Beyond the Gates of Splendor [VHS]
“Beyond the Gates” is a feature length documentary film experience about the Waodani Indians and the missionary men and women who have given their lives to reach them. This powerful emotional journey begins with the Waodani describing their way of life before the missionaries visited them in 1956. Narrated by the son of one of the missionaries and each of the wives of the men who died, the audience takes a nostalgic trip back in time to see how the men and women came to meet up with each other i
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ASTOUNDING LOVE,
At its heart, it is about nothing less than sacrifice (human) and redemption (Godly).
This artistic, feature-length documentary story is set among the Ecuadorian Waodani Indians and the missionary men and women who gave their lives to reach them.
In late 1956, around this time of year, the Los Angeles Times featured headlines that said: “SAVAGES KILL FIVE MISSIONARIES.” It was a big, brutal story that jolted the hearts of readers safely ensconced in the Eisenhower era.
I was not ready for the emotional intensity of this memorable story that begins with Waodani tribe person describing their way of life prior to the missionaries’ arrival.
Primitive, archival home movies from the missionary families are intercut with sharp, colorful, contemporary interviews with the Waodani.
What is so astonishing is seeing how faith and forgiveness can bring love and healing in the most unexpected and extreme of circumstances.
This superb documentary is an adaptation of Elisabeth Elliot’s book. A theatrical feature based on the murders and aftermath, “End of the Spear,” will be released in 2006.
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|A view from the inside,
It tells the story of 5 missionaries and their families. They were trying to reach a savage group of killers, the Waoranis of Ecuador, with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through a number of misunderstandings, the Waoranis killed these men, not understanding that they wanted to be friends. Years later several family members of the murdered missionaries tried again to reach the Waoranis. They lived among them and shared God’s love with them, and today the Waorani culture and people have transformed. Today the murderers of those missionaries are like family members to the missionaries’ families. The story is told through film footage, still photos and interviews with surviving participants. The Waoranis’ interviews are in their language, with English subtitles.
This film is appropriate for all ages. It’s refreshing to see the story of people so dedicated to an ideal that they will die for it. And then to see these former savage killers, together with the families of those they killed – wow, it’s powerful stuff. Near the end of the shoot here in Panama, we spent an incredible evening meeting both the Waoranis featured in the documentary and several of the family members of the missionaries. The joy and love you see in this film is authentic. The forgiveness and genuine peace among these people, we saw it in them in person.
Be sure to go see “End of the Spear”, due to be released in January 2006. A lot of the events in it are based on this documentary and the reminiscences you see in it.
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|Outstanding Documentary About A Group Of Missionaries And The Indigenous Tribe They Encountered,
By the way, I am an atheist who feels that some missionary work can, in fact, have a largely negative impact on the indigenous peoples they are trying to convert. But even I was moved by the the sense of dedication and forgiveness shown by these women when they went to live with the same Waodanis who had murdered their husbands. But, even more so, I was interested in this movie from an anthropological point of view. It was fascinating to hear the comments of the anthropologists who had gone from working with one of the world’s most peaceful tribes in Malaysia to now studying one of the most violent in the Waodanis. It also showed how much all human beings ultimately have in common, as the Waodanis interviewed were generally shown to be intelligent, sensitive people who had formed close friendships with the missionaries and their children despite the fact that the two cultures were so extremely different. It was also inspiring to see how, within a generation, the Waodanis had changed from being an extraordinarily violent society, based on blood feuds and vendettas, to an apparently peaceful one. They were even learning to use advanced technology, including one guy who had learned to fly and repair a small airpane which he used to transport his fellow Waodanis to a town with a hospital. I especially liked when the film showed the Waodanis watching old footage from World War II. The Waodanis considered the bomber pilots to be the worst type of “savages” because they were killing people that they didn’t even know. In other words, don’t get too self-righteous about our “advanced civilization” because even one of the world’s most violent tribes is appalled by the methods of modern warfare.
Beyond the incredible story, this is also a well made and beautifully shot documentary which kept me intensely absorded the entire time. My wife, a latina who grew up in Ecuador, was also captived. She said, during her childhood, the Waodanis had a reputation among all Ecuadorians as an especially violent and aggressive people. In fact, one of her sisters, who was considered to have a bad temper, was nicknamed “Auca” (another name for the Waodanis) and the family would make fun of her by imitating Waodani dances when she would get mad. They even had a fake spear made up for her as a joke.
I would recommend this movie to anyone, but especially those interested in indigenous societies and the vast potentialites of human nature and human culture.
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