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Preserving Cultural Heritage through Films

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Cultural Heritage manifests in both tangible and intangible forms through artefacts, monumental remains, landscapes and landmarks. It is ingrained in our linguistic and artistic expressions, customs, traditions, beliefs, aspirations and value systems originating from the ancient past.  Our heritage anchors us in the way we think, feel, act and interact with everyone and everything around us. Thus, preserving it is a way of preserving ourselves, protecting that which is intrinsic in all of us. What does it take to accomplish this? What are the stakes for society’s indifference and/or failure to do our part? Where are we at?    90 per cent of over 6000 languages will go extinct within 100 years According to United Nations data, “about 97 per cent of the world’s population speaks 4 per cent of its languages, while only 3 per cent speaks 96 per cent of them.” Most of the languages going extinct are spoken by indigenous people. Ravages of wars and natural disasters UNESCO affirms that tangible heritage worldwide “are increasingly becoming the collateral victims of natural disasters and armed conflicts.” Since time immemorial, peoples and communities have been uprooted or disenfranchised of their lands, cultures are weakened or destroyed and ethnic populations decimated by both natural and man-made disasters. Current headlines tell the same story – at an alarmingly accelerating level.   Human propensity to dominate  The annals of history are replete with narratives of tribal and territorial conquests, expanding and changing of empires, controlling influence of political and economic superpower nations. Indigenous and less dominant peoples are subjugated and marginalized, cultural identities forcibly stripped or weakened as they yield to new ways of life.  Endangered intangible cultural heritage As world politics and modern technology set toward globalization, it comes at the cost of traditional knowledge and skills. UNESCO details a long continuous list of endangered intangible cultural heritage year in and year out. From the Art of Xòe dance of the Tai people in Viet Nam, the L-Għana folksong tradition of Malta to the Nordic coastal heritage of clinker boat, handmade weaving in Upper Egypt, among so many. We are seeing the inexorable decline of man’s heritage. Cultural Heritage through the lens The film plays a vital role in the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage. Digital storage not only requires less space for archiving a large amount of information but makes easy transfer of knowledge through the internet. It is a viable way to safeguard cultural heritage from natural and manmade destructive forces. Films transcend the physical limitations in experiencing and sharing cultural and historical heritage around the world. The audio and visual elements not only complement but amplify oral and written narratives.  Looking through the lens of Cultural Heritage Culture, according to United Nations, is inextricably linked to indigenous peoples, “the keepers of knowledge.” Indigenous Heritage is an immeasurable and indispensable wealth of information about the natural world, health, technologies and techniques, rites and rituals and other cultural expressions. In essence, humanity’s existence is just as inextricably linked to the indigenous cultures; thus, it is for our mutual preservation that this link remains unbroken. Today as we live in the comforts and ease of modernization and head to a future of artificial intelligence and technology breakthrough after breakthrough, let us take a moment to look back and take in how much of humanity is lost.  INSPIREFLIX has launched our Indigenous Films Projects. Partner with us in our advocacy for Indigenous Cultures or in our other film projects, all in the interest of global cohesion of humanity which forms the core of our vision.    REFERENCES: http://www.cultureindevelopment.nl/Cultural_Heritage/What_is_Cultural_Heritage https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/mandated-areas1/culture.html https://en.unesco.org/content/preserving-our-heritage https://news.un.org/en/story/2012/12/427362-fighting-cultural-extinction-traditional-dances-and-crafts-added-un-list

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Arts Activism

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I don’t have a very moving or profound story about how I managed to get into the humanitarian sector for work. I tried to pin point certain periods in life when I experienced injustice but upon reflection it was clear that it wasn’t any of those experiences. There are many people who work in the charity sector and within these significant global institutions like the United Nations who have much more profound and respectable stories of how they got to their place. To put my experience simply, as to how I became interested in human rights and international affairs, stemmed from being required to read a book for English class in year eight called ‘Parvana’. The story is about a young girl living in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban. She is forced to cut her hair to look like a boy so that she can sell products on the street to provide for her family. This is definitely where my interest in Afghanistan was ignited and I developed a greater interest in world affairs. I started watching the news more and made a conscious effort to understand history and war. Typically, I was saddened and appalled at what goes on in the world and was inspired to make contributions and efforts in order to combat these injustices. I am aware that when a book tells a story or when a film displays a portrayal of historical/current events then things can be dramatised and at times false. However, I believe that these sorts of platforms are excellent places to start discussions and inform about critical issues around the world and at local levels of society. I see the documentaries which Inspireflix creates in order to share stories and experiences about what people have gone through and overcome. I think that these documentaries and stories provide a clearer insight into genuine human experiences as well as being another medium for sharing and informing people about experiences and challenges which many people wouldn’t have ever considered. I understand that there are a number of ways to learn and engage in self-development. Many would say that travel is the best way to learn and experience other cultures. However, I don’t necessarily agree with this especially when some people just flock to tourist hubs. I believe that learning a lot about other people, challenges and cross-roads are a fundamental part of self-development, empathy and enhancing emotional intelligence. So when I hear people tell me “oh it’s just a movie”, I couldn’t disagree more. I am very involved in the films and TV I watch as well as the books I read. I don’t see them as just form of entertainment or creative expression, where both are relevant, but they are also something very deep for us to connect to, appreciate, understand and learn from. For people to be more involved in the creative arts in this way to enhance their social learning and awareness would be an ideal. I think that the work Inspireflix does in order to share personal and unique stories about real people is a very moving and honourable contribution to society.

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Fish Hook

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I previously had someone tell me about fishing, when fish are caught and then thrown back into the ocean that they end up being fine because they recover from a “minor” wound; then mentioning that catching fish isn’t that cruel because fish can’t really feel pain in the same way humans and other animals do. Meaning that fish perhaps know that something is wrong when they are caught but they do not feel the intense pain of the wound and trauma. This concept of fish being caught and wounded by hooks is a way that I’ve used to describe rape culture and normalised sexual violence. I feel as if there’s so much abuse within sexual relationships and that people are a bit like fish being caught; where we know that something is wrong but we don’t know how to explain what went wrong. Then when people are thrown back into the world we are left with this wound to somehow manage, but we don’t always know in a conscious sense what happened in the first place. The articulation of why something is uncomfortable or violating can be hard to explain because maybe there was consent established for sex or aspects of sex, but not for everything that has happened. I know that rape culture and what constitutes sexual violence; assault, abuse, coercion, harassment and consent today is much broader than what it used to be, and that it’s a very contested topic. It’s something that I find incredibly difficult to talk about and there seems to be such resistance when many people point out instances of rape culture behaviour. From discussions around sexual violence over the years a lot of people understand a lot more about consent and some things which they have experienced sexually, aren’t in fact a normal part of sex. I remember only starting to talk about my experience with rape culture about a year ago. It was mentally and emotionally a really tough thing to do because I couldn’t articulate the experiences properly. Physically I felt like something very wrong had happened but I had told myself for so long that nothing had happened, mainly as a maladaptive and sub-conscious coping mechanism, but also there was still this entrenched belief about what rape means. Previously I understood rape as someone unknown forcing themselves sexually onto another person. In reality this isn’t always how it occurs. It’s hard enough to ever prosecute someone for any kind of sexual misconduct let alone when there is this rigid definition and understanding of it. It is good to see that consent education is something which is being developed. There is still such an acceptance to avoid obtaining consent and instead waiting for someone to either scream out or literally say ‘no’ but this isn’t the way it should be in order to receive “consent”. There is definitely still a long way to go when it comes to eliminating sexual and gender-based violence and I’m hoping that consent education improves this.

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Into the Indigenous Future

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Indigenous Peoples, as defined by The World Bank, are distinct social and cultural groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy or from which they have been displaced. Australia’s Indigenous heritage originates from two distinct groups, the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander peoples, but from these two spring hundreds of communities with their own unique language, history and cultural traditions. This diversity is a gold mine of knowledge, beliefs and traditions, music and arts. Let’s delve into a couple that pervade the Indigenous cultures and their ways of life. Dreamtime or Dreaming is the Aboriginal belief on how the world is created, how life and nature came into being, and the interrelation of all things. This is preserved through stories, art, ceremony and songs handed down from generation to generation. Dreaming is the way of life for the Aboriginals, to make sense of one’s place in society and nature. It connects the spiritual world of the past with the present and the future. Coming of the Light celebrates the Torres Strait Islander peoples’ adoption of Christianity. Due to their geographical location, the sea holds a profound influence on the lives of the island communities. They look to the sea for sustenance and from the sea came the Christian missionaries which marked an impact on many aspects of their life. They co-existed peacefully, fostered a relationship of openness and reciprocity. More than a holiday celebration, Coming of the Light is a hopeful testament to humanity’s capacity to embrace what unites us instead of  fighting over our differences. Indigenous peoples have deep spiritual connection with the land and strong kinship with nature.  Guarding and protecting it is at the core of their existence. There is much the world can learn from them about sustainable use and conservation of our land and water resources. By diminishing their heritage we are weakening the customary vanguards of nature and the world we live in. The United Nations asserts, “Indigenous peoples today, are arguably among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of people in the world.” It marked August 9 as International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples to direct global focus on the issue. This remains a challenging terrain to traverse but the end goal of ensuring a conducive environment for all indigenous peoples to thrive and grow would have been worth all the labor, brick by brick, to build up a strong Indigenous future. Sounding off John Donne’s poem below, each time a heritage ceases, a part of humanity dies – a bell tolls for thee. For Whom the Bell Tolls By John Donne No man is an island, Entire of itself. Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. As well as if a promontory were. As well as if a manor of thine own Or of thine friend’s were. Each man’s death diminishes me, For I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee. INSPIREFLIX is launching our Indigenous Films Campaign to feature various stories told by Indigenous individuals. We will lend our platform in support, healing and protection of the Indigenous people, their families, communities and their heritage. Leave us a message or feel free to reach out to us for updates and more. REFERENCES: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/about-us.html https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples.html https://www.aboriginal-art-australia.com/aboriginal-art-library/understanding-aboriginal-dreaming-and-the-dreamtime/ https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/indigenous-australians-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people https://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Explore/Find+out+about/Aboriginal+and+Torres+Strait+Islander+Cultures/Gatherings/Coming+of+the+Light+Torres+Strait+Islands

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Films: The impact on you, the society, the world

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Remember the iconic Charlie Chaplin movies of the 1920s? Or ever heard of them? Films have come a long progressive way from the silent movies of yore to the computer-generated imagery and cutting edge sounds we have on our screens today. And the narratives have become progressively extensive too.  The purpose of film has greatly broadened from mere entertainment to creating profound impact on its audience so much so that cinematherapy, or using films/videos as a counseling tool, is gaining ground in Psychotherapy. Let us scratch the surface of this iceberg – how films impact people, the society, and the world. Transport us into the less known The movie, Children of a Lesser God, takes its viewers into the ‘silent’ world of the deaf. For print director, Lisa Perrier, the lack of verbal expression accentuated the visual component of communication – the body language. More profoundly, it changed her perspective and perception of sound. An incisive point indeed as we associate sound with the sense of hearing yet sound is a vibration, perceptible and throbbing all around us and within – in our every heartbeat. Films not only transport us into less known realms but heighten and broaden the boundaries of our thoughts and emotions.   Challenge deeply-entrenched beliefs or practices A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness is a 2015 short documentary film that raised global awareness on the cold-blooded practice of honour killings in Pakistan. It follows the story of Saba Qaiser, a young Pakistani woman who survived the attempt of her father and uncle to kill her all because she ran off to marry her boyfriend. In this patriarchal society, honour killing is not a crime. Last year, it claimed the lives of 478 as reported in Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). In reality, the number is much higher as many cases go unreported and few lived to tell their stories. The film instigated then Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to commit to ending honour killings in the country. In July 2016, the law had been amended penalizing offences in the name or pretext of Honour. This is testament to how films can challenge or change societies. Art imitating life The film, Avatar, may have taken place in some distant planet to an alien tribe defending their forest home from destructive human exploits yet this could easily be the story of indigenous peoples – from the native Americans down to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia, and many others from around the world. Films provide the lens through which we see ourselves, the society we belong to, and the world we live in. INSPIREFLIX aims to harness the potentials of film to further our vision of global cohesion of humanity through our human-interest short documentary films. REFERENCE LINKS: https://ct.counseling.org/2016/03/all-things-connect-the-integration-of-mindfulness-cinema-and-psychotherapy/ http://humanitiesmoments.org/moment/one-movie-changed-my-life https://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2022-State-of-human-rights-in-2021.pdf https://www.documentary.org/online-feature/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-girl-river-and-honor-killings-pakistan

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Storytelling Tips or Tricks

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Storytelling in its earliest form manifest as visual stories. From the oldest cave drawings in Sulawesi, Indonesia to the cave art in Spain and France, they are vestiges of bygone ages that speak of the human propensity to connect, to share. Telling stories has since evolved as man’s capacity and capability expand.   Today, storytelling is on steroids! Digital storytelling has pervaded our daily lives. A click of a button on your smart phone, tablet, and computer connects you to an audience from one to a million. According to the “The Internet Minute” data in 2021 compiled by Lori Lewis, 695,000 stories are shared on Instagram, 28,000 subscribers are watching on Netflix, 500 hours of content are uploaded on You Tube, 69 million messages sent on Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp – all of these taking place in 60 seconds.   INSPIREFLIXhas undertaken to carve a positive niche in the deluge. We do not just put out any story on film. We are on the lookout for the ‘good finds’ – stories that inspire, build up, and create a beneficial impact on society. Anyone can tell a story but below are useful tips do better at it and a few tricks to avoid.   Let’s break them down to three core essentials:   Keep it centered What is the central focus of the story? Is it the character/s, the event, an idea, a conviction or insight? Build your narrative around it. Oftentimes in storytelling, one can easily get carried away and linger unnecessarily on some particulars, drawing the audience away from the focal point. What is the central message? What are you conveying? If you don’t have this clearly pinned down, the story will lack trajectory, meaning, and purpose. The notable poet and writer, Carl Sandburgh, had once said “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way.” He, most certainly, had not meant it the way to go with telling a story. The central message is what takes the narrative home.   Concise but substantive In this digital age, it looks like we’ve beaten the legendary 9-second attention span of the goldfish. Microsoft study has it that the human average time span has dropped from 12 to 8 seconds. This leaves your story less time to capture the interest of an audience. Brevity is key; let every word augment, not diminish the story.   Keep the integrity of the story Story headlines scream for attention and many stories are being reduced to crass sensationalism. Avoid the trap. Keep the integrity in your narrative. The noise may catch attention, but only for a short while. A story in its purest form leaves enduring marks worth the journey back to its time.   Will you trust us with your story? Share with us what tips or tricks you’ve encountered in storytelling that may help someone else.   REFERENCES: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/journey-oldest-cave-paintings-world-180957685/ https://www.allaccess.com/merge/archive/32972/infographic-what-happens-in-an-internet-minute https://time.com/3858309/attention-spans-goldfish/

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5 Reasons to Tell Your Story on Film

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A human story is an aggregate of knowledge, experiences, values, and heritage assimilated into the life of an individual. YOU are a walking story in progress, continuously evolving and creating an impact throughout your lifetime – and even beyond. Sharing a snippet of your life is not merely telling a story, but leaving imprints of the aggregate elements that make up who and what you are.   INSPIREFLIX endeavors to take your story to a tangible and purposeful level. Consider these five reasons to tell your story with us, on film: The combined potentials of motion picture and sounds in conveying your story. If a picture paints a thousand words, imagine how much more a film can bring to life the information, insights, and emotions that you want to share.  Interactive medium The auditory and visual elements in a film can captivate and immerse the audience in ways that an oral or written piece could not. Whether it’s the relatability and portrayal of the characters, the ambient noise or music, the scenery, the setting – any of, or all these can draw the viewers further into your story and elevate the storytelling experience for them.  Create connections The story creates a bond that holds the filmmaker, the crew, the actors, the environs, and the audience together; a film is the conduit through which connections flow and form. Accessibility through technology Today, technology has enabled us to take our stories across borders and boundaries. Films can now be viewed not only on television & movie screens, but literally at one’s fingertips through the digital screen, on your tablet or mobile device. Harnessing this technology, a film breaks down the barriers of human and physical limitations. A refugee in some war-torn area, a teen-ager going through depression, or a first-time parent taking care of a newborn, a film about one’s struggle or triumph, however big or small, could be someone’s inspiration or lease on life.  Stimulus for action and a catalyst for change A film is a powerful medium that can turn passive emotions into action or bring about change in the hearts and minds of the audience. Off the list of the University of Southern California’s 15 films of 2018 that left a social impact is “Shoplifter,” a movie about a family who resorts to shoplifting as a means to survive. Before seeing the film, a viewer may have had strong conviction against stealing but following the lives of the family unfold, watching their deprivations, their struggle, one could end up finding humanity in the characters resonating one’s own. These people could be any of the homeless lot you passed by somewhere, one who does odd jobs for you, or they could be YOU at some point in your life. Such is the influence a film can hold and the impact your “ordinary” story may have on someone, in some place, at some time.

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Swede…ish

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I remember learning a lot about belonging and identity during high school, as it was my year 12 HSC topic for English. At the time I didn’t think much of it and understood that “outsiders” have a heightened sense of not belonging. A lot of the examples which were examined were to do with people not belonging as opposed to people belonging. When undertaking exams many of us were encouraged to use examples of people who didn’t belong. I feel as though understanding belonging and its importance often derives from when you are in situations where you don’t belong or don’t have the same connection to something which the others in the context do. My dad was Swedish, my mum is Fijian-Indian, I am born and raised in Australia and the only language I speak is English. I feel as though not speaking the native language from each of my parents has enhanced the sense of often not feeling as though I belong in certain settings. There is this distance between myself and the rest of the group. There is this delegitimising of me being part of an ethnicity because I can’t speak the language. It’s as if in order to be part of the group I almost have to be the stereotype or express the ethnicity in some easy, identifiable way. My feelings of not belonging are by no means the fault of other people who are part of these groups where I am. Many people who are part of groups where I feel that I do not belong are often the ones who are very inclusive, and often make a conscious attempt to include me. Recently I attended a Swedish, cultural celebration and I expressed to a friend at the event how I feel in situations like this and it came as such a surprise to her. To my friend her perspective was more of course I belong because she sees me as a part of the group. The criticism I have faced from people about my ethnicity has more come from other people who enquire where I am from and some have said “well you can’t be Australian then”, or when I describe that my mum’s ethnicity is Indian but she was born and raised in Fiji then they get annoyed and say “well she’s Indian then not Fijian”. It appears to be a bit of a no-win situation when I explain my ethnic background and nationality to people. I’m not entirely sure where this animosity about peoples background comes from, and I understand that this is not just something that happens to me but many others with a more “complex” identity, but where my parents have come from is all relevant and a part of me. It can be such a challenging experience when not belonging is felt. From my experience it’s often not always about being socially included. It is something much more deep rooted, internal and personal. I think it can be very different for each person. I remember learning about how identity is not just how we perceive ourselves but how others perceive us. I am in the process of learning Swedish now and I am interested to see how my sense of belonging and identity changes when my Swedish improves.

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Enrich your Life: G I V E

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We think of riches as everything of value that we have – material possessions, power, and authority over people, a sphere of influence in situations and events affecting ourselves or the people around us. We strive, we struggle, we latch onto these things, and to whatever else that gives security and purpose to our existence. Further down the road, we anticipate contentment and happiness waiting for us. Can we or have we determined how far we need to go to get there?  Tomorrow is not guaranteed. No one knows when the heart will beat its last. We plan and work on our dreams and goals for the future but often miss out on how we can enrich our lives in the here and now. Each day brings some measure of contentment and happiness if you live to G. I. V. E.   GIVE in or GIVE up Give in when you must; go with the flow. Some things unfold in their own time. Life leaves you gasping for breath when you have to assert yourself in everything at all times like one who swims continually against the current to get across the river. Either you reach it all spent up or you drown. Life is a battlefield lived out daily; choose your battles. Giving up requires as much wisdom and courage as taking up one. As an old saying goes, “He that fights and runs away, may turn and fight another day; but he that is in battle slain, will never rise to fight again.”   IMPART (something) of yourself Each one of us has something of ourselves to give. There is joy in giving and it comes in a multitude of ways and forms. Finances or material possession Time Skill or Talent Laughter, a listening ear, your company Words of empathy, encouragement, or inspiration Truth, gratitude, understanding & patience SMILE. To a loved one, a friend, a co-worker, or some random stranger, it may be the only positive thing in the moment that uplifts and gets them through the day. Above all, FORGIVE. Holding on to anger, resentment, or grudge disables you, much as extending forgiveness enables the giver to live free from a burden weighing one down.   VENTILATE thoughts and feelings Mental illness kills. The World Health Organization states that more than 700,000 people die from suicide every year. Psychotherapy is always, if not in all, involved in the treatment of depression. Ventilating your thoughts and feelings is therapeutic. Talk to someone, find release for whatever is building up in your heart and mind. Investing in good and healthy relationships will set you off to a good start.   EMBRACE LIFE in its fullness Life is a journey that runs the whole gamut of the highs and lows – love and hate, pleasure and pain, peace and chaos, triumph and defeat. As sentient beings, we go through these emotions our whole lives. We are also endowed with a critical mind and free will to determine our paths, and the course to take. Yes, there are things within our control and things that are not. However, by embracing life in its fullness we are rendered whole.  In this material world, we are valued by what we have, not by what we let go of. Set this mindset aside, recalibrate your compass, and embark on a life greatly enriched by what you G. I. V. E.   Reference/s: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide

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A Loud Minority

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It’s often difficult to discuss anything related to gender, women’s rights and even using the word ‘feminism’ in particular. I understand that it shouldn’t be so divisive to talk about such things. At this point in time it should be a given that women’s rights, equality, freedom, justice, empowerment and security should be respected and promoted. The backlash that people and activists receive can be very destructive and invalidating. Often it does lead to the cause being made invisible and people being silenced and invalidated. Recently I attended a webinar, hosted by an international women’s rights foundation, on anti-gender movements. It’s a paradoxical feeling getting involved with anything related to women because I’m extremely interested and passionate about these issues but it’s such a painful topic to discuss; especially when hearing some of the entrenched negative beliefs about women and our rights. A number of activists from across eastern Europe shared their experiences and challenges of advocating for women’s rights and education. A significant theme across each panellist and the dialogue was the feeling of lack of support, burnout and pushback by loud people. The feeling of burnout is pretty common amongst many activists. Even when working in certain sectors where people are trying to enact positive change it can be a real challenge to understand if what you’re doing is even helping and if you stand alone in the fight. When advocating for women’s rights it can be painful to think how a loud minority can have such a detrimental impact. This can be true if the loud minority are the people in power and are at the forefront of decision making. However, when it is revealed that the loud minority are not representative the majority of the population it is reassuring to know that the fight for equality can still continue. From this it is important to recognise where advocacy can be directed. During the webinar one activist mentioned the importance of being proactive and not reactive. By this she meant that not necessarily trying to engage in an ongoing dialogue with people from a loud minority who have no chance of shifting their views, to a wider majority who can be more flexible and just need an enhanced insight into women’s and gender-related issues. I would like to think that when it comes to promoting women’s rights that it is a loud minority that is holding the movement back. Even though the webinar reflected on many disappointing responses to women’s rights activists and the challenges which follow, there was a beacon of hope. Some activists shared their thoughts on what needs to change in order to maintain the fight for women’s rights. One expressed the importance of creating a more global network of support, another said that in her experience often people see feminists and people who fight for women’s rights as strong, therefore in no need of support systems. The conversation continued to emphasise the importance of support and voices being heard. It’s when there’s silence, the feeling of abandonment and isolation that the fight for rights can burn people out.

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