Regarding Jane Fajans comment on the Jean-Pierre Dutilleux productions
involving the Kayapo and her appeal to anthropologists to critique
his activities particularly in the "staged" reenactments presented
in a very sensationalist manner but as though they were "real".
The involvement of "anthropologists" with film producers does not necessarily
guarantee authenticity of filmed events. The DISCOVERY channel recently
aired a program called "Hunters of the Kalahari", produced by Richard
Charles Wawman of Essential TV in the U.K. It showed the Ju/hoansi (Bushmen)
quite naked, (the young Ju/hoan women playing the melon tossing game
were extremely nubile as well as naked, as were the nearly barebottomed
young hunters, followed very closely from behind with the camera as
they crawled on all fours through the grass, presumably to track an animal).
The program is presented as though this is how it is with the Bushmen
today, all quite lovely "noble savage" imagery. An American anthropologist,
Megan Biesele, was listed in the credits as having been a consultant on
the production.
The events in this film were acted. It was basically a costume drama.
The audience is not told this. For the uninitiated one would think
that the Ju/hoan spend their nights sitting (again mostly naked) around
a campfire, joking and telling stories, and their days hunting and
playing with melons. Who was paid what for this activity I don't
know. If marketing a particular image is a vehicle to earn income,
that's fine, Disney has made zillions marketing fantasy, but in
this case perpetuating a myth can also have unfortunate consequences.
Cynthia Close
Documentary Educational Resources
101 Morse Street
Watertown MA 02172-2554
617-926-0491 Fax: 617-926-9519
email: cclose who-is-at delphi.com
docued who-is-at der.org