The sleeping dictionary

Title: The Sleeping Dictionary

Director: Guy Jenkin

Writer: Guy Jenkin

Year: 2003

Running time: 109 minutes

Plot summary:

A young and naive Englishman, John Truscott (Hugh Dancy), goes to the British colony of Sarawak, Borneo to try and apply his father's work to the Iban society. He tries to civilize them, building schools and providing education for the Iban people. He is met with unfamiliar local customs. Selima (Jessica Alba) becomes his "sleeping dictionary," who sleeps with him and teaches him the language and the habits of the locals. Despite their intents, the two find themselves falling into a forbidden love. John is eager to marry Selima despite the longhouse not allowing it. When John tells Henry about his plans to marry her, they lock Selima up. Selima then agrees to marry in the longhouse and they part ways.

A year later, John is seen marrying Cecilia. He still struggles to get over his past with his sleeping dictionary. With Cecilia, he decides the best thing to do is go back to Sarawak to continue his work over there. Returning to Sarawak, Cecilia notices John's desire for Selima with his constant distance from her. Cecilia demands to know more about Selima and John replies by saying that she's married to Belansai and that the couple have a baby together.

While at the lake collecting rocks for research, John sees Selima with a baby. He believes the child to be his and asks Famous to arrange a meeting with the pair. Soon back at the house, Selima walks in unaware that John is there. John begs to see his son and soon Selima walks away not before John can stop them. Here, John meets his son Manda for the first time. When Belansai hears news that John is spending time with his wife, he sneaks in to try to kill John but only manages to hurt him with a razor. The next morning, Henry reveals his past to John about his own 'sleeping dictionary', which resulted in the birth of another child: Selima. When Belansai is caught for trying to kill an officer, he is sentenced to be hanged. Selima is not happy with the fact that Belansai will be killed as he's been a good father to Manda. Not wanting to kill Belansai, a friend of his, John goes through with announcing Belansai's hanging as he had no other option. Later that night, Selima tries to break Belansai out, not knowing John is already there. When she walks over to the jail cell, she sees John breaking Belansai out and handing him a gun. As Belansai escapes, John asks Selima to meet him at the dock so they can escape on the boat. Selima tells him he won't come as they'll catch him. John turns to Selima and says "Then I'll tell them I'd rather have you than a country... or a language... or a history". They embrace as the rain is pouring behind them.

The next day, Cecilia announces she's pregnant, shocking John. Although he still has plans to be with Selima and their son, he writes a note but stops as Cecilia catches him. The couple then talk about John's love for Selima and how Cecilia wants John to be happy. Aggie is not happy that Cecilia and Henry have allowed both John and Selima to run away together due to that fact that she never left Henry's sight, fearing he'd go with his sleeping dictionary. John searches for Selima as she's left believing that John didn't come to the place of arrangement. They reunite as Neville comes through with a gun. He tells them to cuff themselves around the bamboos and tells them of his plans to kill John, Selima and their baby. They're then rescued by the Ibans, who kill Neville.

At the end, they decide to live together and migrate with the Ibans.

© Text and image: Wikipedia

The Hunza of Pakistan

Name: Hunza

Living Area: Hunza, Nagar, and Yasin valleys of northern Pakistan (Asia)

Language: Burushaski

Comments:   

They are predominantly Muslims. Their language, Burushaski, has not been shown to be related to any other. They have an East Asian genetic contribution, suggesting that at least some of their ancestry originates north of the Himalayas.

The Hunza people, or Hunzakuts, descend from the principality of Hunza. They live alongside the Wakhi and the Shina. The Wakhi reside in the upper part of Hunza locally called Gojal. Wakhis also inhabit the bordering regions of China, Tajikstan and Afghanistan and also live in Gizar and Chitral district of Pakistan. The Shina-speaking people live in the southern part of Hunza. They have come from Chilas, Gilgit, and other Shina language-speaking areas of Pakistan.

Based on internationally recognized survey data, the literacy rate of both in males and females of Hunza is more than 95%, which is much higher than the rest of the country. The people of Hunza are highly educated, hospitable and well-mannered. Hunza is a major tourist attraction in Pakistan, and many Pakistani as well as foreign tourist travel to the region to enjoy the picturesque landscape and stunning mountains of the area. The district has many modern amenities and is quite advanced by Asian standards.

Well-known by: Local legend states that Hunza may have been associated with the lost kingdom of Shangri La. The people of Hunza are by some noted for their exceptionally long life expectancy, others describe this as a longevity narrative and cite a life expectancy of 53 years for men and 52 for women, although with a high standard deviation. DNA research groups the male ancestry of the Hunza with speakers of Pamir languages (Afghans) and the Sinte Romani (Gypsies).

Burusho legend maintains that they descend from the village of Baltir, which had been founded by a soldier left behind from the army of Alexander the Great—a legend common to much of Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. However, genetic evidence only supports a Greek genetic component in the Pashtun ethnic group of Pakistan and Afghanistan, not the Burusho.

Some words in Burushaski:   

hello: leh

my name is ... : jaa eik ... bila

yes: awa

no: bee

goodbye: khuda hafiz

© Text and images: Wikipedia

The Azerbaijani Mugham

© UNESCO / David Stehl

The Azerbaijani Mugham is a traditional musical form, characterized by a large degree of improvisation. The Mugham, though a classical and academic art, draws upon popular bard melodies, rhythms and performance techniques and is performed in many venues throughout the country.
Contemporary representations of the Azerbaijani Mugham reflect different periods of Azerbaijan’s history and its contacts with Persians, Armenians, Georgians and with other Turkic peoples. This musical genre shares artistic characteristics with the Iraqi Maqam, the Persian Radif and the Turkish Makams. In the past, Mugham was primarily performed on two secular occasions: the toy, the traditional wedding feast and the majles, a gathering of connoisseurs in private settings. It was also cultivated by members of the Sufi orders and by performers of religious dramas known as ta’zie or shabih. Official competitions and informal contests served to establish the reputation of accomplished musicians.
This modal genre features a male or female singer accompanied by musicians playing traditional instruments, such as the tar (a long-neck lute), the kamancha (a four-string spiked fiddle) and the daf (a type of large tambourine). Since Mugham cannot be transcribed in a fixed form, multiple versions are transmitted by masters who train students in the fine art of interpretation to ensure the variety of this artistic expression.
The Mugham has lost some of its aesthetic and expressive characteristics largely due to European influences, which are particularly apparent in the manner in which contemporary musicians perform and transmit their skills to the younger generations.
Inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2003)
© Text and videos: UNESCO

Tribal Perspectives Exhibition

Exhibition dates: 29th September-2nd Oct 2010: Time 11am – 7pm
Place: Galleries 27 and 28 Cork Street.Mayfair, London , W1S 3NG
Web: www.tribalperspectives.com
Comments:
Tribal Perspectives is an exciting multi–cultural event with lectures and exhibits of precious artefacts from rapidly diminishing cultures. Tribal Perspectives was launched in 2007. It began in a single gallery space off Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, London. It was then, and still is today, the only quality tribal art event being stagged in the UK. The initial sucess of the exhibition led to its steady expansion with each year prominate dealers joining, resulting in the attendance and awareness of the event increasing significently.
To lift the profile further in 2009 the show was moved to the heart of the London gallery district in Cork Street,Mayfair.
The event combines artefacts with learning via a programme of lectures,providing a focal point for a deeped understanding of the art and the cultures who created it.
The fourth Tribal Perspectives exhibition showcases some of the most beautiful art made by humanity. Rare textiles, artefacts and books will be presented, with a lecture about Oceanic tribal art and its cultures. Tribal Perspectives 2010 presents an opportunity to view this unique and diminishing art presented by a select group of specialist dealers.
Eight established international tribal art dealers will exhibit: From London, Tribal Gathering (African Tribal Art and Adornment), Clive Loveless, (Rare Textiles and Primal Forms), Charles Vernon-Hunt, (Collectable Tribal Art Books). New to Tribal Perspectives, collectable textile dealers, Molly Hogg and Joss Graham, add colour by exhibiting rare Asian, African and South American textiles. UK dealer, Wayne Heathcote, will exhibit fine Oceanic Art; Chris Boylan, presents art from New Guinea and Aboriginal Australia and from Netherlands, Louis Nierijnck with Primitive Art from Africa and Asia. All are experts in their field and will exhibit works selected for their quality and rarity.
Tribal Perspectives 2010 follows the Parcours des mondes, Paris, and is the only London annual exhibition for collectors and enthusiasts of tribal art. For the second year, the dealers will exhibit in the heart of Mayfair, at Galleries 27 and 28 Cork Street, W1. The event has become the British focal point for UK and international collectors of tribal art since the demise of the HALI Textile and Tribal Art Fair in 2006.
For those passionate about authentic tribal art this is an opportunity not to be missed. The exhibition will also appeal to those interested in abstract or modern art, with which tribal artefacts have a close affinity. The past decade has seen an increased awareness of the timeless appeal and increasing rarity of tribal art, as indicated by the record prices achieved in leading auction houses.
When evaluating his own passion for tribal art, collector Udo Horstmann states:
“The most important thing is the aesthetic value. Each piece starts you thinking, what is in the mind of creator, who is behind it?.......What you see here is a like an expedition into another world.” (Udo Horstmann, Apollo, September, 2009)
The event showcases the very best of each dealer’s collection. It also reflects their own spirited life-long expeditions and passion for acquiring unique pieces - from intricate 18th century Asian textiles, powerful New Guinea Fighting Shields, to the exquisite beading of Sudanese Dinka wedding corsets. Tribal Perspectives 2010 provides a focal point for a greater cultural understanding. At a time when ancient cultures are vanishing, this is a rare chance to appreciate their art, within the city of London.
Opening: Tuesday 28th September 2010:Time 6pm – 9pm
Collectors Private View RSVP: 28nd September. Time 4pm – 6pm. Visitor information and RSVP Contact Bryan Reeves: Tribal Gathering on 020 7221 6650 or 07939 166 148 or email art@tribalgatheringlondon.com or the website at www.tribalperspectives.com
Admission: free

© Text and images: www.tribalperspectives.com

Naga bamboo mug

Name: Naga bamboo mug

Origin: Naga people, India, Asia

Date: Collected by Eric Thomas Drummond Lambert, Given to the Museum in 1936

Museum: Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, UK

Comments:

This bamboo drinking mug from Nagaland, in Northeast India, has been elaborately carved with human figures, elephants, and skulls. This vessel belonged to a head-hunter – the skulls represent heads taken by him. Head-hunting was practised amongst the Nagas until the twentieth century. It was part of ritualized warfare, in which heads were taken to gain status and encourage fertility. This vessel was made some time before 1936 by a man called Kaolun, who was a Phom Naga.

© Photos and text: Pitt Rivers Museum