POV: What has been the overall reaction to the film? It has a density of topics ranging from media and technology to religion and language. Have you found that viewers tend to gravitate or react strongly to one topic more than the others?
Adele Horne: The themes of language, religion, media, and technology all seem to elicit interest and discussion. Audiences find the film thought-provoking and say that they find themselves mulling it over days later. My favorite response is when people feel they are left with lots of swirling thoughts and ideas to ponder.
POV: What is the inevitable question that you are asked after screenings? Any memorable moments or incidents that made you re-think how you approached any aspects of the film?
Adele: Audiences almost always ask, "How did you find out about this organization?" or "What drew you to this topic?" I tell them that my parents are evangelical Christians, and my family received one of these cardboard record players in the mail when I was eight years old. I never forgot the record player and eventually became curious about its origin, which led to making the film.
POV: Have you been in touch with members of GRN since filming stopped?
Adele:I met with GRN to show them the fine cut of the film in the summer of 2005 and have been in touch with them fairly regularly. They have moved their offices to Temecula, California since the filming took place.
POV: This was your first feature as producer and director. As a first-timer, can you share any lessons learned regarding distribution and outreach for the film? The real work begins after you've finished the film, don't you think that's so?
Adele: There's definitely a lot of work to do to publicize and distribute a film, more than I ever realized! I wish I had started some of that earlier, while still making the film. But to me the most important work is the creative work that takes place before making the film: watching films, reading, thinking, and deciding on how to approach your film. I recently had the privilege of hearing the wonderful documentary filmmaker Vittorio De Seta speak about his work at the Flaherty Film Seminar. I was struck by the way he spoke about life and work being integrated. The work we produce reflects the values, outlook and quality of thought with which we live our daily lives. To make our best films, we must expand our own thinking and cultivate our ability to feel and perceive life.
POV: Can you tell us about your current projects? Has your subsequent work been influenced in a particular way because of your experiences (both stylistically and technically) from working on this film?
Adele: My current project is very different. It's an essay film titled "9 Experiments in Peripheral Vision." It's structured as a series of short explorations and approaches to thinking about how we perceive those things at the corner of our vision, those things we can't quite see. The project is a collaboration with filmmaker Paul Van De Carr and will be a 16mm film. Part of the pleasure of doing this project is that there are almost no logistics to arrange in order to shoot. I can focus more on the writing, making images, and editing. It's a good break from the labor-intensive work of making a full-length observational documentary. I have some longer observational projects in the works, but this is a delightful change of pace. I think the work of editing and writing "The Tailenders" has increased my facility with structuring work, and I see that reflected in this new project.
The Global Recording Network's Response to The Tailenders
This documentary does not have the endorsement of Global Recordings Network (Gospel Recordings).
For those interested in a more accurate and detailed view of our mission and what we really do, we encourage you to visit our website – www.globalrecordings.net.
The title "Tailenders" is derived from a word that we coined to describe people groups, oral societies and tribes that have had little or no opportunity to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Many do not read and do not have the Bible in their language even if they could read. They are called Tailenders because they are at the "end of the line" in terms of receiving any Christian resource or ministry.
In our opinion, the documentary gives a slanted view of the work we do. For example it shows our recording teams still using analog equipment of yesteryear, but without showing the state-of-the-art equipment that we use today. The documentary uses the word "hand-crank" to describe field situations where we have to improvise with makeshift equipment, but does not show the hours of meticulous planning that go into the trips. A girl is portrayed praying, "We don't know what we are doing..." whereas in reality we are experts in our own field. The documentary introduces other issues such as the exploitation of tribal cultures and their land by aggressive developers. It also links evangelism to capitalism and worldly goods giving the impression that that is the motivation for people to become Christians. While some people can have wrong motives in seeking to become Christians, there was no mention made of the vast number of people whose lives are wonderfully transformed by Jesus Christ. And there were no interviews with them either.
By bringing these elements into a documentary that was ostensibly about our work, our organization and other evangelical missionaries seem guilty by association. There is no mention of the work of thousands of other evangelical missions who not only take the gospel all over the world, but also provide emergency assistance, food, medical care, home building, education, literacy and vocational training to those who need it. There are no interviews with any of the thousands of national pastors or people who have been assisted by evangelical missionaries, many who have sacrificed their time, money, health, and sometimes their lives to help people throughout the world.
The goal of our mission is to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to every people group in the world in their heart languages. With the majority of the world's people being non-readers, God inspired this mission to provide the gospel in audio form. We started with records in 1939, progressed on to audiocassette tapes, and now also offer our materials on CD, MP3 and Internet download. We have recorded Bible stories and other basic gospel messages in more than 5,600 languages. And still the work moves forward until every language group in the world – including the Tailenders – has the gospel of Jesus Christ in their own words!
Respectfully,
Colin Stott
U.S. Director
Global Recordings Network
Temecula, California
An Indigenous Response to The Tailenders Documentary
It has been almost a millennium since Western Civilization began to map the world. In this quest to map the world with Western knowledge and Western thoughts, Western cultural practices and Western religion, they declared war on the many cultures that exist around the world. Through a philosophy of all or nothing, master and slave, Christianity (civilized) versus savages (primitive), they set out to conquer the world. "The Tailenders" focuses on the continuation of this conquest.
The Western conquest began with Marco Polo. Polo portrayed a world full of human perversities; a society that lacked "organized religion" and humans with animal characteristics (according to Polo, he saw man of hairy characteristics). With this notion circulating in Europe, it was not surprising that Christopher Columbus portrayed a world similar to Marco Polo's. Columbus painted a world, again, of savageries; a world lacking organized society, a world lacking the knowledge of god, a world that must be turned into a mirror image of Western civilization.
As they invaded and occupied, Westerners gave themselves the authority to Christianize and "civilize" those that were considered uncivilized. "The Tailenders" examines both the outcomes and the continuation of Western conquest on indigenous culture. The Evangelical missionaries don't realize that in the process of spreading the word of "god," they are destroying the diverse cultures that mankind has built.
For example, in Mixtec civilization, language, religion and cultural identity is intertwined. One element does not exist without the other. In fact, language dictates how an individual must conduct himself or herself in any given community. In the film, Philip, one of the recording technicians, admits that there are problems when Bible stories are translated from English to Mixtec. What he does not understand is that the two culture's worldviews are very different. This becomes obvious when Mario Garcia began to record (the Bible stories). In the Mixtec culture, the concept of sin does not exist, nor does the concept of punishment or pain. The Mixtecs have a different concept of good and evil. The two cultures, Christians and Mixtecs, are under a different realm of divinity.
I was born and raised in this colonial system, and I believe the "godly" world that they promise is not realistic. I think that most of the missionaries carry out their duty to save their own soul. That is a job that they have to do to guarantee their entrance in what they call "heaven." They come from a society that puts emphasis on the individual.
"The Tailenders" sheds light on the divisions that missionaries create in the indigenous community. Their work in no way improves the condition of the indigenous people. Instead, they are destroying a culture, a society that organizes itself through the concept of collectivity. Their work is an attack on the diverse cultures that exist around the world. The evangelical missionaries must understand that no matter how hard they try to mold us into who they are, they will never succeed. The divine force created a world diverse in knowledge, culture, language and religion. The human species have survived and developed precisely because of our diversity. The Evangelical missionaries must stop their attack on the world's diversity.
— Tisu'ma Juan Salazar
"
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POV: What has been the overall reaction to the film? It has a density of topics ranging from media and technology to religion and language. Have you found that viewers tend to gravitate or react strongly to one topic more than the others?
Adele Horne: The themes of language, religion, media, and technology all seem to elicit interest and discussion. Audiences find the film thought-provoking and say that they find themselves mulling it over days later. My favorite response is when people feel they are left with lots of swirling thoughts and ideas to ponder.
POV: What is the inevitable question that you are asked after screenings? Any memorable moments or incidents that made you re-think how you approached any aspects of the film?
Adele: Audiences almost always ask, "How did you find out about this organization?" or "What drew you to this topic?" I tell them that my parents are evangelical Christians, and my family received one of these cardboard record players in the mail when I was eight years old. I never forgot the record player and eventually became curious about its origin, which led to making the film.
POV: Have you been in touch with members of GRN since filming stopped?
Adele:I met with GRN to show them the fine cut of the film in the summer of 2005 and have been in touch with them fairly regularly. They have moved their offices to Temecula, California since the filming took place.
POV: This was your first feature as producer and director. As a first-timer, can you share any lessons learned regarding distribution and outreach for the film? The real work begins after you've finished the film, don't you think that's so?
Adele: There's definitely a lot of work to do to publicize and distribute a film, more than I ever realized! I wish I had started some of that earlier, while still making the film. But to me the most important work is the creative work that takes place before making the film: watching films, reading, thinking, and deciding on how to approach your film. I recently had the privilege of hearing the wonderful documentary filmmaker Vittorio De Seta speak about his work at the Flaherty Film Seminar. I was struck by the way he spoke about life and work being integrated. The work we produce reflects the values, outlook and quality of thought with which we live our daily lives. To make our best films, we must expand our own thinking and cultivate our ability to feel and perceive life.
POV: Can you tell us about your current projects? Has your subsequent work been influenced in a particular way because of your experiences (both stylistically and technically) from working on this film?
Adele: My current project is very different. It's an essay film titled "9 Experiments in Peripheral Vision." It's structured as a series of short explorations and approaches to thinking about how we perceive those things at the corner of our vision, those things we can't quite see. The project is a collaboration with filmmaker Paul Van De Carr and will be a 16mm film. Part of the pleasure of doing this project is that there are almost no logistics to arrange in order to shoot. I can focus more on the writing, making images, and editing. It's a good break from the labor-intensive work of making a full-length observational documentary. I have some longer observational projects in the works, but this is a delightful change of pace. I think the work of editing and writing "The Tailenders" has increased my facility with structuring work, and I see that reflected in this new project.
The Global Recording Network's Response to The Tailenders
This documentary does not have the endorsement of Global Recordings Network (Gospel Recordings).
For those interested in a more accurate and detailed view of our mission and what we really do, we encourage you to visit our website – www.globalrecordings.net.
The title "Tailenders" is derived from a word that we coined to describe people groups, oral societies and tribes that have had little or no opportunity to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Many do not read and do not have the Bible in their language even if they could read. They are called Tailenders because they are at the "end of the line" in terms of receiving any Christian resource or ministry.
In our opinion, the documentary gives a slanted view of the work we do. For example it shows our recording teams still using analog equipment of yesteryear, but without showing the state-of-the-art equipment that we use today. The documentary uses the word "hand-crank" to describe field situations where we have to improvise with makeshift equipment, but does not show the hours of meticulous planning that go into the trips. A girl is portrayed praying, "We don't know what we are doing..." whereas in reality we are experts in our own field. The documentary introduces other issues such as the exploitation of tribal cultures and their land by aggressive developers. It also links evangelism to capitalism and worldly goods giving the impression that that is the motivation for people to become Christians. While some people can have wrong motives in seeking to become Christians, there was no mention made of the vast number of people whose lives are wonderfully transformed by Jesus Christ. And there were no interviews with them either.
By bringing these elements into a documentary that was ostensibly about our work, our organization and other evangelical missionaries seem guilty by association. There is no mention of the work of thousands of other evangelical missions who not only take the gospel all over the world, but also provide emergency assistance, food, medical care, home building, education, literacy and vocational training to those who need it. There are no interviews with any of the thousands of national pastors or people who have been assisted by evangelical missionaries, many who have sacrificed their time, money, health, and sometimes their lives to help people throughout the world.
The goal of our mission is to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to every people group in the world in their heart languages. With the majority of the world's people being non-readers, God inspired this mission to provide the gospel in audio form. We started with records in 1939, progressed on to audiocassette tapes, and now also offer our materials on CD, MP3 and Internet download. We have recorded Bible stories and other basic gospel messages in more than 5,600 languages. And still the work moves forward until every language group in the world – including the Tailenders – has the gospel of Jesus Christ in their own words!
Respectfully,
Colin Stott
U.S. Director
Global Recordings Network
Temecula, California
An Indigenous Response to The Tailenders Documentary
It has been almost a millennium since Western Civilization began to map the world. In this quest to map the world with Western knowledge and Western thoughts, Western cultural practices and Western religion, they declared war on the many cultures that exist around the world. Through a philosophy of all or nothing, master and slave, Christianity (civilized) versus savages (primitive), they set out to conquer the world. "The Tailenders" focuses on the continuation of this conquest.
The Western conquest began with Marco Polo. Polo portrayed a world full of human perversities; a society that lacked "organized religion" and humans with animal characteristics (according to Polo, he saw man of hairy characteristics). With this notion circulating in Europe, it was not surprising that Christopher Columbus portrayed a world similar to Marco Polo's. Columbus painted a world, again, of savageries; a world lacking organized society, a world lacking the knowledge of god, a world that must be turned into a mirror image of Western civilization.
As they invaded and occupied, Westerners gave themselves the authority to Christianize and "civilize" those that were considered uncivilized. "The Tailenders" examines both the outcomes and the continuation of Western conquest on indigenous culture. The Evangelical missionaries don't realize that in the process of spreading the word of "god," they are destroying the diverse cultures that mankind has built.
For example, in Mixtec civilization, language, religion and cultural identity is intertwined. One element does not exist without the other. In fact, language dictates how an individual must conduct himself or herself in any given community. In the film, Philip, one of the recording technicians, admits that there are problems when Bible stories are translated from English to Mixtec. What he does not understand is that the two culture's worldviews are very different. This becomes obvious when Mario Garcia began to record (the Bible stories). In the Mixtec culture, the concept of sin does not exist, nor does the concept of punishment or pain. The Mixtecs have a different concept of good and evil. The two cultures, Christians and Mixtecs, are under a different realm of divinity.
I was born and raised in this colonial system, and I believe the "godly" world that they promise is not realistic. I think that most of the missionaries carry out their duty to save their own soul. That is a job that they have to do to guarantee their entrance in what they call "heaven." They come from a society that puts emphasis on the individual.
"The Tailenders" sheds light on the divisions that missionaries create in the indigenous community. Their work in no way improves the condition of the indigenous people. Instead, they are destroying a culture, a society that organizes itself through the concept of collectivity. Their work is an attack on the diverse cultures that exist around the world. The evangelical missionaries must understand that no matter how hard they try to mold us into who they are, they will never succeed. The divine force created a world diverse in knowledge, culture, language and religion. The human species have survived and developed precisely because of our diversity. The Evangelical missionaries must stop their attack on the world's diversity.
— Tisu'ma Juan Salazar
"
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POV: What has been the overall reaction to the film? It has a density of topics ranging from media and technology to religion and language. Have you found that viewers tend to gravitate or react strongly to one topic more than the others?
Adele Horne: The themes of language, religion, media, and technology all seem to elicit interest and discussion. Audiences find the film thought-provoking and say that they find themselves mulling it over days later. My favorite response is when people feel they are left with lots of swirling thoughts and ideas to ponder.
POV: What is the inevitable question that you are asked after screenings? Any memorable moments or incidents that made you re-think how you approached any aspects of the film?
Adele: Audiences almost always ask, "How did you find out about this organization?" or "What drew you to this topic?" I tell them that my parents are evangelical Christians, and my family received one of these cardboard record players in the mail when I was eight years old. I never forgot the record player and eventually became curious about its origin, which led to making the film.
POV: Have you been in touch with members of GRN since filming stopped?
Adele:I met with GRN to show them the fine cut of the film in the summer of 2005 and have been in touch with them fairly regularly. They have moved their offices to Temecula, California since the filming took place.
POV: This was your first feature as producer and director. As a first-timer, can you share any lessons learned regarding distribution and outreach for the film? The real work begins after you've finished the film, don't you think that's so?
Adele: There's definitely a lot of work to do to publicize and distribute a film, more than I ever realized! I wish I had started some of that earlier, while still making the film. But to me the most important work is the creative work that takes place before making the film: watching films, reading, thinking, and deciding on how to approach your film. I recently had the privilege of hearing the wonderful documentary filmmaker Vittorio De Seta speak about his work at the Flaherty Film Seminar. I was struck by the way he spoke about life and work being integrated. The work we produce reflects the values, outlook and quality of thought with which we live our daily lives. To make our best films, we must expand our own thinking and cultivate our ability to feel and perceive life.
POV: Can you tell us about your current projects? Has your subsequent work been influenced in a particular way because of your experiences (both stylistically and technically) from working on this film?
Adele: My current project is very different. It's an essay film titled "9 Experiments in Peripheral Vision." It's structured as a series of short explorations and approaches to thinking about how we perceive those things at the corner of our vision, those things we can't quite see. The project is a collaboration with filmmaker Paul Van De Carr and will be a 16mm film. Part of the pleasure of doing this project is that there are almost no logistics to arrange in order to shoot. I can focus more on the writing, making images, and editing. It's a good break from the labor-intensive work of making a full-length observational documentary. I have some longer observational projects in the works, but this is a delightful change of pace. I think the work of editing and writing "The Tailenders" has increased my facility with structuring work, and I see that reflected in this new project.
The Global Recording Network's Response to The Tailenders
This documentary does not have the endorsement of Global Recordings Network (Gospel Recordings).
For those interested in a more accurate and detailed view of our mission and what we really do, we encourage you to visit our website – www.globalrecordings.net.
The title "Tailenders" is derived from a word that we coined to describe people groups, oral societies and tribes that have had little or no opportunity to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Many do not read and do not have the Bible in their language even if they could read. They are called Tailenders because they are at the "end of the line" in terms of receiving any Christian resource or ministry.
In our opinion, the documentary gives a slanted view of the work we do. For example it shows our recording teams still using analog equipment of yesteryear, but without showing the state-of-the-art equipment that we use today. The documentary uses the word "hand-crank" to describe field situations where we have to improvise with makeshift equipment, but does not show the hours of meticulous planning that go into the trips. A girl is portrayed praying, "We don't know what we are doing..." whereas in reality we are experts in our own field. The documentary introduces other issues such as the exploitation of tribal cultures and their land by aggressive developers. It also links evangelism to capitalism and worldly goods giving the impression that that is the motivation for people to become Christians. While some people can have wrong motives in seeking to become Christians, there was no mention made of the vast number of people whose lives are wonderfully transformed by Jesus Christ. And there were no interviews with them either.
By bringing these elements into a documentary that was ostensibly about our work, our organization and other evangelical missionaries seem guilty by association. There is no mention of the work of thousands of other evangelical missions who not only take the gospel all over the world, but also provide emergency assistance, food, medical care, home building, education, literacy and vocational training to those who need it. There are no interviews with any of the thousands of national pastors or people who have been assisted by evangelical missionaries, many who have sacrificed their time, money, health, and sometimes their lives to help people throughout the world.
The goal of our mission is to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to every people group in the world in their heart languages. With the majority of the world's people being non-readers, God inspired this mission to provide the gospel in audio form. We started with records in 1939, progressed on to audiocassette tapes, and now also offer our materials on CD, MP3 and Internet download. We have recorded Bible stories and other basic gospel messages in more than 5,600 languages. And still the work moves forward until every language group in the world – including the Tailenders – has the gospel of Jesus Christ in their own words!
Respectfully,
Colin Stott
U.S. Director
Global Recordings Network
Temecula, California
An Indigenous Response to The Tailenders Documentary
It has been almost a millennium since Western Civilization began to map the world. In this quest to map the world with Western knowledge and Western thoughts, Western cultural practices and Western religion, they declared war on the many cultures that exist around the world. Through a philosophy of all or nothing, master and slave, Christianity (civilized) versus savages (primitive), they set out to conquer the world. "The Tailenders" focuses on the continuation of this conquest.
The Western conquest began with Marco Polo. Polo portrayed a world full of human perversities; a society that lacked "organized religion" and humans with animal characteristics (according to Polo, he saw man of hairy characteristics). With this notion circulating in Europe, it was not surprising that Christopher Columbus portrayed a world similar to Marco Polo's. Columbus painted a world, again, of savageries; a world lacking organized society, a world lacking the knowledge of god, a world that must be turned into a mirror image of Western civilization.
As they invaded and occupied, Westerners gave themselves the authority to Christianize and "civilize" those that were considered uncivilized. "The Tailenders" examines both the outcomes and the continuation of Western conquest on indigenous culture. The Evangelical missionaries don't realize that in the process of spreading the word of "god," they are destroying the diverse cultures that mankind has built.
For example, in Mixtec civilization, language, religion and cultural identity is intertwined. One element does not exist without the other. In fact, language dictates how an individual must conduct himself or herself in any given community. In the film, Philip, one of the recording technicians, admits that there are problems when Bible stories are translated from English to Mixtec. What he does not understand is that the two culture's worldviews are very different. This becomes obvious when Mario Garcia began to record (the Bible stories). In the Mixtec culture, the concept of sin does not exist, nor does the concept of punishment or pain. The Mixtecs have a different concept of good and evil. The two cultures, Christians and Mixtecs, are under a different realm of divinity.
I was born and raised in this colonial system, and I believe the "godly" world that they promise is not realistic. I think that most of the missionaries carry out their duty to save their own soul. That is a job that they have to do to guarantee their entrance in what they call "heaven." They come from a society that puts emphasis on the individual.
"The Tailenders" sheds light on the divisions that missionaries create in the indigenous community. Their work in no way improves the condition of the indigenous people. Instead, they are destroying a culture, a society that organizes itself through the concept of collectivity. Their work is an attack on the diverse cultures that exist around the world. The evangelical missionaries must understand that no matter how hard they try to mold us into who they are, they will never succeed. The divine force created a world diverse in knowledge, culture, language and religion. The human species have survived and developed precisely because of our diversity. The Evangelical missionaries must stop their attack on the world's diversity.
— Tisu'ma Juan Salazar
"
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POV: What has been the overall reaction to the film? It has a density of topics ranging from media and technology to religion and language. Have you found that viewers tend to gravitate or react strongly to one topic more than the others?
Adele Horne: The themes of language, religion, media, and technology all seem to elicit interest and discussion. Audiences find the film thought-provoking and say that they find themselves mulling it over days later. My favorite response is when people feel they are left with lots of swirling thoughts and ideas to ponder.
POV: What is the inevitable question that you are asked after screenings? Any memorable moments or incidents that made you re-think how you approached any aspects of the film?
Adele: Audiences almost always ask, "How did you find out about this organization?" or "What drew you to this topic?" I tell them that my parents are evangelical Christians, and my family received one of these cardboard record players in the mail when I was eight years old. I never forgot the record player and eventually became curious about its origin, which led to making the film.
POV: Have you been in touch with members of GRN since filming stopped?
Adele:I met with GRN to show them the fine cut of the film in the summer of 2005 and have been in touch with them fairly regularly. They have moved their offices to Temecula, California since the filming took place.
POV: This was your first feature as producer and director. As a first-timer, can you share any lessons learned regarding distribution and outreach for the film? The real work begins after you've finished the film, don't you think that's so?
Adele: There's definitely a lot of work to do to publicize and distribute a film, more than I ever realized! I wish I had started some of that earlier, while still making the film. But to me the most important work is the creative work that takes place before making the film: watching films, reading, thinking, and deciding on how to approach your film. I recently had the privilege of hearing the wonderful documentary filmmaker Vittorio De Seta speak about his work at the Flaherty Film Seminar. I was struck by the way he spoke about life and work being integrated. The work we produce reflects the values, outlook and quality of thought with which we live our daily lives. To make our best films, we must expand our own thinking and cultivate our ability to feel and perceive life.
POV: Can you tell us about your current projects? Has your subsequent work been influenced in a particular way because of your experiences (both stylistically and technically) from working on this film?
Adele: My current project is very different. It's an essay film titled "9 Experiments in Peripheral Vision." It's structured as a series of short explorations and approaches to thinking about how we perceive those things at the corner of our vision, those things we can't quite see. The project is a collaboration with filmmaker Paul Van De Carr and will be a 16mm film. Part of the pleasure of doing this project is that there are almost no logistics to arrange in order to shoot. I can focus more on the writing, making images, and editing. It's a good break from the labor-intensive work of making a full-length observational documentary. I have some longer observational projects in the works, but this is a delightful change of pace. I think the work of editing and writing "The Tailenders" has increased my facility with structuring work, and I see that reflected in this new project.
The Global Recording Network's Response to The Tailenders
This documentary does not have the endorsement of Global Recordings Network (Gospel Recordings).
For those interested in a more accurate and detailed view of our mission and what we really do, we encourage you to visit our website – www.globalrecordings.net.
The title "Tailenders" is derived from a word that we coined to describe people groups, oral societies and tribes that have had little or no opportunity to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Many do not read and do not have the Bible in their language even if they could read. They are called Tailenders because they are at the "end of the line" in terms of receiving any Christian resource or ministry.
In our opinion, the documentary gives a slanted view of the work we do. For example it shows our recording teams still using analog equipment of yesteryear, but without showing the state-of-the-art equipment that we use today. The documentary uses the word "hand-crank" to describe field situations where we have to improvise with makeshift equipment, but does not show the hours of meticulous planning that go into the trips. A girl is portrayed praying, "We don't know what we are doing..." whereas in reality we are experts in our own field. The documentary introduces other issues such as the exploitation of tribal cultures and their land by aggressive developers. It also links evangelism to capitalism and worldly goods giving the impression that that is the motivation for people to become Christians. While some people can have wrong motives in seeking to become Christians, there was no mention made of the vast number of people whose lives are wonderfully transformed by Jesus Christ. And there were no interviews with them either.
By bringing these elements into a documentary that was ostensibly about our work, our organization and other evangelical missionaries seem guilty by association. There is no mention of the work of thousands of other evangelical missions who not only take the gospel all over the world, but also provide emergency assistance, food, medical care, home building, education, literacy and vocational training to those who need it. There are no interviews with any of the thousands of national pastors or people who have been assisted by evangelical missionaries, many who have sacrificed their time, money, health, and sometimes their lives to help people throughout the world.
The goal of our mission is to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to every people group in the world in their heart languages. With the majority of the world's people being non-readers, God inspired this mission to provide the gospel in audio form. We started with records in 1939, progressed on to audiocassette tapes, and now also offer our materials on CD, MP3 and Internet download. We have recorded Bible stories and other basic gospel messages in more than 5,600 languages. And still the work moves forward until every language group in the world – including the Tailenders – has the gospel of Jesus Christ in their own words!
Respectfully,
Colin Stott
U.S. Director
Global Recordings Network
Temecula, California
An Indigenous Response to The Tailenders Documentary
It has been almost a millennium since Western Civilization began to map the world. In this quest to map the world with Western knowledge and Western thoughts, Western cultural practices and Western religion, they declared war on the many cultures that exist around the world. Through a philosophy of all or nothing, master and slave, Christianity (civilized) versus savages (primitive), they set out to conquer the world. "The Tailenders" focuses on the continuation of this conquest.
The Western conquest began with Marco Polo. Polo portrayed a world full of human perversities; a society that lacked "organized religion" and humans with animal characteristics (according to Polo, he saw man of hairy characteristics). With this notion circulating in Europe, it was not surprising that Christopher Columbus portrayed a world similar to Marco Polo's. Columbus painted a world, again, of savageries; a world lacking organized society, a world lacking the knowledge of god, a world that must be turned into a mirror image of Western civilization.
As they invaded and occupied, Westerners gave themselves the authority to Christianize and "civilize" those that were considered uncivilized. "The Tailenders" examines both the outcomes and the continuation of Western conquest on indigenous culture. The Evangelical missionaries don't realize that in the process of spreading the word of "god," they are destroying the diverse cultures that mankind has built.
For example, in Mixtec civilization, language, religion and cultural identity is intertwined. One element does not exist without the other. In fact, language dictates how an individual must conduct himself or herself in any given community. In the film, Philip, one of the recording technicians, admits that there are problems when Bible stories are translated from English to Mixtec. What he does not understand is that the two culture's worldviews are very different. This becomes obvious when Mario Garcia began to record (the Bible stories). In the Mixtec culture, the concept of sin does not exist, nor does the concept of punishment or pain. The Mixtecs have a different concept of good and evil. The two cultures, Christians and Mixtecs, are under a different realm of divinity.
I was born and raised in this colonial system, and I believe the "godly" world that they promise is not realistic. I think that most of the missionaries carry out their duty to save their own soul. That is a job that they have to do to guarantee their entrance in what they call "heaven." They come from a society that puts emphasis on the individual.
"The Tailenders" sheds light on the divisions that missionaries create in the indigenous community. Their work in no way improves the condition of the indigenous people. Instead, they are destroying a culture, a society that organizes itself through the concept of collectivity. Their work is an attack on the diverse cultures that exist around the world. The evangelical missionaries must understand that no matter how hard they try to mold us into who they are, they will never succeed. The divine force created a world diverse in knowledge, culture, language and religion. The human species have survived and developed precisely because of our diversity. The Evangelical missionaries must stop their attack on the world's diversity.
POV: What has been the overall reaction to the film? It has a density of topics ranging from media and technology to religion and language. Have you found that viewers tend to gravitate or react strongly to one topic more than the others?