Browse Titles - 45 results
At the Edge of Conquest: The Journey of Chief Wai-Wai
written by Geoffrey O'Connor; produced by Geoffrey O'Connor, Realis Pictures, Inc (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 1992), 29 mins
At the Edge of Conquest looks at the situation of the Waiapi Indians, a small, isolated tribe that came in contact with the outside world in the late 1970's. Today they are threatened by invading gold miners, by the Brazilian government's recent proposal to reduce their land by 10%, and the state government's plan...
Sample
written by Geoffrey O'Connor; produced by Geoffrey O'Connor, Realis Pictures, Inc (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 1992), 29 mins
Description
At the Edge of Conquest looks at the situation of the Waiapi Indians, a small, isolated tribe that came in contact with the outside world in the late 1970's. Today they are threatened by invading gold miners, by the Brazilian government's recent proposal to reduce their land by 10%, and the state government's plan to construct a highway directly through their territory. But their strategy for survival has been effective: defend their lands from i...
At the Edge of Conquest looks at the situation of the Waiapi Indians, a small, isolated tribe that came in contact with the outside world in the late 1970's. Today they are threatened by invading gold miners, by the Brazilian government's recent proposal to reduce their land by 10%, and the state government's plan to construct a highway directly through their territory. But their strategy for survival has been effective: defend their lands from invasions while their leaders navigate the tricky waters of Brazilian politics. The film focuses on the charismatic leader, Chief Wai-Wai, as he travels from his remote village to Brazil's capitol, encountering for the first time airplanes, elevators, and skyscrapers. But the real barriers are not physical but bureaucratic and cultural. He doesn't read or write, has never been at a meeting before, and doesn't speak the language of these foreign people. Unlike the traditional depictions of indigenous persons as pristine, removed from the forces of the outside world, At the Edge of Conquest reveals a society grappling with the real politique of a larger nation-state. Chief Wai-Wai is fighting the role of victim in a desperate effort to shape the destiny of his people. It is a voyage resembling a cross between Alice in Wonderland and a Kafkaesque nightmare. But it is one which ultimately all isolated indigenous societies are forced to make if they are to survive this rapidly changing world. High School College Adult
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Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Geoffrey O'Connor, Wai-Wai, fl. 1993, Realis Pictures, Inc, Margo Skinner, 1950-2005
Author / Creator
Geoffrey O'Connor
Date Published / Released
1992
Publisher
Filmakers Library
Speaker / Narrator
Margo Skinner, 1950-2005
Person Discussed
Wai-Wai, fl. 1993
Topic / Theme
Wayampi (Waiãpi), Gold mines and mining, Property rights, Evacuations, Capitalism, Economic development, Cultural identity, Tribal and national groups, Anthropology, Ethnography, Wayampi
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1992. Used by permission of Filmakers Library. All rights reserved.
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Backbone of the World
directed by George Burdeau, fl. 1980-1998; produced by Pamela Roberts, Rattlesnake Productions (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1998), 57 mins
Set amid the majestic splendor of the northern Rockies, this innovative and inspiring documentary interweaves two compelling parallel stories: film director George Burdeau's journey home to live and work on the Blackfeet Reservation, and his tribe's determined struggle to protect its sacred lands and forge a new i...
Sample
directed by George Burdeau, fl. 1980-1998; produced by Pamela Roberts, Rattlesnake Productions (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1998), 57 mins
Description
Set amid the majestic splendor of the northern Rockies, this innovative and inspiring documentary interweaves two compelling parallel stories: film director George Burdeau's journey home to live and work on the Blackfeet Reservation, and his tribe's determined struggle to protect its sacred lands and forge a new identity. Literally backed up against a wall, the Blackfeet Reservation lies in the great shadow of the northern Rocky Mountains -- know...
Set amid the majestic splendor of the northern Rockies, this innovative and inspiring documentary interweaves two compelling parallel stories: film director George Burdeau's journey home to live and work on the Blackfeet Reservation, and his tribe's determined struggle to protect its sacred lands and forge a new identity. Literally backed up against a wall, the Blackfeet Reservation lies in the great shadow of the northern Rocky Mountains -- known to the tribe as "the backbone of the world." An area called Badger Two Medicine, a 130,000-acre tract of treaty land, was recently opened for oil drilling by the U.S. Forest Service. An important spiritual retreat for the Blackfeet people, the Badger Two Medicine lands are now threatened by water contamination and the inevitable destruction of plants used for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Producer Pamela Roberts and director George Burdeau developed a four-year working relationship with the Blackfeet community, collaborating with tribal elders, government officials, and local Blackfeet videographers. Continuing the tradition of elders before him, veteran filmmaker Burdeau took on the role of mentor by teaching his craft to three young Blackfeet filmmakers, enabling them to pass on tribal stories with a fresh perspective. Under Burdeau’s guidance, the young filmmakers give new voice to the Blackfeet saga by intertwining the ancient tribal account of "Scarface" -- whose healing journey gave the Blackfeet their religious traditions -- with the contemporary crisis facing the community over the Badger Two Medicine despoliation. "Backbone of the World" illustrates that today the Blackfeet live in two worlds, modern America and the Blackfeet Nation. At risk is the language, religion, art, and remaining land belonging to a Native tribe that survived a smallpox epidemic in the late 19th century, and is now besieged by the encroachment of the dominant American culture. The inevitable disenfranchisement of Blackfeet youth is apparent. As one elder recounts, "Youngsters don't know the wilderness, just downtown." "Backbone of the World" is a unique and engaging film that explores the Blackfeet perspective on their culture, environment, and quest for tribal survival in the 21st century. The film will engender reflection and discussion in a wide range of courses in Native American studies, American history and studies, cultural anthropology, comparative religion, and the environment. It was produced by Pamela Roberts and directed by George Burdeau, and is a Rattlesnake Productions Film.
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Date Written / Recorded
1998
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Pamela Roberts, Rattlesnake Productions
Author / Creator
George Burdeau, fl. 1980-1998
Date Published / Released
1998
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Topic / Theme
Petroleum industry, Indian reservations, Myths and legends, Religious beliefs, Places of worship, Blackfoot
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1998 Berkeley Media
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Cannibal Tours
directed by Dennis O'Rourke, 1945-2013; produced by Dennis O'Rourke, 1945-2013 (Cairns, Queensland: Camerawork Pty, 1988), 1 hour 7 mins
One of the most influential and enduring ethnographic documentaries ever produced, Cannibal Tours explores the phenomenon of the growing tourism industry in Papua New Guinea, and in the process turns the ethnographic lens on Western mass-market culture with disturbingly perceptive insight and candor. Legendary do...
Sample
directed by Dennis O'Rourke, 1945-2013; produced by Dennis O'Rourke, 1945-2013 (Cairns, Queensland: Camerawork Pty, 1988), 1 hour 7 mins
Description
One of the most influential and enduring ethnographic documentaries ever produced, Cannibal Tours explores the phenomenon of the growing tourism industry in Papua New Guinea, and in the process turns the ethnographic lens on Western mass-market culture with disturbingly perceptive insight and candor. Legendary documentarist Dennis O'Rourke films rich western tourists, journeying into the jungles of Papua New Guinea, eager to experience a safe an...
One of the most influential and enduring ethnographic documentaries ever produced, Cannibal Tours explores the phenomenon of the growing tourism industry in Papua New Guinea, and in the process turns the ethnographic lens on Western mass-market culture with disturbingly perceptive insight and candor. Legendary documentarist Dennis O'Rourke films rich western tourists, journeying into the jungles of Papua New Guinea, eager to experience a safe and sanitized version of the 'heart of darkness'. With a sense of dark comedy, he portarys their voyeurism and materialism, as they garishly display all the characteristics of the loud, boorish western traveler, oblivious to the native culture they are invading. O'Rourke excels at capturing the native islanders as they adapt to this influx of western people and capitalism. This provocative documentary raises questions about western desires to experience 'authentic' or 'primitive' cultures, and what those desires ultimately say about us and our 'advanced' culture.
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Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Dennis O'Rourke, 1945-2013
Author / Creator
Dennis O'Rourke, 1945-2013
Date Published / Released
1988
Publisher
Camerawork Pty
Topic / Theme
Cultural adaptation, Cultural identity, Travelers, Tourism industry, Americans, Europeans, Papua New Guineans
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1988 by Camerawork Pty Ltd
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Cashing in on Culture: Indigenous Communities and Tourism
directed by Regina Harrison, fl. 2002-2015; produced by Regina Harrison, fl. 2002-2015 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2002), 28 mins
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, and one of the most important forms of contemporary contact between different cultures. Eco-tourism and "ethnic" tourism, designed specifically to bring affluent and adventurous tourists into remote indigenous communities, are among the fastest-growing types o...
Sample
directed by Regina Harrison, fl. 2002-2015; produced by Regina Harrison, fl. 2002-2015 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2002), 28 mins
Description
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, and one of the most important forms of contemporary contact between different cultures. Eco-tourism and "ethnic" tourism, designed specifically to bring affluent and adventurous tourists into remote indigenous communities, are among the fastest-growing types of tourism worldwide.This insightful documentary, filmed in the small tropical forest community of Capirona, in Ecuador, serves as an in...
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, and one of the most important forms of contemporary contact between different cultures. Eco-tourism and "ethnic" tourism, designed specifically to bring affluent and adventurous tourists into remote indigenous communities, are among the fastest-growing types of tourism worldwide.This insightful documentary, filmed in the small tropical forest community of Capirona, in Ecuador, serves as an incisive case study of the many issues and potential problems surrounding eco- and ethnic tourism. Those issues are shown to be simultaneously cultural, economic, and environmental, and are complexly intertwined for both indigenous communities and tourists.The film interweaves illuminating sequences featuring the Quechua-speaking Capirona Indians, Ecuadorian tour operators, anthropologists and other academics, and college-age American tourists to examine the benefits and negative costs of such tourism to everyone involved. The film focuses in particular on how tourism has changed the lives of members of the indigenous community, which took eight years to decide to admit tourists into their villages.The cash flow from tourism that is managed directly by the Indians bypasses the fees normally exacted by travel agencies and tour operators and may be able to sustain the community if revenues are distributed equitably. But how do indigenous communities, in the context of global tourism and business interests, set up and run successful tourist operations without compromising their own cultural traditions and despoiling their environment?"Cashing in on Culture" explores some of the most perplexing issues facing indigenous communities and raises a multitude of thorny questions. The film will generate discussion in a variety of courses in cultural anthropology, development and Third-World issues, and Latin American studies. It was produced by Prof. Regina Harrison, University of Maryland, who also produced the award-winning "Mined to Death."
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Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Regina Harrison, fl. 2002-2015
Author / Creator
Regina Harrison, fl. 2002-2015
Date Published / Released
2002
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Topic / Theme
Economic development, American Indians, Indigenous peoples, Ecology, Tourism industry, Chimborazo Highland Quichua
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2002 Berkeley Media
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Contact: The Yanomami Indians of Brazil
written by Geoffrey O'Connor and Bruce Albert; produced by Geoffrey O'Connor, Realis Pictures, Inc (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 1991), 28 mins
This documentary, shot in one of the most remote corners of the Brazilian Amazon, graphically depicts the devastating impact of contact with the outside world on an isolated indigenous tribe, the Yanomami Indians. They are considered to be the last major Stone Age people in the Amazon. Since 1987, as the result of...
Sample
written by Geoffrey O'Connor and Bruce Albert; produced by Geoffrey O'Connor, Realis Pictures, Inc (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 1991), 28 mins
Description
This documentary, shot in one of the most remote corners of the Brazilian Amazon, graphically depicts the devastating impact of contact with the outside world on an isolated indigenous tribe, the Yanomami Indians. They are considered to be the last major Stone Age people in the Amazon. Since 1987, as the result of the incursion of Brazilian gold miners, an estimated fifteen percent of the Yanomami Indians have died from malaria and related diseas...
This documentary, shot in one of the most remote corners of the Brazilian Amazon, graphically depicts the devastating impact of contact with the outside world on an isolated indigenous tribe, the Yanomami Indians. They are considered to be the last major Stone Age people in the Amazon. Since 1987, as the result of the incursion of Brazilian gold miners, an estimated fifteen percent of the Yanomami Indians have died from malaria and related diseases to which they have little resistance. Further, the mining operations have polluted rivers and scared away game animals thereby destroying the Yanomami's traditional ecosystem. Although the Brazilian government is ostensibly trying to protect the Indians, such efforts are undermined by the fact that their mineral-rich ancestral land is coveted by mining interests. This frontier section of the Brazilian Amazon is labeled a national security zone and off limits to all unauthorized persons, including anthropologists. Producer Geoffrey O'Connor was smuggled into Yanomami territory so that he could record the plight of these endangered peoples. A closed captioned version is available on vhs only. Please specify when ordering. High School College Adult
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Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Bruce Albert, Geoffrey O'Connor, Realis Pictures, Inc, Roy Schieder
Author / Creator
Geoffrey O'Connor, Bruce Albert
Date Published / Released
1991
Publisher
Filmakers Library
Speaker / Narrator
Roy Schieder
Topic / Theme
Yanomamö, General medical conditions, Cultural assimilation, Pollution, Gold mines and mining, Tribal and national groups, Anthropology, Ethnography, Yanomámi
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1991. Used by permission of Filmakers Library. All rights reserved.
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Cooking Guam Style
directed by Larry Thomas, 1961-; produced by Larry Thomas, 1961- (New Caledonia: Secretariat of the Pacific Community (Organization), 2011), 7 mins
In this short documentary, Guam chef Peter Duenas shares his passion for cooking with unique recreations of traditional local favourites.
Sample
directed by Larry Thomas, 1961-; produced by Larry Thomas, 1961- (New Caledonia: Secretariat of the Pacific Community (Organization), 2011), 7 mins
Description
In this short documentary, Guam chef Peter Duenas shares his passion for cooking with unique recreations of traditional local favourites.
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Larry Thomas, 1961-, Emily Moli, fl. 2011
Author / Creator
Larry Thomas, 1961-
Date Published / Released
2011
Publisher
Secretariat of the Pacific Community (Organization)
Speaker / Narrator
Emily Moli, fl. 2011
Topic / Theme
Chamorro, Cultural identity, Cooks, Foods
Copyright Message
©2011
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Daughters of Ixchel: Maya Thread of Change
directed by John McKay, 1965- and Kathryn Lipke Vigesaa, fl. 1993-1997; produced by Dakota Productions (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1993), 30 mins
Guatemalan Maya women are highly skilled weavers. Their textiles, created using the backstrap loom, are known worldwide for their excellent workmanship and design. Their weaving skills have been passed down from mother to daughter since ancient times. Not only are the designs and colors of the Maya textiles attrac...
Sample
directed by John McKay, 1965- and Kathryn Lipke Vigesaa, fl. 1993-1997; produced by Dakota Productions (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 1993), 30 mins
Description
Guatemalan Maya women are highly skilled weavers. Their textiles, created using the backstrap loom, are known worldwide for their excellent workmanship and design. Their weaving skills have been passed down from mother to daughter since ancient times. Not only are the designs and colors of the Maya textiles attractive and unique, they also carry the history and traditions of their communities. This illuminating documentary explores the lives of M...
Guatemalan Maya women are highly skilled weavers. Their textiles, created using the backstrap loom, are known worldwide for their excellent workmanship and design. Their weaving skills have been passed down from mother to daughter since ancient times. Not only are the designs and colors of the Maya textiles attractive and unique, they also carry the history and traditions of their communities. This illuminating documentary explores the lives of Maya women today, portrays their ancient weaving processes, and examines the economic, political, and cultural forces that are profoundly affecting the women and their weaving. "Daughters of Ixchel" will generate discussion in a wide variety of courses in cultural anthropology, Latin American studies, women's studies, and the arts and humanities. It was produced by Kathryn Lipke Vigesaa and John McKay.
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Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Dakota Productions
Author / Creator
John McKay, 1965-, Kathryn Lipke Vigesaa, fl. 1993-1997
Date Published / Released
1993
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Topic / Theme
Cloth, Cooperatives, Women, Weavers, Weaving, Mayan
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1993 Berkeley Media
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Destination: Tourism
directed by Dafna Kory, fl. 2007; produced by Dafna Kory, fl. 2007 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2007), 20 mins,
Source: www.berkeleymedia.com
Source: www.berkeleymedia.com
Bodh Gaya, the world's most popular destination of Buddhist pilgrimage, is located in one of India's poorest states. Visitors to this UNESCO World Heritage site are typically shocked by the extreme poverty there, and the Buddhist tradition of alms-giving motivates them to donate money. As a result, Bodh Gaya has d...
Sample
directed by Dafna Kory, fl. 2007; produced by Dafna Kory, fl. 2007 (Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Media, 2007), 20 mins,
Source: www.berkeleymedia.com
Source: www.berkeleymedia.com
Description
Bodh Gaya, the world's most popular destination of Buddhist pilgrimage, is located in one of India's poorest states. Visitors to this UNESCO World Heritage site are typically shocked by the extreme poverty there, and the Buddhist tradition of alms-giving motivates them to donate money. As a result, Bodh Gaya has developed a sophisticated charity 'industry' which caters to and depends on tourists and tourism. This thought-provoking documentary exp...
Bodh Gaya, the world's most popular destination of Buddhist pilgrimage, is located in one of India's poorest states. Visitors to this UNESCO World Heritage site are typically shocked by the extreme poverty there, and the Buddhist tradition of alms-giving motivates them to donate money. As a result, Bodh Gaya has developed a sophisticated charity 'industry' which caters to and depends on tourists and tourism. This thought-provoking documentary explores the complex, interconnected effects of tourism, globalization, culture, philanthropy, and religion in Bodh Gaya. Destination: Tourism provides a deeply perceptive and incisive ethnographic case study as well as a poignant illustration of the overwhelming challenges facing many of the world's poor as they struggle to eke out a living in a seasonal economy almost completely dependent on foreign tourists. As the film illuminates, the tourism economy's volatile nature provides only seasonal and temporary work for local residents: time in Bodh Gaya is measured by the coming and going of strangers. For four winter months there are tourists, and therefore work. The rest of the year is marked by desperate unemployment. In addition, dozens of foreign-owned and foreign-operated monasteries function like all-inclusive resorts, monopolizing tourism services. The monasteries also inflate real-estate values: when farmlands become monasteries, farmers must find a new livelihood. Survival has become a challenge for Bodh Gaya's residents. In the search for sustainable employment, entrepreneurial locals have established hundreds of charity schools for destitute children. These village schools are entirely funded by tourist donations and have become a not-to-be-missed point on the Bodh Gaya tourist itinerary. The mud-hut schools and their slate-and-chalk students have become a 'Kodak moment' for the visiting Buddhist pilgrims, and a means of livelihood for local residents. Destination: Tourism will generate thought and discussion in any course dealing with international development and globalization, as well as a variety of courses in cultural anthropology, Asian and Indian studies, tourist studies, and religious studies. It was produced by Dafna Kory. The DVD version of the film is fully authored by the filmmaker and includes menus and chapter headings.
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Field of Study
Asian Studies
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Dafna Kory, fl. 2007
Author / Creator
Dafna Kory, fl. 2007
Date Published / Released
2007
Publisher
Berkeley Media
Topic / Theme
Tourism industry, Poverty, Charity, Buddhism, Pilgrimage, Hindi
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2007 Berkeley Media
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Dineh Nation: The Navajo Story
produced by Russell Richards (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 1992), 27 mins
This powerful film, with its haunting Native American music, o-graphed in the Sovereign Dineh Indian Reservation which stretches through parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Here the Navajo people have lived on vast deposits of oil, coal and uranium. Their religion considers Mother Earth sacred and forbids them...
Sample
produced by Russell Richards (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 1992), 27 mins
Description
This powerful film, with its haunting Native American music, o-graphed in the Sovereign Dineh Indian Reservation which stretches through parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Here the Navajo people have lived on vast deposits of oil, coal and uranium. Their religion considers Mother Earth sacred and forbids them from exploiting her resources. But outside forces are at work, strip mining the coal and polluting the water. The sweet wells on Dineh...
This powerful film, with its haunting Native American music, o-graphed in the Sovereign Dineh Indian Reservation which stretches through parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Here the Navajo people have lived on vast deposits of oil, coal and uranium. Their religion considers Mother Earth sacred and forbids them from exploiting her resources. But outside forces are at work, strip mining the coal and polluting the water. The sweet wells on Dineh land are drying up. This land has also suffered a uranium spill larger than that of Three Mile Island. Tens of thousands of Dineh were relocated. Others were fenced off from the land they worship. The film emphasizes the spiritual essence of the Dineh, with their unique art forms, music and original lifestyle. High School College Adult
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Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Russell Richards
Author / Creator
Russell Richards
Date Published / Released
1992
Publisher
Filmakers Library
Topic / Theme
Navajo, Religious beliefs, Pollution, American Indian communities, Tribal and national groups, Mining industry, Coal, Anthropology, Ethnography
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1992. Used by permission of Filmakers Library. All rights reserved.
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Donkey Without a Tail
written by Sergio Bloch; directed by Sergio Bloch; produced by Sergio Bloch (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 2006), 30 mins
Trash collecting may sound dismal, but in this film, shot in Rio de Janeiro, the people featured are undaunted, and proud of their survival skills. They make their living picking through trash in search of recyclable material and are popularly known as donkeys without a tail. This occupation traces its roots to th...
Sample
written by Sergio Bloch; directed by Sergio Bloch; produced by Sergio Bloch (New York, NY: Filmakers Library, 2006), 30 mins
Description
Trash collecting may sound dismal, but in this film, shot in Rio de Janeiro, the people featured are undaunted, and proud of their survival skills. They make their living picking through trash in search of recyclable material and are popularly known as donkeys without a tail. This occupation traces its roots to the job of garrafeiro, or "bottle collector." Portuguese immigrants to Brazil made their living pushing wooden carts down the street to c...
Trash collecting may sound dismal, but in this film, shot in Rio de Janeiro, the people featured are undaunted, and proud of their survival skills. They make their living picking through trash in search of recyclable material and are popularly known as donkeys without a tail. This occupation traces its roots to the job of garrafeiro, or "bottle collector." Portuguese immigrants to Brazil made their living pushing wooden carts down the street to collect bottles (thus their nickname bears the allusion to pack animals.) The early immigrants sold only bottles and other containers that could be re-used. Today trash collectors work with a wide variety of materials; plastics, glass, iron, copper, paper, and cardboard. By following the daily route of five of these energetic collectors we come into contact with one aspect of urban life in Brazil. High School College Adult
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Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Documentary
Contributor
Sergio Bloch
Author / Creator
Sergio Bloch
Date Published / Released
2006
Publisher
Filmakers Library
Topic / Theme
Portuguese, Brazilian, Collecting and collectables, Occupations, Recycling industry, Economic conditions, Urban life, Anthropology, Ethnography, Brazilians
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2006. Used by permission of Filmakers Library. All rights reserved.
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