TUKANA

Papua/New Guinea, 1984, 135 minutes, Colour.
Albert Taro.
Directed by Chris Owen.

Tukana has a special interest as a feature film emerging from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. It focuses on contemporary problems in the Islands traditional lifestyles and their being disrupted, the over-education of the young and the lack of opportunity, the creation of an idle group who ape western ways. The film uses Solomon Island locations effectively and has an authentic atmosphere.

The film was produced by the Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies and produced, directed and photographed by Chris Owen. The story and screenplay is by Albert Toro who plays the central character. The film is competent technically - but is of greater interest because of its local portrayal of problem issues.

1. The quality of the film as emerging from Papua New Guinea and the Solomons? Local interest, interest in the Pacific area, universal? The focus on social problems? Problems in emerging countries?

2. Production values: 16mm. photography in Solomon locations: the village, the mines, the sea? The feeling of the Islands? The use of language? The musical score (and the insertion of western songs)?

3. The significance of the prologue - a collage about the history of New Guinea and the Solomons? The variety of international influences for good and bad? The role of the churches? The consequences in Papua New Guinea of the '80s?

4. The focus on Tukana and his going to school, the exhortations by his parents, the quality of education, its effect on the youngsters? Their returning home and the social situation -not interested in the traditions, indolent?

5. Tukana and his family: their expectations, his failing his university career, lazy, drinking and sleeping, westernised? Lucy and her western glamour? The arranged marriage for Josephine and his ignoring of this? The long sequences of idleness and relaxing, dancing, drinking, cards? Tukana and his friends? The plane trip, working in the mines? Drinking and the lifestyle amongst the miners? The decision to return home - and taking the wrong plane? Lazing around, the death of Josephine? The possibility of a change? His decision to be a teacher - and the final procession with his involvement in traditions (almost negated by the continuing shots of the lazy islanders)?

6. The portrait of the family, their traditional ways, their hopes for their children?

7. Lucy as the new young woman, westernised, the bikini etc.? Her wilfulness? The contrast with Josephine, the traditional background of the family, the arranged marriage? The pathos of the accident and her death?

8. The young men on the island, their behaviour, spending their money, wasting time, the social consequences, the effect on character, tradition, the growth of gangs and violence? Possibilities for change? Development?

9. The film's view of western styles: music, dress, drinking? The final images?

10. The world of industry, the mines, white training, the brothers training the youngsters, the overseers in the mines? The influence of the western world on the island lifestyle?

11. The contribution of the writer-star and his vivid portrayal of a man caught in these social conflicts?