Spear and Sword - A Payment of Bridewealth on the Island of Roti, Eastern Indonesia
Directed by James J. Fox, Timothy Asch, and Patsy Asch1988 22m
This traditionally ethnographic sequence film focuses on the negotiations betwen representatives of two families during a payment of bridewealth. In the past the husband's group would carry a spear and a sword to hang in the wife's house. Now, a payment is made as a substitute for the spear and sword. The payment of bridewealth is a long and complex ceremony in which representatives from the husband and wife's family engage in a heated negotiation process. The bride and groom are completely excluded from the negotiations and never appear in the film.
Where to Watch Spear and Sword - A Payment of Bridewealth on the Island of Roti, Eastern Indonesia
