Channer, fl. 1986-2001, Mother Rosemary, fl. 2012, Francois Ponchaud, fl. 2012, David Channer, Clare Gartrell Davis, Denis Nowlan
Author / Creator
Alan Channer, fl. 1986-2001
Date Published / Released
2001
Publisher
Filmakers Library
Speaker / Narrator
Denis Nowlan
Person Discussed
Francois Ponchaud, fl. 2012
Topic / Theme
Cambodian, Spirituality, Prayer and meditation, Buddhism, Christianity, Religion, Ethnography
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2001. Used by permission of Filmakers Library. All rights reserved.
×
DAF
directed by Bahman Ghobadi, 1969- (Jeonju International Film Festival, 2003), 39 mins
This simple but affecting documentary portrays a rural craftsman who makes a traditional Iranian percussion instrument called a daf. All able-bodied family members participate in the production, including a blind son, whom we see hitching a ride to market with his sister to purchase the sheep skins and wood planks...
Sample
directed by Bahman Ghobadi, 1969- (Jeonju International Film Festival, 2003), 39 mins
Description
This simple but affecting documentary portrays a rural craftsman who makes a traditional Iranian percussion instrument called a daf. All able-bodied family members participate in the production, including a blind son, whom we see hitching a ride to market with his sister to purchase the sheep skins and wood planks used in the instrument's manufacture. A doctor visits the father's younger 3-1/2 year-old son, who has also lost his eyesight, and off...
This simple but affecting documentary portrays a rural craftsman who makes a traditional Iranian percussion instrument called a daf. All able-bodied family members participate in the production, including a blind son, whom we see hitching a ride to market with his sister to purchase the sheep skins and wood planks used in the instrument's manufacture. A doctor visits the father's younger 3-1/2 year-old son, who has also lost his eyesight, and offers this advice: 'Pray to God. Give to charity. Have ceremonies and have a dervish play the daf for him.' The greater part of the film focuses on the laborious work involved in the fabrication of daf and culminates in a rousing ritual for the ailing boy. The accomplished camerawork takes advantage of the surrounding scenery and local color. Sensitive individuals are warned of a brief but graphic segment of sheep being slaughtered
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Bahman Ghobadi, 1969-
Author / Creator
Bahman Ghobadi, 1969-
Date Published / Released
2003
Publisher
Jeonju International Film Festival
Topic / Theme
Iranian, Kurdish, Religious rites and ceremonies, Cultural identity, Musical instruments, Poverty, Ethnography, Iranians
×
Dance With the Wodaabes
directed by Sandrine Loncke, 1968-; produced by Sandrine Loncke, 1968- (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2012), 1 hour 32 mins
This widely acclaimed and visually stunning ethnographic documentary explores, from the point of view of its participants, the complex cultural significance of one of Africa's most spectacular but frequently misunderstood and sensationalized ritual celebrations.In the heart of the Nigerien Sahel (Azawak region), f...
Sample
directed by Sandrine Loncke, 1968-; produced by Sandrine Loncke, 1968- (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2012), 1 hour 32 mins
Description
This widely acclaimed and visually stunning ethnographic documentary explores, from the point of view of its participants, the complex cultural significance of one of Africa's most spectacular but frequently misunderstood and sensationalized ritual celebrations.In the heart of the Nigerien Sahel (Azawak region), far from any urban center, thousands of Fulbe Wodaabe nomads come together every year to celebrate their cultural identity in a vast cer...
This widely acclaimed and visually stunning ethnographic documentary explores, from the point of view of its participants, the complex cultural significance of one of Africa's most spectacular but frequently misunderstood and sensationalized ritual celebrations.In the heart of the Nigerien Sahel (Azawak region), far from any urban center, thousands of Fulbe Wodaabe nomads come together every year to celebrate their cultural identity in a vast ceremonial gathering named the Daddo. For seven days and seven nights, opposing ancestral lineages take part in a complex ritual courtship competition called the Geerewol. Under the strict control of their elders, elaborately ornamented young men made up with traditional face paint form lines to dance and sing. At the end of each dance, the young women of the opposing lineage come forward to designate the "most beautiful" male of the group. The ceremony is a ritualization of conflict, which probably replaces ancestral feuds and wars over women from opposing clans, and enables the Wodaabe to break the ceremony in peace after mutually recognizing their cultural uniformity. Each year, organizing the massive gathering becomes more and more difficult, due to the ongoing Sahel ecological crisis and droughts. But according to the Wodaabes, this traditional ceremony is the only opportunity for the nomadic lineages to gather and forge links despite their geographic dispersion. If the ceremony were to be stopped, it would signal to them the end of their society as a unique cultural entity.Fearing that the tradition may die out, Ouba Hassane, 40, and his wife Kedi, 39, chose to appear on screen and relate their experiences and understanding of the ritual. The film follows as Ouba teaches his son about Wodaabe traditions, myths, and religious beliefs. The couple's commentary, along with that of the ceremony participants (dancers, young women, those in charge of the youth, societal elders) provide viewers with deep insight into the full occasion, extending beyond the dance.The Geerewol ritual has been the subject of several films and "studies" in the West since the 1950s. These have largely fueled a fantasy image of a ceremony in which "effeminate" men allow women the privilege of choosing male lovers for a night during a male beauty contest. Filmmaker and ethnomusicologist Sandrine Loncke, who spent ten years among the Wodaabe researching and filming, offers a compelling and powerful reframing of the events. She enables the Wodaabe themselves to decipher for us the subtext of the ritual, examining the full spectrum of gender, social, political, educational, and religious beliefs that underscore Wodaabe cultural identity and help ensure their survival.Keenly observed, beautifully filmed, and engagingly edited, the film will richly reward viewing and inspire discussion in a wide range of courses in cultural anthropology, African studies, gender studies, and ethnomusicology. The film is subtitled in English. It was produced and directed by Prof. Sandrine Loncke, of the University of Paris 8.
Show more
Show less
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Sandrine Loncke, 1968-
Author / Creator
Sandrine Loncke, 1968-
Date Published / Released
2010, 2012
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Topic / Theme
Cultural identity, Cultural ethos, African ethnic groups, Religious rites and ceremonies, Wodaabe
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2012 Berkeley Media
×