Educational Media Reviews Online

An archeological documentary subtitled from French and Quechua, Rapayan follows the expedition of Dr. Alexis Mantha and his crew around this relatively unknown Peruvian cultural center.

Notably, the subtitles as well as a brief but graphic animal slaughter might be off-putting to younger or more sensitive academic classes, but overall the film nicely explores not only the anthropological and archeological exploration of a cultural site that is, somewhat literally, “off the map,” but some immanent issues dealt to cultural researchers. It gives a balanced view of the archeological expedition (and their attendant hastiness over documenting the rapidly in-danger area) as well as highlighting the concerns of the indigenous population.

While the film is a “straight” documentary of an archeological expedition to an area undergoing rapid cultural change, there is much to recommend both on the surface of the narrative as well as with the incidental features noted in the film, for students interested in archeology overall and the culture of Peru, indigenous and present-day South America, the Andes, and modernity in particular.

Specifically, Rapayan highlights a culture in extreme transition: Recently, the inhabitants of the region were “liv[ing] as they did in colonial times,” but the region is being pulled into modernity; and infrastructure and global needs are dictating massive building and road projects…. Adults and older students might be aware of the necessity of saving cultures that are in rapid transition, but younger scholars will be provided with an intelligent window into why intensive archeological and ethnographic study is essential.

The film, of course, focuses on the culture of the Rapayan—a pre-Inca enclave in Peru. Fascinatingly, the film follows Mantha and his crew through not only the foundations of archeological principle but also into many of the issues dealt with by researchers into cultural and demographic isolates. For example, while study into the discipline of archeology is made manifest, the film, surprisingly perhaps for a documentary of this type, importantly examines the beliefs, biases, and thoughts of the current residents of the area.

From a strict archeological standpoint, the film examines the efforts of Mantha and his crew to excavate and correctly document their findings at Rapayan. Their process seems correct; and while the film does not delve into intensive archeological principles, there is always, at least, a mention of such high concepts as statigraphy, et al. (A bit amusingly, later in the film, Mantha somewhat joyously points out that, in a plowed-over field, even destruction can be a benefit: The plow scars through the area has destroyed the land, but makes it easy to locate potsherds! This typifies one aspect of the film, namely the archeologists bringing an essential sense of purpose, but also a love of their work and the area, to fore.)

Importantly, the film highlights residents of the area. It is always one thing in a film of this type to consider what modern researchers think, but it is essential to discover what local direct descendents of a culture believe. Rapayan is “fair,” in that way, to give equal time and weight to academic archeology as well as the essential understanding of the descendant culture.

Most notable, perhaps, is the existence of the mentioned “ruins,” but also the prevalence of Andean mummies. The film examines the archeologists’ physical findings regarding not only the mummies and their habitats, but also of the locals’ knowledge and traditions regarding their own ancestors. A good portion of the film allows Rapayan-area people to describe what they were told about the ruins, but also their own childhood explorations there. Naturally, children are contrasted by adults: Local children will describe their terror at seeing a certain mummy—“The Witch” or “a doll”—while the adults, though they recall their experiences as youths, are a bit more circumspect. Fascinatingly, even the local adults agree with Mantha that, well, why not propitiate the ancestors, the mummies, the guardians of this area? In all, there is a wealth within the narrative as well as within the incidental comments or thoughts expressed by the interviewees to provide rich points of discussion for students and scholars.

The archeological team is shown attempting to delineate the boundaries of Rapayan culture (versus competing kingships) using approved scientific means, exploring iconography, burial practices, and building standards. On one hand their scientific discussion will not be alienating to younger audiences, but on the other they provide “good” discussion for high- or even graduate-school scholars.

The traditions and knowledge expressed by locals and the reverence (though sense of urgency) of the archeologists is nicely contrasted by local politics. For example, there is quite a bit made of previous “scholars” that stole and pillaged the area’s artifacts; but the film exposes some internal political exploitation of the Rapayan culture’s riches. The narrative intimates that highly-connected individuals “got away with” “removing” important cultural artifacts. But, then, the film exposed previous “scholars” with unfairly (and illegally?) removing material as well.

Discussion regarding the levels of politics is fascinating -- especially since films of this genre tend not to investigate dynamics and undercurrents of the politics between “high” government and its officials, area individuals, and outsider researchers. There is much here that might be unobvious to younger audiences, but would be essential knowledge to more mature scholars. For budding ethnologists or archeologists, Rapayan makes clear that, often, an indigenous culture that is manifestly or by outside influences necessarily “of exclusion,” can formulate an intangible sense of suspicion for well-meaning researchers. This is essential knowledge for researchers of any age, of course.

Perhaps the most important statement among the solid archeological investigations (the helpful residents’ thoughts and experiences, and the overall progression of the film) is a former mayor’s thought regarding something of a lack of continuous knowledge of the overall regional culture: “If one doesn’t have the curiosity to ask questions, we know nothing…,” and somewhat more poignantly, “The old ones knew the history…, but we forgot to ask….” Truly, this is important information for all viewers and audiences interested in history of any sort.

The last portion of the film speaks to the rapid modern growth of the area. Laudably, both the archeological team as well as the residents are shown to be ambivalent about this. The researchers almost come off a bit worse, perhaps intendedly, as they express an understandable terror at losing important cultural sites; the residents, while weary of rapid cultural development, seem to appreciate the newer electricity and the promise of Internet connections. Still some of the area’s children—while many are shown in the narrative wanting to leave—would like to return to the Rapayan they knew as a child.

Overall, Rapayan is a “good” and “helpful” film for students interested in archeology, but certainly a fantastic film for anyone interested in cultural generalism: While the film, by its scope and nature, cannot fully explain archeology or ethnographism or indigenous beliefs or isolated cultural tradition or the effects of local government vis-à-vis modernity, it does a beautiful job of touching upon all of these and highlighting them as much as possible given the scope of the narrative. For that reason, Rapayan is highly recommended for students of anthropology and South American studies.