Meet The Natives: England and USA
Intriguing documentary that turns traditional anthropology on its head. Five tribesmen from a remote South Pacific island travel 10,000 miles to observe the natives of a strange and exotic land - Britain and USA.
Armed with video cameras and warm clothes, five South Pacific islanders travel around the UK recording their experiences of living with representatives of the three 'tribes' of Britain: the Working Class, the Middle Class, and the Upper Class.
From KFC bargain buckets to karaoke, housework to fox-hunting, and dog parlours to stately homes, the five ambassadors immerse themselves in modern British culture, making profound and moving observations along the way.
What natives say: "People from England and USA come here and see about us. But what if we go to them and live in their tribes and learn their customs?"
In the past 100 years the British monarchy has lost a lot of its shine. However, in a tiny corner of the South Pacific, one royal is worshipped. A far cry from Britain's most controversial prince...
The locals of Tanna eagerly await the return of Prince Philip, who they believe is an ancestral spirit who emerged from a volcano to marry the queen. "According to a prophecy, the spirit who became Prince Philip is due to return".
In anticipation, his 89th birthday saw the island irrupt in celebration, and although the 'second coming' never happened the villagers spirits aren't dampened. "One day his spirit will come and rest here".
Using that stupid voice for the narrator is the rankest racism!
Proper loved how the ranchers were blindsided by how much they genuinely connected and were disarmed by sincere charm,beautiful to see!!!!
Tanna, Charming people and great bums. Loved the working class English family. The husband had prepared by learning the language and the only English man who undressed to dance in their tradition. Kudos to you and your wonderful family. You entered into the sociological, anthropological test with full commitment and honesty. The Tanna men's reaction to homelessness was inspiring. The English pamper their animals but in a land rich with so much wealth, why are some people hungry and homeless - animals are more important than humans. Predictably, the interview with Prince Phillip was not filmed. Personally, I think that would have been a real sociological, anthropological curiosity given his lack of social graces. However, it was interesting watching the way the Tanna men were being "indoctrinated" about the "rituals" English class style about eating "properly" and the very wooden antics of the English upper class. I am guessing that they had to be prompted, from their wooden lives, to get up and join in the dance.
Sorry to burst people's bubble, but Tanna isn't quite as isolated as they seem in these shows. They are very much on the tourism map nowadays; they have the world's most accessible active volcano on Tanna, and they now have lodgings and 4wd tours to take you there.
The local govt is run in conjunction with the chiefs of villages, so they do retain some of their local 'kastom'. But they had already become more aware of Western civilisations and the cash incentives it brings. 2 Survivor series (an Australian and a US) were filmed in Vanuatu, about 4 islands further North from Tanna (roughly a 40min flight). The Vanuatu tourism board began pushing itself as early as 2002 - the England documentary here is from 2007. By this time, Australians (if not many other white-man folks) would have been strolling through their village 3 times weekly on organised tours.
Just look up google images, Albi is in about 3 or 4 pictures. He was also looking after Karl Pilkington in a later British (Sky TV) show which visited Vanuatu/Tanna.
These people stick mostly with their traditional beliefs, but they have very much merged with the realities of the modern world. There is internet on Tanna now, and I am sure they will be amongst the first to know when the Duke of Edinburgh ceases to be.
Moshe Silman dies after self-immolation at Israeli protest (Haaretz)
Connection and Community
Prayers for Moshe Silman. When despair leads to desperation terrible things can happen. It is not that difficult to fall between the gaps and get lost in many "civilised" societies. A good nation will provide a decent safety net, and on this front the State of Israel does not do too badly, but connections of community, friends and family are vital to physical, emotional and spiritual health.
A BBC documentary shown a few years ago depicted some South Pacific people from an island near Papua New Guinea who were transported to the streets of London. They had real trouble understanding the homeless people's plight that they witnessed in the street. On their island a person who had suffered a fall was always helped in some way.
'Western culture "full of so many useless things" What a great observation and so true. We westerners may be forced to simplify things in the near future, like it or not. And that probably isn't such a bad thing.
That's a classic look on Jobu's face when the one guy says "if you see any nice girls, don't touch them" LOL hehehe
Lovely people. ?
Good thing there is no oil.
Definetly a doc every "civilized" person on earth should watch.
Righteous people and culture...too bad no one offered them the respect, truth and insight they deserve regarding wars vs peace and our warmonging ways . Also, that prince phillip is not a son of god hahaha.
I believe their message of a worldwide harmony, unity and peace may be very unattainable of a goal.
Perhaps, people should start with caring, sharing, love, manners, respect and truthfulness, any good things that make you feel happy inside your heart and soul... as small achieveable stepping stones towards that larger goal.
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genuine love and authentic kindness networked throughout a community can exist. it only takes everyone coming together and that generally involves requiring a leader; then power, an agenda and/or greed (sometimes blackmail) get in the way once they see the sway they hold.
but all religiousness aside, if you'll look at the community described at the end of Acts chapter two starting around verse forty four it says, "and all the believers were together, and had all things common. And they sold possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. And continuing steadfastly with one mind day by day in the Temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they shared food in gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people." That sounds just like those villages taking care of everyone whenever, like building a house for someone and not making a big deal about it. Or all the tribes coming together at the meeting place under the massive tree to discuss, make decisions, have ceremonies, dance and just be together.
I'm not sure if it is actually possible to achieve this level of oneness across the nation because of the fact we circulate worthless pieces of paper, and those richest, and others completely sold out to the system, are not easily relinquishing control. (for one small example: why do you think oil tycoons are suppressing the electric car with such fervor?) Because we are the slaves of the system called modern civilization. The act of working or the notion of working is very valuable. And while the result of this modern civilization has done many things in the way of making life easier and more convenient, and raising the all-around quality of life, for those who can maintain a "job"(maybe don't ask the homeless or recently laid-off) it has made us helpless and dependent on those who own or control the major lifelines like water, electricity/power, food and machines of all kinds. Who are these men and women really? Not 'what are their jobs?',(i certainly know they don't "work" in the sense that those in the system must "work") but who are they as people? Not in a judging way, but more in the way as if your children will be around them and you'd just like a little background info. And i'm not talking about a P.R. statement. When money or material accumulation is the end goal of an individual, then there is not much any one can do for him/her, aside from persuasion.
We all talk a big game but do we take deliberate actions to bring about a result?
Pure and undefiled religion before God is this: to visit orphans and widows in their afflictions, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Peace love unity harmony sound very good, but unless any measures are taken amongst the individual first, it will not be able to be contagious among the populations. If you do not exhibit that which you speak, of what appeal is your message?
i want to live on Tanna.
I hope we didnt send them back with small pox.
By far the best thing I've watched in my life, and I've watched a TON of stuff.
It was a masterpiece in so many ways (both the USA and UK parts).
I was smiling, laughing, cheering... It was just... amazing.
FANTASTIC! LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!
AWESOME doc!
really good doc. Specially to tell all that how artificially and fake life now a days people live.You don't need many things to be happy.its just amazing. specially when they raise the question to so called modern and developed society tht why the people are homeless?? just becoz they dont parents to take care or wht??
didnt watch the whole series yet.......cant wait to finish all
wow, it's so refreshing to see these people having fun with things we take for granted or boring.
LOVED this documentary! Their warmth just puts a smile on my face! I would love to live like them...
Does anyone know where I could watch the rest of the USA episodes?
prince philip god?very odd...if they only knew
I noticed that throughout the documentary, the men of Tana kept saying that on their island, people live in harmony. And yet based on their expectations and comments, there is strict gender roles and great inequity between the genders. And so i wonder...if the ambassadors from Tana had included women, would the comments be the same? Perhaps female ambassadors from Tana would express great envy at the women of the west for our independence.
Chances are, females from Tana would go home feeling a great sense of loss since they have to return to their 2nd class citizen position.
LOL as an american, I feel bad that these visitors to the west are fed english food LOL LOL
At least give them something GOOD, like westernized chinese food.
steak and kidney pie.....ew LOL LOL
Fascinating!
I would have been even better if they had 3 females and 3 males in the group instead of a group of 5 males. It would have shed even more insight.
whole lot gong on there. but somehow i was most struck by the fact that they only ever included reaction shots after untranslated speech. Maybe it was edited that way, but it just looked like a bunch of i@#$%^ nodding to gibberish they couldn't possibly have understood.
trying to wrap my head around the balls it took for those guys to make such a journey. Damn they handled themselves and schooled some of me.
What human beings, uplifting program.
i m 100% positive somewhere in the world someone is worshiping ME.
Wading thru the docs around I was really down about the flavor that most docs are in. Another conspiracy theory, another unanswered question with 40m of time just to get to no point. It was rattling me because I kept searching for one with happiness instead of doom, gloom, and worry sprinkled in. Well, here it is! Those without money living happy lives. It was fun to see how they viewed outside countries because I too look at other cultures or else I would be here. If only their women weren't second class I might actually want to visit. That tho is true of most cultures pre "civilzation" - women are not worthy of making decisions and are just maids and toys for the bedroom to breed babies.