Cerita Dari Pulau Karaka (A Story From Karaka Island)

synopsis

Mama Dobo, Mama Maria Gema, Mama Yakoba and Mama Anas are four mamas who among many others are often asked for help by the residents of Karaka Island to assist mothers giving birth. Armed with hereditary knowledge and courage, up till now they have become the village’s midwives. In this documentary video, amidst the activity of men building boats, the four mamas share their experience of being midwives, comparing their methods with modern ones and revealing the local reasoning, beyond the logic of the general public, that customary laws must be guarded.

about the directors

Halaman Papua is a program that was held in November 2013 by Forum Lenteng. Forum Lenteng created networks with four organizations/local communities in Papua: SKPKC Fransiskan Papua (Sentani), Komunitas Riyana Waena (Kota Jayapura), Yayasan Peduli AIDS (Timika) and Yayasan Rumah Bina (Wamena). The four organizatisons/communities have been acting as local facilitators and gathered participants to join media trainings held by Forum Lenteng. 

The workshop resulted in dozens of texts, photo essays and interviews, as well as documentary video/film works that tell the story of the everyday life of local inhabitants in relation to health care, from personal experiences of participants and community to actions conducted by the community itself in criticizing health care service by the related institutions, whether private or governmental in the region.