Abstract:

West Papua, also known as Irian Jaya, is the "Amazon of Asia." It is a land of vast jungles and tropical rainforests where, for 25,000 years, numerous indigenous tribes have lived in spiritual harmony with the land. Filmed secretly in Irian Jaya, this documentary is the story of the rich life of two tribes, the Dani and Asmat. It is also the story of their social, political and environmental upheaval. In 1963, Indonesia invaded Irian Jaya, opening the land up for development and at the same time banning all international observers. While the Dani's future is threatened by Indonesia's assimilation program, the Asmat tribe has faced the destructive invasion of their land, for the forests contain valuable resources to be exploited. The indigenous tribes of Irian Jaya have been rendered expendable by multinational concerns and the Indonesian government. Around the globe, indigenous cultures and pristine environments are losing their battle to survive. ARROWS AGAINST THE WIND is an emotionally moving production and cautions us to accurately assess the risks of development.