Breaking bows & arrows = Breaking bows and arrows

On the island of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, thousands of people were killed in a war of secession that grew from a local uprising against the Australian copper company CRA. The Bougainville Revolutionary Army was pitted against Papua New Guinean military forces, funded and trained by the Australian government. When the ten-year-old civil war ended in 1998, the islanders had to deal with the legacy of conflict between neighbours and begin to confront the challenging emotional terrain of personal reconciliation. “Breaking bows and arrows” documents the islanders’ road to forgiveness and healing, a process governed by their own cultural tradition. Traditional ceremonies and rituals played a powerful role in the reconciliation process, bringing together both victims and perpetrators in an attempt to heal the deep emotional wounds and reverse the legacy of anger, pain, and revenge. A powerful documentary that demonstrates that the path to true reconciliation begins with forgiveness. Teachers notes are available at http://www.filmaust.com.au/programs.