Tanna

---

Since the beginning of time,

the chiefs have arranged marriage

along the Kastom Roads,

but two lovers chose

to walk a different path...

TANNA:

Selin.

Selin.

My friend has come back to the village.

Can you cook the taros?

I want to go now.

Selin, come back!

- Where is taboo?

- Not here.

Hold tight.

- Where is the taboo place?

- Here.

Catch her.

Get Selin.

We'll hide. You find us.

I've missed you.

You've been away too long.

You're all grown up now.

A beautiful butterfly.

You catch a lot of butterflies like that?

Selin, go away!

How did you find me?

I know all your hiding places.

What did you see?

I saw you playing

with the chief's grandson.

Don't say anything to mum or dad.

They'll get angry.

Do you want me to lie for you?

Stop following me everywhere I go.

When you wear this skirt, Wawa,

the boys will be falling over

themselves to catch you.

Hold onto it and run for your life!

Wawa, you'll look as beautiful as your

grandmother when she was young.

I obviously didn't run fast enough.

Mum, I'm tired of doing this.

I want to play with my friends.

We're making this skirt

for your initiation.

You're not a child anymore.

Do you understand?

Selin, go help

your mother and sister.

The men will work here.

Go on.

I told you to help your mother.

Father, Selin doesn't listen to us.

Can you help?

Yes, it's time.

Hurry, get my penis sheath!

Catch her, she stole my penis sheath!

Selin.

Selin, come back.

Selin is going into the taboo place.

Hey Selin, come back.

Selin, what are you doing

running into forbidden ground?

The Imedin have killed our people here.

Never come here again.

The warriors are everywhere.

This is not yours to take.

Sorry.

Get moving.

I don't know what's got into you.

Your grandfather is taking you

to Yahul to teach you respect.

When we return from the waterfall

we'll show the men you are now a woman.

Put some coconut oil on my

hard-working bum and belly.

Soon the chiefs will arrange

your marriage to another tribe.

You'll sit with me to learn

about being a good wife

and a good mother.

You're a woman now.

Put some more paint

on her beautiful cheeks.

We'll show you off.

Thank you.

Wawa, you disappeared

after the ceremony.

Where did you go?

I was playing with friends, Grandma.

Good morning, sleepy head.

Are you ready for your big journey?

Hey, where are you going?

I'm taking you to Yahul, our Spirit Mother.

Is it far?

It's time you learned

the meaning of respect.

If you want to go anywhere,

ask your parents first.

You have to start being more responsible.

Where are you?

Cicadas.

Thanks, but are you listening to me?

It can be dangerous out here,

so don't wander off again.

If your mother and father

tell you to do anything,

you must obey them.

You must never refuse...

Never touch those mushrooms.

They're poisonous.

Poisonous!

But they look like the ones mum cooks.

I know, but never eat

the ones which grow on trees...

The Yakel shaman is going to Yahul.

He's the one who made our crops fail.

See that bay?

That's where Captain Cook landed.

All across the island

people have left the old ways.

They've become lost.

Our tribes are the last keepers of Kastom.

We have to hold it tight to survive.

Yahul has been here longer than any of us.

She is the source of life, love and Kastom.

When you look into Her heart,

you will understand.

Don't be afraid of Her.

Let's get closer.

I feel Her.

Her warmth.

I hear Her.

- She's talking to me.

- That's right.

You've been given a special gift.

Grandpa!

Run!

They attacked Grandpa.

Dad, they attacked Grandpa.

They attacked Grandpa.

What happened?

I think they killed him.

- Who did?

- The Imedin.

My father has been attacked.

It's the Imedin again.

Let's get them.

He's still at Yahul.

Selin has been running all night.

Come back, we need to know more.

Tell me what you saw.

I saw the Imedin club his head.

They also killed my parents.

We have to keep calm.

We're losing all our people.

Calm down. Calm down.

Selin, show us where your grandfather is.

Yes, bring our shaman back.

Lingai, take Kawerin, Jonny,

Waha,

and Dain.

Bring him home.

Lingai.

Keep an eye on my grandson.

Don't let him do anything foolish.

His breath is weak.

Grandpa, I've brought Dad and the warriors.

If we hurry, we can save him.

The Imedin can't get away with this.

His strength is fading.

We need to move him now.

Dain and Selin,

run ahead and tell the medicine-man.

I'm worried about his breathing.

Hurry. Run.

We're coming.

He's started bleeding again.

Gather your strength

and drink this medicine.

Drink, old man.

Lift him up.

This is bad.

We're defenceless without our shaman.

My medicines aren't strong enough.

I don't think he'll survive the night.

Father.

Feel all your people here.

Say something to them.

Wisdom comes through suffering,

killing only brings sorrow.

One side struggles for power,

the other takes revenge.

Divided children of Tanna,

join together in peace.

The Spirit Mother revealed

the same song to both of us.

It's time for peace.

The song speaks of peace,

but our enemies keep attacking us.

It's only fair we kill one of them.

Listen to the song.

It's telling us forgiveness is the only way

to bring the Kastom Roads together.

You want the tribe to survive?

The song of peace will bring

our shaman back.

I'd like you to listen to the words again.

Wisdom comes through suffering,

killing only brings sorrow.

One side struggles for power,

the other takes revenge.

Divided children of Tanna,

join together in peace.

Go back to our beginnings,

hear the wisdom of the ancestors

and live once more in harmony.

Follow me.

This one.

We'll take these kava cuttings

to the garden

where your parents were killed

and plant them.

Then we'll take the root

to the Peacemaking Chief.

Don't break its roots.

You must dig kava with respect.

Drinking kava

deepens understanding.

It's sacred to all the Kastom Roads

and will guide us on the path to peace.

It's time to begin new life here.

Your parents' garden is yours now.

Let's clear it and plant the kava cuttings.

Your father's digging stick.

I loved your father as you did.

Now we only have each other.

We have each other.

I want revenge.

If you want to be a good chief one day,

you must move beyond revenge.

Dain, what's wrong?

The Imedin slit my father's throat.

My grandfather is telling me

to forget that.

I can't stop thinking about what I saw.

They speared my mother.

When I found her in the garden,

she was still alive.

I picked her up and held her.

She looked up at me

and tried to say something,

but the spear had gone through her chest.

I'll never forgive them.

I want my revenge.

Dain, I couldn't bear

the thought of that

happening to my father and mother.

But we can't keep doing

terrible things to each other.

We need to live without fear.

Would you want our kids

to live under this threat?

Our kids?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes