Jungle River Documentary - Update 6/7/05

The PNG National Film Institute has recently granted Kristus Center permission to film the Jungle River documentary in Madang Province, PNG. Jungle River is a 60-minute documentary that will explore the changing relationships between health, biodiversity, and spirituality as experienced by the tribal people inhabiting the tropical rainforests of the Gogol River valley in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. This documentary will educate the public about the needs of culturally threatened tribal communities in Papua New Guinea and will be shown to potential donors for fundraising.

A series of questions therefore underlies Jungle River. What are the relationships between culture change, nutrition, biodiversity and spirituality as experienced by the tribal people of the Trans-Gogol valley? How are these relationships traced through historical and contemporary context? How do local perceptions of nutrition, the environment and the body enhance or hinder responses to sickness and health? What role does spirituality play? What impact does Christianity have? What efforts ought to be explored to promote holistic community development in ways that integrate health and spirituality? What can be done to help the people of the Trans-Gogol valley create a more hopeful future?