The Navel of the World
Jun 14, 2024 | IMDB 0
30 min Watch NowDocumentary
“Te Pito o Te Henua” (The Navel of the World) tells the story of the community behind Rapa Nui’s largest and most colorful annual Indigenous celebration, the Tāpati Rapa Nui Festival. Honoring ancient rites and competitions, Rapa Nui families participate in nine days of athletic feats, cultural demonstrations and ceremonies paying respect to the land, water and other natural beings of the island. They also crown a Queen to represent her people for a year throughout Polynesia and on the world stage. The film traces the journey of 19-year-old candidate Vaitiare and her family as they join work to earn her the crown and represent this small but well-known island as its people fight for increased autonomy and recognition on the world stage. Through intimate character portraits, behind-the-curtain moments and heartfelt musical performances, “Te Pito o Te Henua” reveals the true meaning of Tāpati and the deep connections the Rapa Nui share with their lands and waters.
MOVIE COMMENTS
SIMILAR MOVIES
Zombies: When the Dead Walk
Plains: Testimony of an Ethnocide
Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun
Pidgin: The Voice of Hawai'i
My language in a nutshell
Wild Honey
Almost Arcady
Baraka
maɬni—towards the ocean, towards the shore
Hustlers of Dubai
Maximón: Devil or Saint
Saludos Amigos
Shamanic Visions: Forgotten Territories
Autour du monde, sur les traces du climat
The Painter and the Thief
NARC. Mini-Doc – Combining The Arts: Spaces For All
Namatjira Project
1997: The Birth of the Camera Phone
Rematriation
The Falcons
SIMILAR MOVIES
Zombies: When the Dead Walk
IMDB 0 | Apr , 2008
Zombies are part of pop culture, but what are they? Where do they come from? To find real zombies we visit Haiti where Zombies are an integral part of the island's cultural and religious roots.Plains: Testimony of an Ethnocide
IMDB 5 | Jun , 1971
A documentary on the massacre of Planas in the Colombian east plains in 1970. An Indigenous community formed a cooperative to defend their rights from settlers and colonists, but the government organized a military operation to protect the latter and foreign companies.Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun
IMDB 0 | Feb , 2023
An intimate and thrilling portrait of a young Siksika woman and the deep bonds between her father and family in the golden plains of Blackfoot Territory as she prepares for one of the most dangerous horse races in the world… bareback.Pidgin: The Voice of Hawai'i
IMDB 6 | Oct , 2009
What if you are made to feel ashamed when you speak your "mother tongue" or ridiculed because of your accent? "Pidgin: The Voice of Hawai'i" addresses these questions through its lively examination of Pidgin - the language spoken by over half of Hawai'i's people.My language in a nutshell
IMDB 10 | Apr , 2025
One warm afternoon, Mykyta Trehjørningen takes the viewer on a legendary journey through his life. Everything from his peasant life in Ukraine to his current life in Norway. A lot has happened, so buckle up!Wild Honey
IMDB 0 | Dec , 2025
Almost Arcady
IMDB 0 | Dec , 2025
Educational film about Cyprus - landscape, people, work, traditions etc.Baraka
IMDB 8.2 | Sep , 1992
A paralysingly beautiful documentary with a global vision—an odyssey through landscape and time—that attempts to capture the essence of life.maɬni—towards the ocean, towards the shore
IMDB 5 | Jan , 2020
An experimental look at the origin of the death myth of the Chinookan people in the Pacific Northwest, following two people as they navigate their own relationships to the spirit world and a place in between life and death.Hustlers of Dubai
IMDB 0 | Dec , 2025
Dubai - the city of controversies. Six individuals go through personal insecurities, cultural pressures, money issues and the hustle of staying true to who they are. In the world that says otherwise. Is it all really worth it ? The film touches upon Arab identity, female role in the world, family values, Islam.Maximón: Devil or Saint
IMDB 10 | Feb , 2014
MAXIMÓN - Devil or Saint is a documentary about the controversial Maya deity, also known as San Simon or the drinking and smoking saint of Guatemala. He is a mixture of ancient Maya beliefs and Christianity. The movie concentrates on the people who surround Maximón with their strong personalities, opinions and faith. The documentary gives us a rare view into the rituals and fiestas honoring Maximón. The cult of Maximón is flourishing because he performs miracles. He is also feared and despised because he is used to cast curses that can result in death. Ultimately, Maximón transcends the duality of good and evil, reflecting the Maya cosmovision in which everything in the universe co-exists.Saludos Amigos
IMDB 5.8 | Aug , 1942
A whimsical blend of live action and animation, "Saludos Amigos" is a colorful kaleidoscope of art, adventure and music set to a toe-tapping samba beat. From high Andes peaks and Argentina's pampas to the sights and sounds of Rio de Janeiro, your international traveling companions are none other than those famous funny friends, Donald Duck and Goofy. They keep things lively as Donald encounters a stubborn llama and "El Gaucho" Goofy tries on the cowboy way of life....South American-style.Shamanic Visions: Forgotten Territories
IMDB 0 | Jan , 2020
This film is an initiatory journey among the Fangs of Gabon and the Shipibos of Peru. With the sound of traditional instruments like the mogongo (arc in the mouth), the holy harp, and the Icaros, we discover the traditional peoples’ wisdom.Autour du monde, sur les traces du climat
IMDB 0 | Aug , 2014
The Painter and the Thief
IMDB 7.3 | Sep , 2020
When two of artist Barbora Kysilkova’s most valuable paintings are stolen from a gallery at Frogner in Oslo, the police are able to find the thief after a few days, but the paintings are nowhere to be found. Barbora goes to the trial in hopes of finding clues, but instead she ends up asking the thief if she can paint a portrait of him. This will be the start of a very unusual friendship. Over three years, the cinematic documentary follows the incredible story of the artist looking for her stolen paintings, while at the same time turning the thief into art.NARC. Mini-Doc – Combining The Arts: Spaces For All
IMDB 0 | Nov , 2022
Lizzie Lovejoy’s mini-documentary explores the world of non-traditional performance spaces, especially in the Tees Valley and celebrating the fantastic work they do. Lizzie spoke to Bobby Benjamin, artist and curator of Pineapple Black in Middlesbrough, about the exciting range of work the gallery has housed over the past couple of years during festivals, exhibitions and events. And from Redcar Palace Art Gallery, director James Beighton and curator Beth Smith of Tees Valley Arts discuss how the venue is used to create works as well as share them, and why accessibility has become one of their main focuses. People connect to performance in different ways than visual art, but both can be incredibly powerful and influential. Using local creative spaces to pull both together highlights how fantastic our local cultural community really is. This is an Art Mouse film for NARC. TV, written and directed by Lizzie Lovejoy.Namatjira Project
IMDB 0 | Sep , 2017
From the remote Australian desert to the opulence of Buckingham Palace - Namatjira Project is the iconic story of the Namatjira family, tracing their quest for justice.1997: The Birth of the Camera Phone
IMDB 7.5 | Jun , 2017
On June 11th, 1997, Philippe Kahn created the first camera phone solution to share pictures instantly on public networks. The impetus for this invention was the birth of Kahn's daughter, when he jerry-rigged a mobile phone with a digital camera and sent photos in real time. In 2016 Time Magazine included Kahn's first camera phone photo in their list of the 100 most influential photos of all time.Rematriation
IMDB 10 | Dec , 2025
Rematriation explores scientific, cultural, economic and sociopolitical perspectives, as citizens fight to protect the last big trees in British Columbia from being felled. The lessons we take away permeate the fabric of Canadian identity.The Falcons
IMDB 0 | Feb , 2025
The Falcons is an intimate, observational documentary that delves into the world of the Tshakhruk Ethnoband, a remarkable musical ensemble in the Armenian highlands. Comprised of special-needs children that reside at the state orphanage, these young musicians find solace, strength, and self-expression through the transformative power of music.