Selected Films & Webcasts
- The Horn of Africa With its sun-bleached shores and stunning islands, the Indian Ocean washes some of the most beautiful and exotic locations on the planet: Zanzibar, the Seychelles, Mauritius, the Tasman Sea... But the world's third largest body of water is also crucial to its future - politically, economically and environmentally. From pirates plaguing ships off the coast of Somalia, to the Tamils of Sri Lanka and the rise of militant Islam in Yemen and Sumatra, the region touches places of extreme volatility. It is also increasingly the hub of global trade and competition, and industrial activity is having a huge impact. Simon Reeve brings his unique brand of adventure journalism to this portrait of a fascinating and increasingly important area, as he engages in the lives and struggles of its varied coastal peoples.
- Family Motel Raising teenaged daughters is not easy, especially for Ayan, a Somalian refugee living in Canada who also supports a husband and two sons left behind in Somalia. Living in her small Vancouver apartment with her daughters -- Nasrah, 17, and Leila, 15 -- Ayan is trying to keep everything together, but is evicted from her apartment for late payment. Because Ayan is unable to afford the soaring rents on her two service jobs, and the Canadian social services are unable to assist in placing her, she and her two daughters must move into a Family Motel. Ayan keeps her faith and dignity throughout these challenging times and, with great fortitude, strives to make the best of her difficult situation. Further drama ensues when Nasrah and Leila begin to rebel against their mother and start developing close relationships with the neighbors, who present characteristics quite different from what Ayan, a devout Muslim, is accustomed to.
Library of Congress Webcasts
- Somali Food Traditions at Thanksgiving Barlin Ali, author of "Somali Cuisine," presented a lecture on "Somali Food Traditions at Thanksgiving" in a program sponsored by the Library's African and Middle Eastern Division and the Library of Congress Cooking Club.
Film Databases & Catalogs
- Ethnographic Video Online, Volume I-II: Foundational Films This link opens in a new window Contains classic and contemporary ethnographies, documentaries and shorts from every continent, providing teachers visual support to introduce and contextualize hundreds of cultural groups and practices around the world.
- Kanopy This link opens in a new window Kanopy is a provider of documentaries, training films, and theatrical releases available as streaming video. Clips from the videos can be embedded in presentations or shown in class. Films in the Boston University Libraries catalog are licensed to Boston University for educational and research use only, for BU students, faculty, and staff.
- Penn Museum Anthropological and Archaeological Films (University of Pennsylvania) In its 120-year history, the University of Pennsylvania Museum has collected nearly one million objects, many obtained directly through its own field excavations or anthropological research. This collection on the Internet Archive represents a portion of the motion picture film collection housed at the Museum.
