| Description |
1 online resource (streaming video file) (74 minutes) : .flv file, sound, color |
| Summary |
On the South Pacific Island group of Vava'u, the traditional healer Emeline Lolohea treats people affected by spirits. One day away by ferry, the only Tongan Psychiatrist Dr Mapa Puloka has established a public psychiatry well known across the region. Although the two healers have never met in person, this film creates a dialogue between them on the nature of mental illness and spiritual affliction - and the shared obstacles they face in providing their services to the people in need. Their commitment and transformative communication offers challenges and opportunities to help address the growing global mental health crisis. For two years, film director Mike Poltorak used a video camera as an integral part of his medical anthropological research on traditional healing and mental illness in Tonga. After many more years of research and filming, he learned just how important the relationship between filmmaker and subject is in creating a film respectful of Tongan values and of utility for the global Tongan community. Through this relationship, his film presents possibilities for improvement in health communication and outcomes for the Kingdom of Tonga, the development of a public psychiatry more sensitive to traditional healing, as well as to encourage culturally valued talanoa between traditional and biomedical practitioners |
| Notes |
Title from title frames |
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Originally released by Documentary Educational Resources in 2019 |
| Credits |
Film editor, Heidi Hiltebrand ; translation, Sefita Hao'uli |
| Performer |
Emeline Lolohe, Mapa Ha'ano Puloka |
| Notes |
In English and Tongan, with English subtitles |
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Closed captioning in English |
| Subject |
Mental health -- Tonga -- Vavaʻu
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Healers -- Tonga -- Vavaʻu
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Psychiatrists -- Tonga -- Vavaʻu
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Health.
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Medicine.
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Spirituality.
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Health
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Medicine
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Spirituality
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health.
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medicines (material)
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Documentary films.
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Health.
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Medicine.
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Mental health.
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Spirituality.
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| Genre/Form |
Documentary films.
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Documentary films.
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Video recordings for the hearing impaired.
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Documentaires.
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Vidéos pour personnes handicapées auditives.
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| Form |
Streaming video
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| Author |
Poltorak, Mike, film director, film producer, director of photography.
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Lolohe, Emeline, on-screen participant
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Puloka, Mapa Ha'ano, on-screen participant
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Potolahi Productions, production company
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Documentary Educational Resources (Firm), distributor.
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Kanopy (Firm), distributor.
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