Directors/Writers: Gary Kildea, Jerry Leach; Filmed in: Papua New Guinea
Impact of this movie on cultural genre: this is a new outlook on the transformation of sports from the original structure into a more spiritual tribal sport.
Impact of this movie on cultural genre: this is a new outlook on the transformation of sports from the original structure into a more spiritual tribal sport.
I personally found their version of cricket to be very interesting in the way in which they have made it their own. They play the sport in their festive dressing and continue with their chants even though it is a serious game. I really appreciated the fact that there was not a small maximum to the number of players on each team, there was a better chance of having each tribe play all together. Personally, I would not enjoy wearing their outfits while I am running but then again, I probably would not be able to play with the men in the islands.
From an anthropological perspective, the game of cricket ties into potluck. In the Trobriand islands, one tribe hosts the game and provides food and gifts for the guests. The potluck is used to represent class and higher title when compared to the other tribe. Another concept that was evident in this clip was syncretism in culture change. When the "white people's game" came to the Trobriand islands, the tribes wanted to play the sport but continue in their cultural ways. They converted the form of English cricket to incorporate chants and representations of their status through potlucks and continuing in their cultural traditions.