WAFSAC SPREADING ACROSS THE GLOBE
Thank you to everyone who has given support to our WAFSAC drive and the Mentawai’s cultural education program. With less than 1 week remaining to purchase your copy of the As Worlds Divide film, we thought we’d share with you how far and wide the voice of Mentawai is being heard. Last week we launched a creative Billboard concept together with →
FILM PREMIERE – DON’T MISS OUT ON TICKETS
For those of you wanting to attend the As Worlds Divide film premiere this Friday but who are planning to purhase tickets at the door, we'd advise you pre-book so as to avoid missing out. There are only 46 tickets left (capacity of 320) and, given the rate they are selling this week, there is a strong possibility there won't →
PREPARING OUR FILM’S RELEASE CAMPAIGN
These past few months we have been busy researching and developing a strategy to release our feature documentary film, As Worlds Divide. Our primary objective is to utilise the film’s release to help fund the 10-year implementation of Suku Mentawai’s Cultural and Environmental Education Program (CEEP) – and thus prevent the loss of their precious Indigenous knowledge. Last Tuesday we gathered →
MENTAWAI TEETH SHARPENING RITUAL
It has been quite an extraordinary month here in Mentawai, and one particular reason for this was baring witness to a ritual I’d presumed had long been extinct: the sharpening, or chiseling of human teeth. There are various theories pertaining to the actual purpose for this act and, depending on the region you make your enquiry, perhaps all have some element →
FILM OUTREACH STRATEGY
I have been a little inactive here these past few months, but for good reason. Having finally finalised the film’s production – yes, very happy – it has provided some much-needed time to catch up on the happenings of the Foundation; namely, identifying weaknesses and planning steps to strengthen and move forward. One key component of this planning is the film’s →
FINAL STAGES OF PRODUCTION
Yes, the journey of this film production has been notably slow and, for those following along, seemingly uneventful at times. Almost eight years now and we’re still yet to see a film. C’mon Rob. Contrary to popular perception – and perhaps direct sightings – I will say we’ve continued chipping away at this quite incessantly. And what is →
EXCITING YEAR AHEAD
It has been a rather eventful few months in Mentawai, as is typically the case. Seemingly, there are no fewer surprises now than there were when this journey began nearly seven years ago... perhaps just more meaningful ones. I've posted a few recent photographs and included brief descriptions. You may be particularly interested in the 'chance' encounter we had with the →
IS THERE EVEN A DAMN FILM?
In 2008, before this journey began, I had lost track of where I was headed. I wanted to feel as though I belonged to a purpose but wasn’t sure where to turn. By the end of 2009 I had been living with the native Mentawai people for almost a year. Here I had found inspiration to make a documentary film, →
MENTAWAI ELDERS
I’d like to introduce you to my friends, Aman Lappet, and his wife, Bai Lappet. They have played an integral role in my journey here over these past years. Both are profoundly wise, insightful, patient, and often childishly humorous, too. Through being in their presence I’ve learnt an entirely new perspective on what it means to be ‘relaxed’, and the →
MENTAWAI TELEPHONE, TUDDUKAT
The prospect of functioning without a telephone would be considered near impossible by a large and growing portion of today’s modern society who now depends upon this device to sustain a means of living. For better or worse, this change in behavior and perception over the past century does heighten the intrigue as to how people actually got about sharing their →
