Looking back through some old stash, I found copies my wife had made of “The Last Voices from Heaven”, a documentary produced for the National Geographic Channel by Anthony Copping. I am especially proud of my copy because it was given to me by Pascal Oritaemae whom I had met in Honiara in 2005. In the documentary, Mr. Copping provides an incredible insight into his search for music that has never been heard. He begins his journey in Iran Jaya, then treks through the island of Malaita with his personal friend and musician Pascal Oritaemae and finally discovers some very unearthly sounds in Ambrym in Vanuatu.
It is an exhilarating journey, heart stopping at times and I remember how much I swelled in pride when I first watched it on the Nat Geo channel in 2004 in Suva, Fiji. It still holds that magic for me and I hope one day Solomon Islanders will get to this work of art and listen to the music produced from this journey.
I have read some blogs and newspapers in which there have been rave reviews about this documentary. And to be fair, it is actually quite good and worth watching. Shot on location in Iran Jaya, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the documentary gives valuable insight into some cultural practises that have rarely been seen on television.
Anthony Copping also makes a very profound statement about Pascal Oritaemae. Apart from being his friend and “brother”, he acknowledges Pascal’s unique talent exclaiming that “he would be very famous if he lived in Paris”. This is true of many talented Solomon Islanders who find themselves toiling away in oblivion simply because they have no access to the publicity and recognition that many talented people in the developed world take for granted. For Pascal, he splits his time between Rohinari and Honiara – yet a star nonetheless.
Being a very proud Solomon Islander, I am particularly blown away by the scenes from the Solomon Islands. In the middle of the ethnic tension that gripped our country, Anthony and Pascal crisscrossed Malaita searching for traditional chants and songs of long ago. They find that many people have given up their age old practises for Christianity. But the find that they make in the villages surrounding Hauharii will startle even Solomon Islanders. They record chants and shoot medicine men in action but be warned there are some very graphic images that may not make it on public television.
They then move to Tana, in Vanuatu hoping to find some chants from among the followers of John Brum. But it was a major disappointment. They finally make it to Ambrym where viewers are treated to a unique look at some cultural dances and songs from long ago. I am still baffled to this day how Anthony and Pascal capture on camera, medicine men who makes a coconut shell disappear by waving fronds over it. I am told that this had been done live at the University of the South Pacific yet it is nothing short of magical.
The final production is what is seen in a 6 part series, a documentary of their journey. The documentary is accompanied with a record, one as Anthony explains containing tracks from their live recordings. The other is an inspirational masterpiece, where Pascal Oritaemae sings to an accompaniment provided by the chants they had recorded and the samples extracted from the many background noise captured during their recordings. One that impressed me most was the falling coconut shells which Anthony captures, loops and creates a rhythmic beat that Pascal sings to. A lot of the songs are also accompanied by Pascal and his guitar along with actual backup vocals from village women and children.
I recommend that if you have access to watching this incredible piece of adventure, you should. As for me, I have a promise to keep with Pascal. When I took the copies from him, I had promised him that I would work with him to have it broadcast on national TV. It is 5 years on and I still have not gone past phase 1. Looks like I need to do that right away. The work may not have attained the popularity and commercial success of Sweet Lullaby but it is warm, honest and vastly enjoyable.
To Anthony Copping and Pascal Oritaemae, here is one Solomon Islander who is extremely proud of what you have done and wishes to see more of the work that you have done.