Case Study 13
Axe 5
Objet d'étude 4
83 islands, one sacred nature
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Write a scene for a movie sequel: Tanna, The Next Generation.
You are a group of young filmmakers preparing a new story inspired by Tanna, the film that tells the tale of the people of Yakel, Vanuatu, and their sacred connection to nature. Your mission is to write the script of a short scene set ten years after the events of Tanna. Imagine the new generation of villagers growing up, learning the sacred traditions of their ancestors. How will traditional culture respond to modern life?
Vidéo associée
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
1 Sacred nature as cultural heritage
A Vanuatu man stands on top of the Rock of Ra, Banks Islands, Vanuatu.
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Sacred nature
as cultural heritage
Did you know that Vanuatu, an archipelago of 83 volcanic islands nestled in the Southwest Pacific Ocean, is home to one of the most diverse and unique ecosystems on the planet? Its larger and older islands possess a remarkable variety of terrestrial ecosystems, plants, and animals, making Vanuatu a biodiversity hotspot of global significance. However, this natural heritage is under threat from various challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, habitat loss, and invasive alien species.
Vanuatu is renowned for its sacred natural sites, which serve as designated areas for local communities to safeguard cultural and spiritual values, as well as natural resources. These sites play a vital role in the traditional ecological knowledge and practices of indigenous communities, ensuring the preservation of Vanuatu's rich cultural heritage and endorsing indigenous rights. […]
Vanuatu's sacred natural sites stand as living examples of the strong connections indigenous communities have with nature and their ancestral lands. The preservation of these sites is a vital part of our responsibility to protect our cultural heritage and promote indigenous rights.
Vanuatu is renowned for its sacred natural sites, which serve as designated areas for local communities to safeguard cultural and spiritual values, as well as natural resources. These sites play a vital role in the traditional ecological knowledge and practices of indigenous communities, ensuring the preservation of Vanuatu's rich cultural heritage and endorsing indigenous rights. […]
Vanuatu's sacred natural sites stand as living examples of the strong connections indigenous communities have with nature and their ancestral lands. The preservation of these sites is a vital part of our responsibility to protect our cultural heritage and promote indigenous rights.
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Step 1
1
Where is Vanuatu, and what makes its ecosystems unique?
2
What are “sacred natural sites”, and why are they important for local communities?
3
How do these sacred sites help preserve both nature and cultural traditions?
4
What threats endanger these sacred sites, and why are they significant?
Action!
Choose a sacred location for your scene (such as a forest, river, volcano), and write an introduction for your script, describing this location.
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
2Sacred nature as a way of life
Vidéo associée
From 0:00 to 2:42
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Sacred nature
as a way of life
“Our lives and the life of the sea are braided together…here we are islanders, we live because the sea lives.” The land, the sea, and all that exists are interwoven and interconnected in all of life's processes. The Pacific Islands and their people survive within a reciprocal relationship held with the land and are a perfect representation of an interdependent existence. Not only does seeing nature as sacred become a view of life, but a way of life as well. […] In Melanesia, they believe the first beings, Gainjin, came from the sky. From there, they made and released the sea, and created the sacred lands: such as particular localities, conspicuous landmarks, and geographic features where spirits were placed. Because of the cosmos being created in such a way, spirits reside all over, throughout the land, sky, and sea (so landmarks are/represent various spirits). And, because all is created under the same accord, spiritual power is in all things and is of the same influence, whether a tree, or a shark, or a human, or a god. The same energy force pervades all (mana); man's life is devoted towards maintaining and understanding this energy.
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Step 2
Read the text.
1
How are humans, animals, and nature connected in Melanesian beliefs?
Watch the video.
2
Describe the ritual. What roles do elders, youth, sacred animals and symbols play?
3
How do the beliefs and rituals in these documents help maintain harmony in the community?
Action!
Imagine characters for your scene, and how they interact with sacred nature. Who participates in the rituals?
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
3Behind the scenes of Tanna
Villagers on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu, 2019.
Vidéo associée
From 0:00 to 4:42
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Step 3
1
What inspired the original storyline in the movie Tanna? What other story does it remind you of?
2
How did the people of Yakel react to seeing themselves on screen for the first time?
3
How do the people of Yakel balance their traditions with encounters with the modern world?
Action!
Ten years after the events in Tanna, what new challenges may the people of Yakel and their sacred locations face?
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Ready...
- Review your notes on sacred locations and rituals (forest, river, volcano, etc.), beliefs connecting humans, animals, and nature, and how the people of Yakel balanced tradition and modernity in Tanna.
Steady...
- Plan your scene, including location, characters and action. What threats or changes do the people of Yakel face and how do they react to them?
Go!
- Write the script of your scene, including an introduction describing the setting, and engaging dialogue between your main characters.
Une erreur sur la page ? Une idée à proposer ?
Nos manuels sont collaboratifs, n'hésitez pas à nous en faire part.
j'ai une idée !
Oups, une coquille
