The Healer and the Psychiatrist.
The Healer and the Psychiatrist.
- 1 online resource (streaming video file) (74 minutes): digital, .flv file, sound
Title from title frames. Film In Process Record.
Originally produced by Documentary Educational Resources in 2019.
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.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
In English,Tongan
12236368 Kanopy
Health.
Medicine.
Spirituality.
Mental health.
Documentary films.
Documentary films.
Title from title frames. Film In Process Record.
Originally produced by Documentary Educational Resources in 2019.
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.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
In English,Tongan
12236368 Kanopy
Health.
Medicine.
Spirituality.
Mental health.
Documentary films.
Documentary films.