Voices of Orchid Island (1993)

Voices of Orchid Island 1993 / 蘭嶼觀點 1993 / Lan Yu Guan Dian , Lan Yu Kuan Tien , 兰屿观点

The film opens with a group of anti-nuclear activists, a Bunun doctor and a Han Chinese anthropologist sitting on a seashore, exchanging their motivation for participating in the film. The film then breaks into three parts. The first part reveals the Yami's (Tao's) opposition to tourism as Indigenous people react negatively to the unhealthy attitudes from Han Chinese tourist guides and tourists. The second part documents a Bunun volunteer doctor's observation and reflection of the Yami's (Tao's) anxiety and confusion when traditional culture and modern medicine collide. Lastly, two young local activists speak directly to the camera of their reasons to protest against the dumping of nuclear waste on Orchid Island. The film ends with Yami (Tao) people posing in ‟Manhawey‟, a traditional gesture to boost morale by showing anger, followed by songs of blessing for Orchid Island. Through cross-cutting, the various views and conflicts between these three groups of people are presented with stark immediacy. The film is highly reflective of the Indigenous peoples' ever-present conundrum as it addresses the cultural confusion, adjustment and conflict apparent when different communities come into contact. (Source: tfai.org.tw)