The Cannibal Tours Social Sciences Movie Review Paper

The Cannibal Tours in Anthropological Perspective
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Cannibals Tour
1 What are the tourists thinking and feeling about the locals and their villages and why are they thinking that? Cite examples
The tourists perceive the locals as primitive. The beginning of the documentary shows the perspective of the tourists towards the locals: three tourists’ two men and a lady filmed in a boat describe them as primitive according to their point of view. Also, there is a white woman who also thinks the same but further says that they appear to have a nature that makes their environment happy since it provides them with all their necessities.
These tourists are amazed and are in awe of the commodities, beliefs, actions, aesthetic as well as the traditions of the villagers. The reason as to why the tourists think that the locals are primitive in their lifestyle is because of how they live. Firstly, they are not exposed to education, and there is communication breakdown as they are unable to converse with them. Besides, one of the locals sharing the story illustrates the perception of them towards the white. They think that the white is their ancestors who died and they have come back to them. Although the tourists are amused by the unique livelihood of the locals, they appear to perceive them as part of a museum forgetting that is their way of survival and living. Typically, that is a retrogressive way of thinking since the skin colour differs. The fact that the villagers are impressed by the cameras carried by the tourists makes them appear backward and uncivilised in the eyes of the tourists. The deeply rooted belief system of spirits among the locals is also another contributor of the tourists perceiving them as backward, primitive and uncivilised. Finally, their way of dressing can also tell that they were not advanced and did not have any idea of the modern world.
2 What are the local’s views of the tourists and why do they hold that view Examples
Definitely, the two groups have very contrasting perceptive regarding each other, and this is revealed through the personal interviews conducted. At the beginning of the documentary, the man narrates that they thought that the tourists were their ancestors who came back to them after they had died. They have a spirit house, and according to them, the white men are the spirits of their ancestors. They get shocked at seeing the ship and they all dash out to go, witness, that thing that moves on water as the local narrates.
Clearly, the locals are shocked at this person who comes with money, and they, therefore, attempt to sell their ornaments to them. On the other hand, the tourists start bargaining and are utterly ignorant of the fact that these people are surrounded by poverty, and as a result, the villagers express their frustration. For instance, the old lady at the market out rightly describes her anger towards them as she claims that they have money, but they do not buy from them. She wonders why they have so much money yet they do not. Therefore, they view these tourists as selfish and unsupportive human beings since, instead of promoting their welfare; they want to be given fre...