The Spirit of the Ancestors

(Te Kuhane o te Tupuna: El espíritu de los ancestros)
Leonardo Pakarati | Documentary

2015 | 63 minutes | Chile

Three generations of the Pakarati family travel to Europe to reclaim the Stolen Friend - one of Rapa Nui's (Easter Island) sacred spirits - which was stolen by colonizers and is one of the countless sacred objects housed in museums worldwide.

Synopsis

The Spirit of the Ancestors tells the story of Moia Hoa Haka Nana’ia, one of Rapa Nui's (Easter Island) sacred spirits, also known as the Stolen Friend in the island. Colonizers took the massive, iconic carving 100 years ago, and is now one of the countless living objects now housed in museums worldwide.

For the Rapa Nui, the Moia is infused with Mana, the power essential to their lives and well-being. His absence from the island – where he watched over them with his kin – threatens their survival as the link between spirit and people weakens over time. Worse still, the younger generations’ link to their ancestors is at risk.

This documentary follows three generations of the Pakarati family as they travel to Europe to try to reclaim the Stolen Friend, bring his spirit home and ensure a strong future for those to come.

Reviews

"[The film's] main value lies in the fact that it is the Rapa Nui who create the discourse and, although they include the perspective of scholars and experts, most importantly the actual voices of the ancestors give weight to the film." — Antonella Estévez, Diario UChile

"Pakarati's use of archival material throughout the film is powerful and creates a lasting impression of his family's roots and that of the Rapa Nui people while shedding light on the island's present state and its trajectory towards the future." — Documentary Drive

"Spirit of the Ancestors does a great job of trying to educate viewers on the past and the current social and political implications of the island without being too overwhelming." — Documentary Drive

Citation
Main credits

Pakarati, Leonardo (film director)
Pakarati, Leonardo (screenwriter)
Rossetti, Paula (film producer)

Other credits

Cinematography, Guillermo Bravo; editor, Diego Macho Gómez; music, Yoyo Tuki.


Citation
Cataloging
Keywords
human rights, history, society, colonization, injustice, indigenous, journey, trip, Chile, Easter Island, Latin America, illicit trade, spanish, spanish language, latin america, latin american cinema, latin american film, ibero america, latin, latinx, latino, latina,,activism, activist, digital activism, advocacy, advocate, involvement, militancy, militant, logrolling, striking, boycotting, championing, champion, effecting change, engagement, supporter, protest, protester, demonstrator, organizing, labor organizing, revolution, revolutionary, community organizing, effecting change, striking, labor strike, labor organizing,anthropologically, cultural anthropology, forensic anthropology, anthropologist, human nature, physical anthropology, ethnocentric, ethnography, functionalism, cultures, societies, human people, human society, functionalism, globalization, ideology, pragmatism, dogmatism, social change, society,indigenous peoples, indigenous people, indigenous, native, native people, native peoples, aboriginal people, aboriginal, aborigine, indigene, indigeneity, tribes, tribal, tribal people, tribal peoples,visual arts, painting, drawing, printmaking, filmmaking, craft, crafts, architecture, ceramics, photography, video, videomaking, film, conceptual art, installation art, art exhibits, artmaking, photos, videography, sculpting, sculpture, theatre, theater, music, musicmaking, music performance, art styles, art history, plastic arts, fine art, fine arts, visual arts centers, visual arts education, jewelry, jewelrymaking, beaux arts, graphic arts, graphic design, abstract art, art galleries, art gallerist, galleries, gallery, gallerist, gallerists, illustration,culture, identity, identity politics, culture wars, left wing, right wing, intersectionality, identity groups, civilization, literacy, humanism, cancel culture, online culture, cultural revolution, cultural diffusion, culture shock, popular culture, pop culture, material culture, cultural capital, cultural assimilation ,criminal justice, crime, judiciary, police reform, corrections, criminal law, judicial system, justice department, prosecution, judgement, criminal law, courts and corrections, corrections institutes,religion, spirituality, organized religion, soul, spiritual beliefs, religious beliefs, belief systems, branches of religion, religious sects, sects, gods and goddesses, monotheism, theism, pantheism, polytheism, spiritual awakening,south america, south american countries, countries in south america, argentina, bolivia, brazil, chile, colombia, ecuador, guyana, paraguay, peru, suriname, uruguay, venezuela, south american politics, south american culture, south american cuisine, south american education, south america in media, south american languages, south america history,family, kin, fellowship, household, immediate family, extended family, multigenerational family, multigenerational household, kinfolk, family tree, genealogy, nuclear family, modern family, family tree,economics, social class, money, capital, capitalism, class, economy, prejudice, intersectionality, inequality, poverty, income gap, wage gap, class warfare, elitism, snobbery, bourgeois, poverty, upper class, middle class, lower class, nouveau riche,rapa nui,easter island,THE SPIRIT OF THE ANCESTORS,The Spirit of the Ancestors: Journey to Bring Home a Stolen Artifact,spirit of the ancestors,moai,haka,The Spirit of the Ancestors: Journey to Bring Home a Stolen Artifact,time of the ancestors,colón,The Spirit of our Ancestors,chile,postcolonialism,museum,"easter island",te rua,Mana,History of anthropology,С, Leonardo,rapa-nui,Watch Spirit of the Ancestors on Kanopy!,cultural anthropology,Monuments Men,Repatriation,The journey,maohi nui,stolen art,The Spirit of the Ancestors Journey to Bring Home a Stolen Artifact,“The Spirit of the Ancestors: Journey to Bring Home a Stolen Artifact”,sacred,Leaving Home travel,the spirit of ancestors,The Spirit of the Ancestors: Journey to Bring Home a Stolen Artifact ,he Spirit of the Ancestors: Journey to Bring Home a Stolen Artifact,the return of gods and ancestors,Long Journey Home,moia,Moana,The Spirit of the Ancestors: Journey to Bring Home a Stolen Artifact”,Polynesia,spirit of our ancestors,The Spirit of our Ancestors: Journey to Bring Home a Stolen Artefact,ancestor tree,PBS Easter Island,rapanui,a place to call home,indigenous,native stolen sisters,SPIRITS,Chilean,forgery,sculptor,the spirits of the ancestors,amerique latin,spirit of ancestors,genealogy,latin art,Contagion,Europe's colonization,birdman,coming home,colonial,strong island,museum colonize,spirit,Home by Christmas,tahiti,song of rapa nui,stolen kisses,spirit ancestors,colonization,Stolen,museum and travel,journey to the west,rapa,Manu Dibango,anime,A Long Way From Home,sail,stolen generation,home reno,aboriginal stolen generation,museum colonialism,Spanish Indigenous cultures,mau mau,Homes,the posessed,"two-spirits",Leonardo DiCaprio,spirits of ancestors,Stolen Spirits of Haida Gwaii; "The Spirit of the Ancestors"; Pragda Films,Te Kuhane o te Tupuna: El espíritu de los ancestros
Clips
No clips are available yet.
Festivals

Valdivia International Film Festival
imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
Arica Nativa Film Festival
Chiloe Documentary Film Festival
International Indigenous Film Festival of Wallmapu
Pasifika Film Fest Australia

DIRECTOR: Leonardo Pakarati

NATIONALITY: Chile

YEAR: 2015

GENRE: Documentary

LANGUAGE: Spanish; Indigenous languages

COLOR / B&W: Color

GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adults

SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE

AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE

Existing customers, please log in to view this film.

New to Pragda? Register to request a quote.