Handy Craft Indonesian - Hi "Traditional Arts and Crafts of the Papua Indonesian" is a documentary and book about the Sawiyano who live the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. By following the daily lives of families, it is an intimate view into the lives of a tribe in the midst of cultural change.
The elders have given me permission to do this documentary. This will be a collaboration between myself and Sawiyano who wish to participate in the project. They will choose the aspects of their lives they wish to share and some will also shoot their own videos and take photographs.
It will show where and how supplies are gathered in the rainforest and swamp, how objects are crafted, and the final uses of objects.
Having grown up in the Sawiyano tribe, I have an understanding of and deep appreciation for the traditional ways. Since earning a BFA and MFA in Painting and Drawing, I have an even greater respect for the arts and craft of the Sawiyano. Because the culture is changing, I feel it is important to capture traditional elements on film and in photos before more elders die. Not only is the documentation for the future generations of Sawiyano, but I hope this will others to gain an appreciation for the Sawiyano culture and to develop an interest in other indigenous cultures. Because traditional ways disappear as natural resources are depleted, I also hope the documentary will show the importance of leaving most areas of the rainforest intact.
The FilmThe film will likely be 100-120 minutes in length. All dialogue will be in Sawiyano and Tok Pisin (the trade language). Subtitles will be available in English and Tok Pisin. There will be more footage available on the DVD.
The Story Behind the Project
The lure of steel axes and machetes led a few Sawiyano to plantations where they were hired as cheap labor. The men eventually brought back goods like matches, salt, and knives. The Australian government came in to the area in 1965 and soon put an end to the cannibalism by placing perpetrators in jail. A small airstrip was cleared and the first missionary arrived in 1973. Soon after in 1975, Papua New Guinea claimed independence. The PNG government officials left the area in the early 1990s.
About the Book
The book content will mirror the film. The photos will take up most of the pages, with some descriptive text where needed. This will be in Tok Pisin, English and Sawiyano. The book will be a "coffee table book" in 2 sizes, large and medium. The medium size is 8 x 10 inches, about 120 pages, softbound ($50 to print). The large size is 13 x 11 inches, hardbound ($110 to print).
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