Dreaming a Narrative and Conjuring an Image: Collaborative Filmmaking with People and Spirits in Melanesia

Abstract

This article explores long-term creative engagement, through filmmaking, with a community in Papua New Guinea. It examines the process and results of three feature film projects done in collaboration with Melanesian communities. The films discussed here have employed diverse methods to engage with people creatively. All three of these ethnographic films seek to privilege local epistemologies through their construction, narrative approaches and subjects. The article details the methodologies employed for promoting indigenous ways of knowing. It is suggested that filmmaking and creative engagement have helped generate a meaningful site for Lak communities to explore their traditional practices and identity.