Educational Media Reviews Online

This documentary explores the political history of West Papua, also known at different times and by different rulers as West Irian, Irian Jaya, Dutch New Guinea, and West New Guinea.

The first half of the film details the history of Papua’s colonization; from early Dutch settlements in the 19th century, followed by the Japanese and then the Americans during World War II. Following WWII, the Dutch returned to their former colony and shortly began to arrange for its independence. However, for political reasons, they instead ceded West Papua to Indonesia during the Cold War. The second half of the film explores the effects of the transfer of power to the Indonesians--including violent cultural conflicts and industrial pollution - as well as Papuan efforts to achieve independence. Along with a narrator to tie all the pieces together, the information is presented via current and archival footage of the nation and its peoples, maps, and interviews with Papuans, Indonesians, Australians, and former Dutch colonizers.

The picture and sound quality are good. The film is in spoken English except in a few instances where English subtitles are provided. My one complaint about the film is that the names of prominent political leaders are not provided in written form.

This is a very engaging film; the technical aspects were well done and the content is both informative and thought-provoking. As it is not a U.S.-centric film, it would probably be most appropriate for college or public libraries with a focus on Asian/Oceanian materials. Highly recommended to anyone who can afford it.