AllMovie

This film presents the story of the Arawak people of Central and South America. A peaceable people of matriarchal lineage, the Arawak did not even have a word for war. Their culture was based on living in harmony with nature and nature spirits. The power and influence of the shaman led the tribe's members on their spiritual journey. The Arawak people were persecuted first by the Carib and then the Spanish. The Arawak descendants continue to live in the bush, practicing slash and burn agriculture. Artist Penny Slinger depicts Arawak culture in daily life, ceremonial rituals, body art, and dream landscapes. Poetry and music by Franc Menusan, using authentic Arawak instruments, accompany rare live footage of these indigenous people.