Tidikawa and Friends

A documentary about the Bedamini people in Papua, New Guinea. Aggressive and cannibalistic by reputation, they've led a comparatively secluded existence, farming in the jungle. With little commentary, the film-makers present the principal daily activities of the village, plus more unusual events like a child's funeral and the initiation ceremony of seven young males. The life appears friendly and unhurried, with no signs of the usual boss-slave structures. The photography is lush and uninspired, perhaps something to do with trying not to aggress on the subjects; the result is often a discreetness which can make concentration difficult. It remains interesting, though, for its presentation of such an obviously non-authoritarian society. JDuC.