Apo Calypso Productions

Home.

2010-07-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is our privilege to announce that, after two and a half years of nomadic wandering in search of indigenous guidance, Apo Calypso Productions has come full circle. What once began as a vision to germinate seeds of inspiration in tarnished soil is now flourishing into a garden of mental and spiritual nourishment. Our continued devotion to our vision has brought us home, to the place of our origin, looking back on the journey we have undertaken thus far.

Apo Calypso Productions find our selves welcomed, once again, into the luminous valleys where the Massai of Kenya continue to preserve their indigenous ways of life. Here, under the sun beaming skies of the rift valley, we have come to fulfill a promise to the community of Il Ngwesi and to conclude the final chapter of our approach to films of cultural immersion.

Throughout the course of the last three weeks, Apo Calypso Productions has been thoroughly engaged with the community, presenting them with the fruits of our collaborative labors. We have been traveling throughout the territory, showcasing Il Ngwesi: People of Wildlife to elders, women, warriors and children alike, providing an opportunity for the community to reflect and celebrate their own way of life that has served as a driving force behind our works. We hope that the introduction of this film of cultural reclamation to those Maasai children who occupy the six schools within the territory will help to reinforce the legitimacy of indigenous forms of knowledge and help to preserve the profound connection that the Maasai maintain with their environment.

Recognizing the privilege we have had in being able to spend so much time with the Maasai, we will be sharing our intimate encounters with those who are less fortunate. For many slum dwellers in Kenya, the Maasai, despite their close proximity, are a world apart. Trapped in a vicious game of survival in the bottom rung of an oppressive hierarchy, many street children find themselves orphans whose only guidance are the rules of the street, where they are forced to survive on the waste of others. We will be organizing a screening of our film in Kibera, the largest slum in Kenya, where inhabitants of all ages are welcome to witness the bondage-free lifestyle that the Maasai have been able to achieve. Furthermore, we will be inviting a number of street children to accompany us in our intimate encounters with the Maasai, in hopes of awakening them to a world of possibility outside of their own.

In light of our devotion to the mission of inspiring sustainability through living indigenous cultures, we are always eager to find new ways that increase our ability to do just this. Thus, in order to keep up with the rapid technological advancements in the film industry, given our recent upgrades in technical capacities, we will be attempting to recreate Il Ngwesi in a High-Definition format. This undertaking will help to enhance the aesthetic capabilities of the film in rendering audiences awe-struck, increase its ability to inspire, and better connect viewers to those essential life-giving relationships from which the modern world is often removed.

With this journey we are also beginning to look outside the niche of film-making and photography for other means of accomplishing our mission. Hence the development of a new eco-tourism company: Baraka Tours. A collaboration between the community of Il Ngwesi and Apo Calypso Productions, Baraka Tours will specialize in providing tourists with unique and intimate encounters with the Maasai of Il Ngwesi and the fisherman culture of Lamu. Unlike many other tour companies, Baraka Tours will cater to providing life-changing experiences that grant clients the chance to not only visit these communities, but to stay and live amongst them as well. This initiative, furthermore, will inevitably help Il Ngwesi to preserve their way of life simply by practicing it. Though it is a massive undertaking to develop such an initiative, we believe it to be a worthwhile endeavour for both the community as well as the tourists, who will take home with them a renewed perspective of community and environment. Having already spoken to the community, organized accommodations, obtained a sail-boat, and brought a number of American tourists to Il Ngwesi, Baraka tours is well underway.

In addition to this new development, we are also in the process of creating, in collaboration with Il Ngwesi, a line of Maasai jewellery to be distributed back in Toronto, and inevitably beyond. Maasai Mama, the working name for the initiative, will distribute fair trade Maasai products to cultural and fashion outlets throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Each of these cultural pieces will be accompanied by a unique biography of its creator, and the inspiration behind the piece. We believe that, given the bold color, unique design, and incredible durability of the jewellery, Maasai Mama has the potential to tend to a far-reaching demographic, who, by purchasing the jewellery, will contribute directly to Il Ngwesi in their fight to preserve their culture. We will be undertaking a series of photo shoots over the course of the next month to help promote this line.

While these business endeavors get underway, the development of our new website and business plan continues to advance. We hope that come late-August, Apo Calypso will have a new online domain, from which we will continue to keep you updated with video, photographic, and written documentation of progress we are making towards the completion of our world-wide 7-part meditative series on the magical essence and profound sustainability of the indigenous worldview. We look forward to it.

Onward and Upward,
Apo Calypso Productions

Water Hour: June 11th, 8PM

2010-06-08T13:47:00.001-07:00

Rockin' Steady...

2010-05-27T23:53:00.000-07:00

Far away from the fabricated metropolis of Toronto, we find ourselves taking a plunge back into the natural world. Away from the fantasy land that disguises exploitation as paradise, we have delved into the realm of the Ital: the organic way of life that the fishermen of Treasure Beach, Jamaica adhere to in order to sustain themselves and their children's' children. Though two weeks immersed in their culture, their simplistic yet benevolent lifestyle, is hardly enough to gather a holistic account of the teachings and understandings that ensure their posterity, our accomplishments have surpassed our expectations.

The remote, southern coastal tropical community of Treasure Beach, comprised of four fishermen villages is hardly your typical Jamaican tourist destination. Unlike the resort plagued city of Montego Bay, or the war-torn ghettoes of Kingston, Treasure Beach is one of few remaining places in Jamaica where inhabitants have maintained an intimate connection to the land they inhabit, acknowledging its preservation as paramount to their longevity. Their land is one of abundance: mango, guava, coconut, tamarind, and sea grapes flourish while the oceanic tides of the Caribbean Sea bring with them snapper, flounder, shrimp, lobster and other underwater delicacies.

Our stay, however short lived, was spent with a remarkable family who together as a family uphold their appreciation, spiritually, mentally, and physically, for the gifts that nature has bestowed upon them. This family is a living example of community solidarity, maintaining a strong bond of support amongst themselves as well as an active voice that speaks on behalf of the land that they occupy. Cultivating the land, gathering plants and the fruits that they yield, and harvesting medicines are this family's primary source of sustenance and we were honored with the privilege of having been able to accompany them on their day-to-day mission to preserve what they have inherited from their ancestors.

Throughout the duration of our trip we were able to initiate, develop, and strengthen a relationship with this community. This relationship became one based on a shared concern for the world's ever distancing relationship with themselves, as a global family, and their environment, the most fundamental component of existence. By exchanging stories we were able to gain the family's support on our mission to locate, learn, and share those understandings that people of the land the world over have always acknowledged. Hence, a collaboration with the community was soon underway.

We were able to accumulate an archive of footage demonstrating the practices and insights that this culture has to contribute to the re-imagining of humanity's relationship to their environment: a glance into the Ital mentality, which is based on embracing the natural and rejecting the artificial. This footage will be distributed alongside our proposal for the seven-film series that has been underway for the last two years as a promotional trailer with which we will be seeking to secure funding for a prolonged, full-length production featuring the Ital of Treasure Beach.

After our visit to Jamaica we flew to Miami to reconnect with Lucho Condor, who we met at the 2009 International Indigeneous Leadership Gathering in the St'at'imc Nation, in order to hand deliver footage that he had requested from last year's event. A Columbian healer and teacher, Lucho has been performing ceremony, directing his energy towards the cleansing of the oil-ridden Gulf of Mexico. Lucho was delighted to host us at his home for a number of days, throughout which we took part in one of these meditation ceremonies, became introduced to the spiritual community of Miami, hosted an ocean front screening of our first film, Il Ngwesi, and partook in a series of in-depth conversations discussing our potential role in his film project, Prophecy: The Last Message. This experience film that is 13 years in the works seeks to tell the story of the fulfillment of the ancient Eagle and Condor Prophecies foretold by Kogi and Hopi elders centuries ago. These prophecies predicted a time of immense social, environmental, and psychological unrest from which mother Earth would ultimately be cleansed. Our participation as film crew on the project would involve a number of weeks spent in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and ultimately, India. This journey would also provide the opportunity to film, as part of our proposed series, the Kogi peoples of the Sierra Nevada. We look forward to maintaining a direct line of communication with Lucho throughout the forthcoming months.

Having arrived back in Toronto it is now time to devote ourselves towards the intensive endeavour of producing: four trailers, four photo albums, and one soundtrack that will accompany the business plan we will be using to attract investment for the proposed series of seven films. We will be on a very tight and hectic schedule until the 25th of June, by which time all of these components shall have been completed. This will ensure that Apo Calypso Productions is in a comfortable position to begin attracting large-scale funding before we depart on our long awaited and highly anticipated return to Kenya. Having obtained the means to complete the mission that we have undertaken, the time will have come to return full circle and pay homage to our beginnings in the Rift Valley by showcasing our first film to the community that inspired it all.

Onward and Upward,

Apo Calypso Production

When a Fish Outgrows its Cage, the Cage breaks.

2010-05-06T11:39:00.000-07:00

Apo Calypso Productions is shifting its lenses throughout the far reaching crannies, corners, and nooks of the earth in search of those few remaining communities who continue to live according to the cycles of nature. As our odyssey progresses, our footage accumulates like raindrops in puddles and our international network of people of the land branches like roots, further harnessing us to the land.

It has, from the beginning of its foundation, been Apo Calypso's plan to develop a series of cultural Immersion films, each documenting a distinct group of peoples who have demonstrated a profound capacity to live in balance with their environments. Using Il Ngwesi as our original model and template, we hope to produce a number of films that will inevitably be released as a collection of films that reconnect people, through these various cultures, to the land upon which they depend. Having already acquired the footage for three of these films, we are now, with evidence of our capability and potential, in the process of developing a coherent Business proposal that will articulate our vision for the project and the way we will go about realizing it.

In light of our need to buckle down to complete this essential document, we have decided to remove ourselves from the distractions that the world of convenience often provides. Far away. In fact, we will be spending the next two weeks in Treasure Beach, an isolated paradise along the southern coast of Jamaica. This location is one of the places least frequented by tourists, and subsequently one of few remaining areas where grass roots fishermen communities continue to prosper. This will grant us the chance to, while working on our proposal, simultaneously acquire footage for our fourth film of the series.

The fishermen of Jamaica are a unique peoples who have been forced to adapt to a land that they do not consider as home. Violently uprooted from their motherland, the fishermen long for Zion in a land that, despite its natural beauty and abundance, is sprawled with social and environmental decay. Observing this destruction from afar, the fishermen choose to maintain their original pact with the creator to maintain the land they have been bestowed. While not technically an indigenous peoples, the fishermen of Great Bay, Jamaica maintain a deep connection to their surroundings, for which they continually give thanks. These people have a particular relationship to water: a sacred resource that directly feeds entire communities. For the fishermen, the ebb and flow of the ocean's tides also quenches a spiritual thirst as a microcosm of a larger universal cycle, by which they are contained. For a brief visual meditation of their cultural way of life accompanied by the soothing reggae sounds of the Congos, follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JhTM0Lar3Q

Following our immersion into the ways of life of the fishermen villages of Treasure Beach, we will be making a brief stop-over in Miami, where we will spend the weekend with Lucho Condor. Lucho is a member of the Humanitarian Leaders, a founder of Tribal Link News, a yoga teacher, and a spiritual healer. Over the course of seven years he has developed a very intimate relationship with the mysterious Kogi peoples of the Sierra Nevada in Northern Colombia: so close that the Kogi, who are very sensitive to the unseen forces that surround us, recognize Lucho as having lived amongst them in a past life. During the course of our stay we will be expressing our hopes to visit the Kogi in their homeland in October, and will be learning more about Lucho's latest film project, entitled Prophecy: The Last Message. We will be discussing what kind of role we will be able to serve in this film that seeks to document the collaboration between Kogi and Hopi spiritual leaders who are bound by their shared prophecy of the Eagle of the North and the Condor of the South. The film will be a very fulfillment of the prophecy as both groups meet in Colombia to perform ceremony at sacred sites before embarking on a nation-wide tour through out the United States to share their prophecies and teachings. This tour will conclude at the United Nations in New York City, where these medicine men will deliver their final message to the western world. For more information about Lucho's project, visit his blog at: http://tribalinknews.blogspot.com/.

Upon our return to Toronto on the 25th of May we will be putting the final touches upon the series proposal. Once completed, the proposal will be distributed alongside the Final cut of Il Ngwesi, three film trailers for British Columbia, Indonesia, and Jamaica, respectively, four photo albums, and a demonstration of the diverse cultural songs and chants we have acquired thus far. This package will serve to help us to secure funding and investment required to complete the task at hand.

Once we have finished this proposal, we will begin development of a Beta HTML website that will serve as a platform for sharing information regarding the series that is currently underway. This should be up and running within the forthcoming months.

Furthermore, we will also be hosting a number of fundraising gallery, screening, and party events throughout the month of June. We will keep you updated as these events present themselves.

While our intention to visit the Bedouins of Jordan this summer has been postponed due to logistics and the emergence of these new opportunities, we look forward to connecting with them at a later date, as our contact base in Jordan Strengthens and grows. Instead, we will be embarking upon a long-awaited return to Kenya, the birthplace of humanity, and the starting point of Apo Calypso Productions. Here, with the help of the Cultural Video Foundation in Nairobi, and Saaya Tema in Il Ngwesi, we will be hosting two free screenings of our first film:IL Ngwesi: People of Wildlife. The first screening will give street children and slum dwellers in Kibera, Nairobi(A slum of a million people) the opportunity to immerse themselves in a way of life that, though exists only in their own backyard, is rarely accessible to them. The second screening will be hosted in the community of Il Ngwesi itself. Projected in natural surroundings amongst the wild backdrop of the Rift Valley, this screening will give Masai a chance to see themselves on the big screen, as we ask for their blessing. This visit will ensure that our connection to the community will never be forgotten and bring our model for films-for-development full circle.

We are thankful for the path that lies before us, and ask for guidance and protection as we embark on this mission that doesn't quite ever end.

Onwards and Upwards,
Apo Calypso Productions

Coming Full Circle: Eyes on the Middle East

2010-04-07T17:14:00.000-07:00

After taking flight from Indonesia the Apo Calypso team now finds themselves spread across the world, initializing preparations for their next expedition.

Back at the base in Toronto, the intensive reflection upon our most recent immersion into Indonesian culture is underway, as we enter into the project's post-production phase. Simultaneously, the crew has been revisiting footage acquired from the 2009 International Indigenous Leadership Gathering. We find ourselves at a turning point, with the prospect of having three films completed in a total of a mere two years. With this in mind, a new and polished collection of copy-written photo albums has been completed to give our audience a more comprehensive and visually stimulating experience of our past and present endeavors, which we hope you will enjoy. Prints of these captivating images will be available to order via the web and at a forthcoming gallery exhibition in downtown Toronto that is yet to be announced. In addition, three new trailers and sound clips will be uploaded in the near future, finalizing the key elements that will provide the framework for a new webpage that is currently in development. The web page will provide a more interactive experience with the peoples, stories, and ways of life that we have encountered thus far. Brief teasers of the past three projects we have undertaken, alongside photos and traditional indigenous music will provide for an upcoming fundraising event that will provide the opportunity for people to engage with these communities, through our works. Accompanied by a live set of international cultural music and visual-art projections, the fundraiser is an opportunity for a great learning and sharing experience!

Turning your gaze onto the Eastern view, we have begun building a strong and promising Middle Eastern outreach and networking base. With the Bedouins of Wadi Rum as our projected next community of interest, meetings have been underway with representatives from the Royal Jordan Film Commission. The RFC is a relatively new organization and is pioneering film making in Jordan and endeavoring on grassroots initiatives to teach and promote Middle Eastern filmmakers to make films on the Middle East, for the Middle East. We find that their approach of representing their peoples and cultures from an inside out perspective is very consistent with our own and they too have shown an appreciation for our approach and interest in their tribal Bedouin communities. With their help, we can obtain permits to film and also gain a better concept of how to approach such groups with messages of comrodery and respect. Wadi Rum as a location has been very tempting as it would be a diverse landscape from the African Sahara, South East Asian Jungles, and the British Colombia Mountains and offer a unique view of the Middle Eastern Desert with all its brilliant shades and layers. In a valley surrounded by multifaceted rock cliffs, in a serene, quiet and empty landscape, we hope to amplify the voices of the indigenous Bedouin tribes and show the remaining symbols of their ancient culture and the imminent threat of its slipping into civilization and growing tourism.

A vague picture of the Bedouin life has entered into our imagination through research and dialogue with contacts close to them. They have a rich linguistic culture of oral storytelling and poetic night celebrations, accompanied by hypnotizing song and dance including the playing of distinct musical instruments such as the 3oud, Qanoon and Rababa to name a few. Many are sheppards and the elders are found with tattooed faces, while some have now resorted to making their ends meet off travelers, however this is also part of their culture. The Bedouins have an extensive sense of hospitability and have, throughout history, been nomadic and hence also uphold a high moral code when welcoming other travelers into their homes. It is tradition that once a wandering traveler happens upon a Bedouin tent, it is custom to host him for three days without even asking for his name. Through spending time in a desolate cliff cave, or a the open desert air, we hope to capture the myths of these people and to cultivate an understanding of their worldview, amplify their pride, and spread their stories around the world.

Having focused our eyes on the Middle East for our next expedition, we could not help but see, through our peripheral vision, the truth too often hidden in the region of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. With our strong base in Jordan, Rawan has reached down to her roots, to her country of origin, in hopes of establishing a stable network from whence to capture on film the struggles of the indigenous Palestinian people with no country or control. This subject is a more complex one to tackle as the area is under strict restrictions and can be of grave danger, so a meeting with Al-Jazeera was an enlightening experience. The head of Al-Jazeera in the West Bank was thrilled with the idea of a piece reflecting the Palestinian people’s struggles from the inside out onto the world in denial, and has catered for viewing of recent footage captured of the Wall and its effects on families and communities. He has also expressed interest in facilitating the obtaining of stock Palestinian footage and aiding us with contacts for permits to film inside Israel and the West Bank. A thorough scouting of locations, collection of personal stories, and the preliminary meetings with Al-Jazeera have incited an undeniable urge in us to venture into this no mans land and tell the story so rarely told. In addition, with Jordan and Palestine in the apple of our eyes, we foresee an overall Middle East archive of footage to be a great asset to Apo Calypso’s mission.

As our team prepares to reunite, we cannot forget where it all began: Kenya. This blessed place that gave birth to an idea and action that has led us thus far is in due of homage. Our goal is to be in the Middle East (Jordan/Palestinian Territories) for the month of July, and to go back to the land of the Massai in August to showcase to them the work we have produced of their worldview. With this act, screening Il-Ngwesi in the Kenyan bush to those it shed spotlight on, we hope to come full circle and give the final recognition and thanks to those who let us into their homes, hearts and minds.

Onward and Upward,

Apo Calypso Productions

Redemennu Mentawai

2010-01-23T05:09:00.000-08:00

Following a long strenuous trek through knee high mud, a welcoming aloita (greeting) from the Mentawai clan ushered in our stay in their beautiful Umma (clan house). Sheltered from the rain in their wood home under the dried banana leaf roof, we began to observe our surroundings. Skulls of digested monkey and wild boar covered in spider webs, two fire pits and rays of light sneaking into the darkness gave a very distinct energy to the abode. At the onset, children were weary in fear of our unfamiliar faces. They sat close together and clung onto their elder siblings who were watching our every move intently. The man of the house, a young Shaman, soon appeared with his wife and mother-an elder referred to only as Mama. Mama's frail body was covered in ancient intricate patterned tattoos. As fascinating as they were to us, we were to them, and soon our interactions became deeper as we sat in the darkness of the silent night exchanging gifts and clarifying our intentions. Initially a Massai Rungu (hunting weapon) and an Eagle feather were given to the head of the house and beads were presented to Mama. Both were ecstatic! He placed the feather in his hair while Mama said she would make a headpiece out of the small yellow beads and treasure it to her grave. All listened closely and were greatly enthralled that they were now connected by these links to tribes across the globe with traditions so different to their own. They asked many questions about the lifestyle of the Massai and expressed amazement at their ways. Along the course of our stay, a second set of beads and feathers were given to an elder Shaman, by the name of Masa. Accompanying these gifts was a formal invitation from the St'at'imic Nation to the International Indigenous Gathering of 2010. He accepted this enthusiastically and logistics are to be worked out upon our return to Canada. This act of respect and appreciation for their culture led him to extend an invitation for a return and prolonged stay with him in his home. This was a sign of great success for Apo Calypso’s step one of its module; relationship building. In addition, it signaled the beginning of step two, collaboration, as Masa explained that in the next visit he would share the ancient Shaman ways of the Jungle.

As the sun awoke and the wild roosters crowed, every morning we rose with the Mentawai. As the children were off to school we had the privilege of participating with the elders in their daily activities. The Sagu tree serves an integral purpose for the Mentawai as their main source of food. Their elaborate processing of its nutrients is a practice passed down through the generations. They use every part of this being-the inside of the bark is scraped then filtered into a canoe filled with water. It soaks and transforms into an edible mush, which is then collected in a basket weaved from banana leaves, and stored underwater until it is needed. It is then dried and fed to the animals and family. One week’s work by four men for four hours a day provides enough Sagu for three months. Excess bark is sold in neighboring towns for furniture. In the evenings Mama would fill the dried Sagu into Sagu leaves and roast it in the backfire. On special occasions it would be marinated in coconut and sugar and have a mananam (delicious), mild and sweet taste.

The intimate relationship with their surrounding habitat has enabled the Mentawais to foster a deep knowledge of its workings. In preparation for a healing ceremony, we followed as the Shamans walked through the thick bush and collected the appropriate herbs for the illness to be treated. The ceremony itself included a chicken slaughter followed by a mystical song to ward off evil spirits. The herb concoction was then soaked and rubbed on the sick in a methodical cleansing manner. The treatment was miraculously effective, showcasing the strength of medicinal remedies made with nature's ingredients. The traditions of this culture are ample and the preservation of all living things is prevalent. Another close relationship is that with the Cocoa tree. Its savory fruit is eaten and the seeds are sold for the making of chocolate, then the bark is peeled and beaten to create the loincloth for men to dress. The ingenuity of harnessing nature is exemplified beautifully in these people’s organized and waste-less use of their sustenance.

As time progressed and the children witnessed our growing friendship with their elders, they began to warm up their smiles and open our hearts with the joy of their playful laughter and songs. They taught us one song that particularly left a strong impression: Redemennu Mentawai (Remember Mentawai), and we hope they too will have fond memories of us as they grow. The little girls joined as we took part in traditional fishing with Mama and gladly led us to the hidden spots they know so well. The boys marveled at the camera and blew us away with their skilled involvement in traditional dance and pig slaughter. One baby, Alamata, blessed our eyes with a breathtaking scene of him bathing in the river. We grasped the opportunity to capture the pure innocence he embodied for that moment in time.

To create a captivating conclusion to our stay, the Shamans treated us with the performance of a dance ceremony. Fourteen different songs were chanted in praise of varying creatures of the jungle ranging from the Monkey, to the Snake, the Butterfly, and the Eagle. The beats of the drums were entrancing and their magical music played the tune of balanced bliss. We are eternally grateful for their embrace of us in their home and this sneak peak into their worldview.

And so, as time unwinds, we prepare to say our goodbyes to the Indah (beautiful) Indonesia and extend our warmest terima kasih’s to its humble and helpful people. We have learned so much in our precious five weeks in this enchanting place. We hope to produce a piece that truly reflects the wonder of unity in this diverse and rich corner of the world-insha’allah.

Terima Kasih for your support for us here in Indonesia!

Onward and Upward,

Apo Calypso Productions

The Land Before Time

2010-01-16T01:03:00.000-08:00

So as not to wait idly on our one-day layover in Benjarmasin, we took a canal ride through its ancient waterways that transformed into an unexpected experience of intimate cultural immersion. It was late afternoon and the floating houses on the river were open and flooding out their residents, all engaging in an age-old tradition of bathing in their main source of survival. People of all ages simultaneously participated in this cleansing ritual-mothers were washing their infants, old women were doing the laundry, men could be seen lathering the soap on their skin, little girls brushed their teeth and little boys flung themselves in the murky waters-splashing and screaming in joy of their chance to swim! It was a time shared and celebrated by everyone as the conclusion of the day. The winding down of the sun’s last rays mixed with the aroma of fish wrapped in banana leaf charbroiled for dinner ushered in the beginning of the night. To our own amazement, we were not made to feel like intruders but rather received enthusiastic waves from the children, some even swimming to the canoe to give us high fives. Elders extended warm invitations for us to eat of their little food and we felt welcomed in these people’s prized moments. This offered us a precious glimpse into the lifestyle of the average Indonesian and showcased the rich relationship of appreciation with the waters of the river.

From weaving through the canals in the canoe, to winding down the arteries of the Sungai Kumai in a kloklit (house boat), we bled into our destination at the heart of Borneo’s rainforest in Tan Jang Putting National Park. The air smelled of the dewy greenery, clean and fresh, and the sounds of birds at dawn and bugs in the evening were a narrative song to the cycle of the day. We encountered many animals such as the Probiscous and Gibbon monkeys, Hornbill and Kingfisher birds, wild boar and many more, however the most enchanting interactions were those with the rare and unique Orangutans. Camp Leeky, an Orangutan rehabilitation center that has been in the park since 1971, has been the largest and longest lasting observation of the species. Its existence has enabled the survival and preservation of these endangered primates, and with this in mind we gained a great appreciation for the opportunity to engage with them. We met many Orangutans, ranging from Siswe the sweet grandmother with a lazy demeanor and playful spirit, to Princess the mother and enthusiastic learner of human skills such as sign language and rowing and her sweet children Percy and Putry. The most intimidating and exciting of all however was meeting Tom-the King, with his gigantic body and commanding presence. It was a true blessing to have even spotted Tom, as he is known to never make an appearance and to deeply dislike humans. In spite of this, it is said by the park rangers that Javid was the human being to get closest to Tom-with a mere three meters between them! Face to face while filming this majestic ruler of the forest, an affirming exchange took place, a mutual recognition of the similarities that transcend the boundaries of human or animal.

Being engulfed by the intensely vivid rainforest, one can’t help but feel overwhelmed by its beauty and vibrant life. The harmony by which it survives, with each form of being interconnected with all the others is quite captivating, In moments of awe at its magical energy, it is possible to feel the whole forest breathe with you. It is the land before time, immanating the spirits of the past and calling out to those in the future. To contribute to that future with our own bare hands, we planted two trees at a forest rehabilitation area- one Mahogany and one Sandalwood. This was the least we could do to pay homage to a place that truly brought our wildest fairytale imagining to life.

On our way, as we were heading out of the rainforest, we stumbled across a deserted Dayak village. Here we were able to observe the remaining symbols of a traditional tribal culture, such as gravestones carved in the image of the deceased and housing with the sign of the hornbill adorning its roof. These images spoke of an eery past life which has slipped away as the forest shrinks in size.

Separation from Borneo was no easy task, as the love we felt for the forest and its inhabitants was deeply rooted. However, we have our sights set onto the next adventure-the meeting and relationship building with the Mentawai tribe. By arranging an insider to translate, we have received confirmation that we will be exposed to the very raw lifestyle and traditions of these people. Our approach is to extend a formal invitation to the 2010 International Indigenous Gathering to be held in Lillooet, British Colombia. By living in a family abode of the clan, we hope to truly immerse ourselves in their worldview and facilitate a genuine understanding. For this we are preparing to embark on a long boat journey followed by a trek into the deep untouched bush of Siberut Island, off the west coast of Sumatra. We hope this challenging road will lead us to a unique and fantastic experience-Insha’allah.

Terima Kasih for your ongoing support for us here in Indonesia!

Onward and Upward,

Apo Calypso Productions

Heading into the Heart

2010-01-07T00:27:00.000-08:00

Whirlwinds of diverse and tantalizing sights and sounds have hypnotized our senses in the first two weeks here in the land of Indonesia. Upon arrival in Jakarta, swallowing the warm, humid, thick air of a polluted and overpopulated hub, we found ourselves standing at the outer most exterior layer of this multifaceted place. A drastic contrast and imbalance is blatant between the commercialized skyscrapers on one side of the car, and the slums hiding beneath the highway on the other. After two days of catching sleep stolen from us by a 22-hour flight, we quickly made our way to Jogyarta. There we visited two world heritage sights, the remaining symbols of two of the oldest religions that helped shape these people: Hinduism and Buddhism.

The first monument was Borobudur, a grand architectural masterpiece that was concealed beneath volcanic ash for centuries. It is a true testament of the enduring power of the Buddhist Candi (temple), that even when buried it did not self-destruct. The stories depicted on the walls of its narrow winding corridors, intricately carved in stone, tell the stories of civilizations past. The lessons are everlasting as they are carrying emotions ranging from anguish, triumph, hard work and harmony with nature, to the meditating Buddha. Serenity seeps from the cracks in between the old stone, with each rock placed in its right place so long ago. The Hindu equivalent of this ancient house of worship is Prambanan. Both speak of a time when buildings were narratives and taught morals to be passed on through time, built with care and purpose. Visiting the Sultan’s palace was a learning experience of the national sentiments of this country. Observing how the roof of the Indonesian gathering hall is held up by the pillars of “Unity in Diversity”, with symbols of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam depicted in gold. A lucky chance performance of the ancient Gamelan set the tone of dark entrancement and deeper discovery to come.

After lifting the cultural veil, we dug deeper by watching the sunrise over Mount Bromo. Peering into the core of this active volcano, with its escalating steam reaching for the sun, the blessing of being in the presence of such sheer natural power was possessing. Upon making an offering to the volcano by throwing flowers into its rapturous pit, we sent down our wishes that with the new decade at hand, humanity would come to accept the beauty of the natural world and take it upon ourselves to preserve it.

Continuing to chase the sun, its throbbing unforgiving rays led us to the desolate and tiny island of Gili Meno, off the west coast of Lombok. With a population of only 300 local permanent residents, it is truly a rare sweet spot of this earth. White sand beaches are caressed by crystal clear waters, shimmering an array of baby blues and dark turquoise, luring us to delve deeper once again into the underwater world of coral and marine life. The captivating wonder of this world was humbling. Javid was learning his underwater capabilities quickly, and dedicated many hours to capturing the vibrant patterns of coral and fascinating creatures such as the sea turtle! With mass dynamite fishing having demolished many areas of the reef, and humanity’s continuous denial of its rapidly increasing destruction of the underwater world, it is truly a precious opportunity to have soaked it in with the naked eye. The welcoming and free spirits of the island’s people warmed our hearts and for those interactions with them we say ilhamdulilah.

Almost half way into our journey, the lingering sunset of Meno bids us farewell as we head into the heart of Indonesia’s natural world: Borneo’s thick rainforest. As one of the most biodiverse regions it hosts one of the last Orangutan habitats and is anticipated to be a wild experience. A week trek on a Klotokt (canoe) on the Sungai Kumai River alongside the crocodiles is the adventure at hand, and we are extremely excited to begin. Weather permitting the end destinations of this trek are the villages of the indigenous Dayak tribes.

As for the remainder of the program, diverging from the original path to Irian Jaya (Papua) is for good reason. Research conducted since our arrival has compelled us to head towards the island of Siberut, off the west coast of Sumatra. There we hope to be able to meet with the mysterious and untouched Mentawain tribe inhabiting the land to implement the first step of Apo Calypso’s model, relationship building, and to spread the message of friendship and collaboration. Gifts such as the Massai beads and Eagle feathers from the St’at’imc nation will help facilitate an exchange of ideas and trust. Furthermore, we have been asked by the St'at'imc nation that is hosting the 2010 International Indigeneous Gathering to extend them an invitation to attend and participate in this event. It is an honor for Apo Calypso to deliver this message in person.

Onward and Upward

Terima Kasih for your support in Indonesia

Apo Calypso Productions

Javid Gibson

Cam Boatmen

Rawan Risheq

Digging to the Core, Reaching for the Sun

2009-12-20T21:28:00.000-08:00

As the year comes to an end, ushering along with it a new decade, we, at Apo Calypso Productions, find ourselves reflecting on our past endeavors over the course of the last two years. Our tribulations and our successes have brought us a profound distance from where we set off, pursuing our vision into unforeseen landscapes as pilgrims seeking wisdom. We remain committed to the journey upon which we have embarked: a mission to track, learn, and share those teachings that turn ourselves inwards, deepening our perceptions of the relationships humans form with the sources that grace us with our mental, physical, and spiritual nourishment.

Back at our base of operations in Toronto, for the past six months we have been involved in distributing 300 preliminary copies of our first film, IL Ngwesi. We gave a number of people from a diverse demographic the chance to provide their input as to how the film could be made more effective, and decided to bring IL Ngwesi back to the editing stage for minor alterations. With these changes now complete, IL Ngwesi is, alas, prepared for the 2010 Film Festival Circuit, where we hope to broaden our range of spectators on an international scale and amplify the voice of that very special community.

We are always widening our network of grassroots and indigenous communities throughout the world. While this network continues to expand, over a dozen communities have already expressed their interest in working with us to create works of cultural immersion. Along with the prospect of working with these communities in the near future, is the prospect of expanding our ever-growing archive of footage. This archive will prove invaluable as we seek to connect each of these peoples to a global collective, enlarging, for both these people and our viewers, their sense of community.

Through fine-tuning our model, we have defined a very accessible approach to creating works of cultural transmission. Through this continued mission we have been granted the opportunity to implement stage one of the model, Relationship Building-Story Telling, with the Kayan tribe of Borneo, and the Dani tribe of Papua New Guinea.

Beginning on the 24th of this month, we will be taking a 5-week preliminary expedition into one of the most mysterious, bio-diverse, and abundantly indigenous populated regions in the world. We will be developing a relationship with these two particularly isolated tribes that we hope will sprout into a collaborative project in the likes of IL Ngwesi. A journey to Indonesia will also allow us to document the cultural and religious diversity that exists throughout the country, and the unity therein. Its people, landscapes, and wildlife will be filmed to weave these diverse relationships into a trans-cultural web of Indonesia as a whole.

Following our trip to Indonesia, we plan to return to the St’at’imc nation in February to document the reaction of the community to the forthcoming 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, much of which will be taking place, unauthorized, on St’at’imc land.

As the roots that ground our initiatives continue to grow, we seek to branch out by facilitating cultural exchange on a larger scale. We are currently in dialogue about the development of a website, brainstorming ideas that would grant greater access to the projects and collaborations we have formed. We are more than open to suggestions. Once again we thank you for your continued support.

Onward and Upward

Apo Calypso Productions

Voices of the Sacred

2009-05-11T08:51:00.001-07:00

We set out on a mission when we left our base of operation in Toronto: a mission to share the stories, lessons, and teachings that were to be exchanged amongst elders, medicine men, and spiritual leaders representing the indigenous communities throughout the world at the 2009 International Indigenous Leadership Gathering.

We came here recognizing that a gathering of this magnitude, at this critical time in humanity, would play a significant role in the development of our, as well as all participants' understandings of the present, and what will be needed for the future, to honor and preserve the natural world and humanity's place within it. With our bags packed, we set out, blessed by the opportunity to witness and take part in this forum of utmost import.

Along the way we underwent a road of trials. When we finally arrived at the St'at'imc territory, we learned that our plans to transport three Maasai representatives from IL Ngwesi to the gathering had been spoiled by emigration protocol. Yet we remained undeterred, directing our focus on our purpose, our mission.

It wasn't long before we began to fully grasp the powers that lie upon the mountaintops of the St'at'imc territory: the all-pervasive aura of a land that makes all happenings within sacred. We began to understand a greater purpose beyond our own.

With no hesitation we set up our tents at the gathering site, at the base of a sacred mountain that for the St'at'imc peoples has transformed the ordinary into leaders; the spiritual into visionaries. For generations people have been drawn to this site in search of power and healing, and so the saga continues.

From all over the world people came: from the cities, from the mountains, the deserts, and rainforests people answered a call within themselves, beckoning them to this place at this time. The Maori dreamed of this mountain years ago. The elders prophesied a meeting of the four nations of the world centuries prior, and here their words were fulfilled.

As we immersed ourselves in the experience so too did the hundreds of others who arrived to let their hearts be opened to the truth, love, and compassion that the people had to offer. Despite the ethnic, cultural, and visible diversity between the participants, the peoples shared concerns for their environment and for their children allowed for a strong connection to be made amongst one another. People shared in ways as never before, each carrying a story, a lesson, and a message, all in the name hope.

With the help and support of Alaina Tom & Chief Darrel Bob, two of the chief organizers of this gathering, through sharing our story and our purpose to amplify the collective indigenous worldview, we obtained permission to document and film the procession of events.

Throughout the course of the eight days, we heard from a collection of voices on topics covering the past, present, and future: the ailments of the Earth and the ongoing suffering taking place because of humanity today, the abuse of our land our family and ourselves. We heard from a variety of elders carrying the prophecies of their nations, and the symbols that represent a change to the world of disorder. We learned about the strength of woman, and the need for men to begin recognizing her within himelf. We learned that the time is urgent, and that humanity is on the brink of something new. Finally, we learned about the ancient teachings, many of which have been forgotten: the means through which the indigenous peoples have preserved and persevered, through which we may all persevere as one light, representing all colors.

We had the priviledge of sitting down with representatives from the St'at'imc, Maori, Maya, Cherokee, Cree, Lakota, and Quechua peoples, amongst others, and presenting them with the opportunity to convey their stories, message, and vision to the world at large. This was a great success. We are both humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to contribute to the gathering in any way we knew how.

Now that the gathering is complete, our lenses are shifted towards the vast abundance of St'at'imc territory: the snow-covered rocky mountain ridges, the pine tree valleys, the freshwater springs, and the pollution and deforestation taking place all the while. We hope to document this land and the story of the people who call it their home.

Onward and Upward,

Apo Calypso Productions

Canadian Premier of "IL Ngwesi: People of Wildlife"

2009-04-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Supporters,

We would like to invite you to come out to the Canadian Premier of Apo Calypso Productions first film " IL Ngwesi: People of Wildlife"

The screening will be held at:
Innis Town Hall on Thursday April, 23rd, 2009 at 7:30pm
(Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto, ON- University of Toronto Campus)

Following the film there will be a Question and Answer period with the Three Producers/Directors of the film as well as a brief on our upcoming Film Projects.

This will be a donate what you can event.
Pre-released copies of "IL Ngwesi: People of Wildlife" will be available for a donation of $20 Dollars.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters for their continued support and look forward to seeing you all there!

In addition, the Apo Calypso Productions Team is Heading to Washington DC on Friday, April 17th, 2009 for the World Premier of "IL Ngwesi: People of Wildlife"

For more information write to us at apocalypso@apocalypsoproductions.org or call us at 1-416-550-2287

Onward and Upward

Apo Calypso Productions

Coming Full Circle

2009-04-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

A year ago, the Apo Calypso journey began. For our pilot expedition we ventured to Kenya's Rift Valley, humanity’s shared ancestral homeland and home today of the IL Ngwesi Maasai--People of Wildlife. The goal of this journey was to create an inspirational film showcasing the magical essence of the IL Ngwesi community: their culture, their worldview, and the intimate relationship they maintain with their surroundings. It is with great pride and even greater satisfaction that we report the successful completion of this project. Finally, after ten months of intensive learning and strenuous toil, we have completed our task and sent out advanced screening copies to our ever-growing network of friends and supporters.

The production of IL Ngwesi: People of Wildlife was an intensive exercise in collaboration. We were blessed with the opportunity to immerse ourselves in IL Ngwesi and respectfully shoot an artistic reflection on their way of life. This was possible because the relationship we established with the community was based on a mutual acknowledgement of the importance of the preservation of environment and culture. This understanding led us to undertake further development initiatives within the community in addition to our film. We facilitated the spread of cultural awareness by partnering with the Enatum Youth Group--a band of talented Maasai vocalists--to produce a collection of state-of-the-art recordings of their traditional chants. This has never been done before. We also shot a short video for the Safi Project, a waste management initiative headed by a member of the IL Ngwesi community, to be used as an educational resource on trash collection and environmental protection.

A river leads to the sea as one journey leads to the next. Our effort to spread awareness about our undertaking has connected us with many walking a similar path toward similar ends. Through our persistence in broadcasting our message over the global channels of information exchange, we attracted the interest of Alaina Tom, a member of the St'at'imc (Stlat-lee-umh) Nation in British Columbia. She reached out to us with her story. Her message was simple, clear, and vital; an indigenous mother's call to defend the land against the mind-state of consumption and destruction that has overthrown her people's traditional ways of living and threatened the prospect of life for future generations. By exchanging stories and our experiences in IL Ngwesi, trust grew between us and our connection deepened. Then Alaina extended to us an invitation on behalf of her nation to volunteer, participate, and document the 2009 International Indigenous Leadership Gathering, which will be hosted by the St'at'imc this spring on their ancestral lands. This gathering, the first of its kind recognized outside the context of the United Nations, has been in the works since 2002 It will bring together indigenous leaders from all over the world to take part in a week-long exchange of Sacred Ceremonies and Sacred Knowledge. In co-ordination with the organizers of this forum of utmost import, we have successfully arranged for the attendance three Maasai representatives from Il Ngwesi, who have been invited to speak about the protection of the environment to an audience of teachers, healers, spiritual authorities, and youth. Our presence at this symposium, with the Maasai, will mark the beginning of a longer stay in St’at’imc territory, throughout which we will be collaborating with Alaina on a film, that will tell her extraordinary story of struggle and perseverance.

As we prepare to undertake this expedition, we look for your continued support. We will be distributing pre-released DVD versions of "IL Ngwesi" for a minimum donation of $20. To recieve your copy, or to help support our organization, you may follow the link below. We will also be sending copies of our forthcoming film proposals on request.

E-mail us at: apocalypso@apocalypsoproductions.org

The Concord Meets the Eagle - March 1st 2009

2009-03-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

Onward.

When the images touched the screen, and the sound was heard, King Street manifested a new dimension. Life-changing questions were posed, and people were inspired by the prominent display of natures resiliency and the indigenous people's ingenuity.

The Psychedelic Safari was a success, in terms both of fundraising and generating awareness and support for Apo Calypso Productions and the indigenous peoples we seek to portray. We hope to recreate a similar event, on a larger scale, sometime in the future when ample time makes itself available to us.

In the meantime, we are in the midst of finalizing the visual component of the journey that will take viewers through nature and its offerings, to a culture that celebrates these offerings everyday. This journey will emphasize, through our raw and organic approach, the blessings of nature with which we have been bestowed, and how miraculously, the Masai of Il Ngwesi have maintained their deep connection to the wildlife and environment. Viewers will be transported into the natural realm whose call has been desperately beckoning us back outside.

As we continue to sculpt the structure of this journey, our countless hours of investment increase in reward, and our faith remains firm. We are now in the final stages of having a Final Cut, and are now focusing and directing our attention towards the sound aspect of editing. This endeavor will bring us into a more specialized sound environment, where the aural aspect of the journey will awaken itself.

And the bridge building never ceases as fate merges the paths of wandering souls. Perhaps it was the ordainment of a higher force that brought Alaina Tom, a member of the St'at'imc nation, to deliver her story through the internet to a complete stranger. Regardless, of all people in the world, it was Javid who recieved this message, which detailed the story of a young woman's struggle to preserve her peoples culture, her peoples land, and the children of her peoples future. Through online communication, we were able to establish a connection based upon our shared understandings, and form a strong enough relationship for Alaina to entrust us as her hosts during her stay in Toronto last weekend, where she would speak against the encrouchment of Canadian Government upon her people as part of the No One is Illegal campaign.

In her peoples attempts to preserve their culture, the St'at'imc nation of so-called British Columbia have called upon help from indigenous cultures from all around the world. The culmination of eight years of planning and development has produced what will be the largest gathering of Indigenous peoples outside of the United Nations ever recorded: the forthcoming International Indigenous Leadership Gathering. The Gathering will revolve around the topic of 'protecting the sacred' and will bring the spokespeople of the land, the indigenous people of the world together for the first time. Upon hearing about this news, we were dumbfounded by the enormity and global import of such a gathering, and without hesitation arranged for the bringing of Masai representation to the event. We, likewise have been invited, and are anxious to hear and share stories, and develop relationships with this incredibly diverse group of protectors.

Until that time, we will be assembling our marketing package, a powerpoint presentation detailing our operation for interested supporters and investors. We will be taking this presentation on the road for a two-week funding mission while simultaneously arranging a number of launch events where we will showcase our film towards larger support networks.

Upward.

Apo Calypso Productions

The Crossing of the Return Threshold September 3 - November 27

2008-11-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

The journey continues.

Apo Calypso is back in Toronto--the Huron word for 'meeting place'.

As we find our ground and reach out to our contacts, we find that we have gone from full immersion in the life of the Maasai to full immersion in the process of post-production. Our operation is now being run out of the live-in editing studio we have set up at the Toy Factory Lofts in Liberty Village. Here we are hard at work chiseling down our behemoth 77 hour block of footage into a finely sculpted inside-out artistic perspective of everyday life for the people of wildlife, the people of Il Ngwesi.

We have spent an exhausting number of hours behind computer screens since returning from Africa. The Apo crew has had to quickly learn the in-and-outs of the video editing program Final Cut Pro, an interface with which we are now all fully familiarized. Simultaneously, we have been tirelessly reviewing and discussing our footage as we develop the story line most true to the inside-out perspective of Maasai life. We have now constructed a rock solid outline for the visual component of the cinematic journey that will be Il Ngwesi.

Work on the audio component of the film is coming along as well. Apo Calypso is proud to announce its collaboration with Brady Bothwell. Brady is an experienced audio technician currently studying sound design at Fanshawe College. Along with his skill, talent, and knowledge, Brady will also be able to provide us with access to Fanshawe College’s state of the art surround sound mixing studio.

Apo Calypso is also proud to announce that we will be putting on a fundraiser event at Loki Lounge in Toronto! The event, which we are calling the Psychedelic Safari, will feature an artistically enhanced visual celebration of Apo Calypso’s first journey into the cradle of mankind. Brady will be the DJ at the event and will be spinning a set of tribal/house/electro/dub grooves mixed with maasai chants.

We invite you to join us on December 4th at 10:30PM, at Loki Lounge, 577 King Street West. As Always, Onward and Upward

now available online at: http://www.apocalypsoproductions.org/

So Long, But Not Goodbye August 15 - September 2

2008-09-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

It is 3 A.M. in the morning on the 17^th of August at the Makurian boma of Il Ngwesi. A crowd of men, women, and children assemble around the center of their home, forming a circle mimicking the shape of the surrounding fence formed from withered acacia branches. A fire is blazing bright, and the sparks rising from the ashes hover overhead, dwindling in luminosity as they blend into the starry skies. An eerie silence sweeps through the crowd as a group of young boys are led from the dark, desert void, towards the crackling embers where their fate awaits. Cups of Maritina, the honey and aloe brew of the Maasai, flow steadily among the elders. The sweet nectar trickles down their throats, blending in their stomachs with fresh meat from a slaughtered bull. The festivities had carried on throughout the day prior, but now lay the very climax of the celebration: the climax of youth, the turning point of any bildungsroman, and a promotion in the community that not only carries a great responsibility, but a test of strength and great pain as well. Tomorrow, these boys will be men, and their mother’s arms will no longer provide protection for them. Tomorrow, it will be their turn to provide protection for their mothers.

Our cameras were rolling, but something so sacred, so fundamental to the beliefs of these people, seemed to be demanding our respect. As if a secret was being whispered into our ears, Apo Calypso kept silent, simply processing the information within the sequence of events taking place. Something in the air that evening reminded us that some secrets are meant to be kept silent.

Javid had spent the previous day observing, but also taking part in the celebration. He filmed, and helped slaughter the bull, he drank Maritina with the elders, and he drank, with the Moran’s, the blood of the cattle. No doubt over the course of his time there, he had not only earned these peoples respect, but also demonstrated that he and they were not so different. They welcomed him, Cam, and Max, with open arms into their home. They shared with us their culture, knowledge, and beliefs. They shared with us their smiles, their laughs, and even at times their frowns. And we shared with them, our willingness to change. To put the camera down, when the incisions had begun was the last obligation to them that we could provide.

And so, a long night of celebration brought a long morning of sleep and regeneration. Javid arose reenergized, and prepared for one last visit to a good friend, Richard Leggae. At Richard’s boma, Javid recounted his experiences over the last two months, and gathered an intimate look at the Maasai family, for one last time.

On the 19^th, Javid returned to Nanyuki, where he obtained the edited copy of the Enatum Youth Group’s recordings, which he had worked so hard to arrange, as well as an edited short video for the community to use as a marketing tool for the Il Ngwesi Lodge. He returned to Il Ngwesi for a brief visit on the following day, in order to provide the offering to the community, who needless to say were more than grateful for the gift and the opportunity to share their songs with the world.

Time was wearing thin, and up to date we had only obtained a long distance shot of a lion. We needed more. The ultimate predator, the king of his domain, is the ultimate challenge for a warrior: a challenge not only with the beast, but with any lingering fears in the hearts and minds of the newly graduated warriors. Only a Moran would seek out such a ferocious beast with nothing but a spear and an arungu to protect him. The five-century old tradition is a test of a warrior’s ability, one that has been revoked by the Kenyan government under poaching regulations.

Fortunately, as tables once again turned our way, a chance meeting in Nanyuki on the 21^st brought us the acquaintance of Gabrielle, a Project Biologist, for the Living with Lions Large Carnivore Conservation of Laikipia. Her interest in our project extended her will to help us in obtaining the footage we needed, via the extensive archive of lion footage that they have already obtained. By the end of the day, the warm hands of hope and reassurance guided us towards the next objective: Javid’s last visit to Il Ngwesi before his departure. The plan: to ride to three different locations in Il Ngwesi on dirt bike, where three interviews with three of the oldest members of the community had been prearranged.

The purpose of these interviews was to gather a story: the story of Il Ngwesi. We hoped to cover where the name Il Ngwesi originated, where the people came from, and how the community came to be. While all three interviews were successful, there was one in particular that stood out. A 93 year old Moisay, or elder, from Nadungoro, gave us a lengthy hour-and-a-half compassionate history lesson about his people. The story he told was one of suffering and sadness, but nonetheless one of pride for the perserverence of his people through abuse and persecution. Despite his anguish, the man understood the importance of what we were doing, and appreciated our want to listen to his experience, and the story of his people, whose strength we are forced to envy. For his willingness in sharing his story, we are very grateful.

As Javid returned to Nanyuki to finalize his outstanding debts, and distribute some of the equipment that we will no longer need: a steady-cam and tripod for B Ware Production, the bittersweet awareness of his departure from that world into another was over consumed by his anticipation to return to Toronto. With a total of 73 hours of footage obtained, we have but only splattered the paint onto our pallet, with which we must produce a work of beauty that we pray will do the reality justice. There is still much work to be done, paint brushes to buy, a concept to create, and we will continue to move forward in the upcoming months. Today, we will all reconvene together for the first time since our return, and we will see just what kind of picture we can paint.

We would like to extend our gratitude to all of those who provided us with help and strength throughout our journey. Though no words can express how much your support has meant to us: without you, none of this would have been possible.

Thanks for your support,

Apo Calypso Productions

July 29 - August 15

2008-08-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

It was another sweltering week in the Rift Valley last Saturday. The soil remained parched, and magnifying glass skies projected the Sun’s rays into the squinting eyes of the Maasai. It was drought season north of Mount Kenya, and Il Moran had already left his home in search of pasture for his community’s herd.

Meanwhile, Javid had arranged a meeting with five Moran warriors from Chumvi. He had been given permission to relocate this group to Nanyuki for the day and bring them to the home base of BWare Productions. A portion of the Enatum Youth Group, a community development initiative of Il Ngwesi, here had their first encounter with a professional recording studio, an environment far removed from the commonplace natural stage of the Rift Valley, where they are most used to performing. Yet, despite the foreign surroundings, these five performers were in no time able to paint their world view within the four sound-proofed walls containing the ancient songs passed down through the generations. All told, a total of two hours of solid, professionally recorded Maasai chanting and guitar playing was gathered throughout the course of the day. This material, in agreement with the community of Il Ngwesi, will provide not only for our film’s soundtrack, but also for a promotional CD that will be used to attract tourists to the Il Ngwesi lodge, and funding that will subsequently aid in the preservation of their land and community. The day was a major success.

Back in Il Ngwesi, the Moran’s wanderings for pasture had brought them to Nadungoro Forest some weeks before, an area of thick vegetation and a dense canopy of trees providing natural shelter from the heat. The Moran’s, who are responsible for nourishing and protecting the cattle, who in turn provide sustenance for the community, had been spending the majority of the drought season, months at a time, on foot. They had been nomadically searching for grass to graze, surviving on a meager diet of milk and blood. The Morans are true examples of the personal sacrifice made for the community; for in their willingness to suffer through circumcision, and their willingness to walk dozens of kilometers daily, they put their tribe as a whole above themselves.

Javid arrived in the forest by foot on the 4^th of August with an entourage of locals and a donkey carrying supplies to last the rest of the week. In his presence were Francis Leggae, a Moran from Il Ngwesi, and Juma, a Nanyuki local. Each has been welcomed aboard the Apo Calypso team, and has begun a short-term apprenticeship in camerawork and cinematography, whereby we hope to inspire and encourage the use of film as a means of educating.

Together, the three spent a total of five days following the warriors on their journey to feed their herds. Successfully, Javid and his crew managed to capture the story, encapsulated in the beads of sweat on the Moran’s bodies, of a group of men who have been fed by their community, and now are working hard to return the favor. Javid, Juma, and Francis walked alongside these warriors, covering many kilometers a day, and returned on Friday to Nanyuki with very promising footage of the Moran’s struggle and the provider, Mount Kenya.

On the 9^th of August, Yost and Patricia of BWare Productions, who were inspired by the material recorded a week earlier, generously volunteered their services to Apo Calypso Productions. The Dutch couple offered to join Javid on his visit to Chumvi, Il Ngwesi that day, this time with a new, portable in-field sound recording set-up. And it couldn’t have been a better time: a celebration awaited them on their arrival for the circumcision ceremony that was to take place the next day. The whole Enatum Youth Group choir provided us with yet another two hours of in-the-field audio and visual recording. This time it was a much larger group of both male and female vocalists in their natural surroundings who blessed us with sounds that at times can overwhelm the ear. Both Apo Calypso and BWare Productions are thoroughly were impressed by this performance.

The next morning, Javid had made all preparations to ensure that he would obtain the necessary footage of the circumcision ceremony. Although he was informed that he would not be permitted to film the actual ceremony, he was prepared to document the entering of the boma as children, and the exiting as men. However, the one thing he could not have prepared for was the unsuspected thundercloud guest that brought the first rains and dispersed the crowds in frenzy for shelter. It was a disappointing surprise for the camera, however all is not lost. Javid still managed to obtain a collection of footage demonstrating the importance of the ceremony, and better yet has since managed to seek out another ceremony, taking place tomorrow, August 16th. This time, weather permitting, Javid will find much more ease in filming the ceremony in the home of a good friend, who has assured him that there will be no issue. Let us hope for the best as he heads back out into the field tomorrow.

Apo Calypso in the past week has also been volunteering their cinematic services to Safi Project, the only waste management company in the Laikipia district of Kenya. We shot two hours of footage for the project, a promotional donation on our behalf to be posted on their website for the encouragement of safe, environmental disposal of waste in Kenya. For more information on Safi Project, visit: http://www.safiproject.org/.

As we continue our travels, we invite Nairobi and Nanyuki locals, as well as tourists to join us on a trip to the bush, a place where a surprising number of Kenyans have never visited before. As part of our giving back initiative, we are doing our best to share with others in the mystifying experience of the African wilderness. This endeavor will continue as we cross out the remaining shots on our list:

- An interview with the community leaders on “how they came to be called “people of wildlife” - Lion tracking with the head of Lewa Downs Conservancy tours - The importance of beekeeping and the collection of wild honey in LeParua

July 14th - 27th

2008-07-28T05:19:00.000-07:00

With each of our adventures into to the 7500 hectare expanse of Il Ngwesi, our progress reassures us, and new opportunities reveal themselves to us. From the 11th of July onward to the 17th, we were back in the home of these peoples of the wildlife in an attempt to capture the intimate relationship between man and nature, and that unspoken bond between where homage and respect are paid. The wild but gentle Maasai nature continues to unveil itself to us as our encounters with this magical tribe become more personal, beginning this time with the finalization of the formal agreement between Apo Calypso Productions and the leadership of Il Ngwesi. Here aid with logistics and permission to film anything that we see appropriate, as pertaining to the documentary, were granted to us under the understanding that showcasing these people will provide an accurate world view of the Maasai. This crucial meeting solidifies our partnership with the community, and facilitates the obtainment of any footage that has proven difficult in past experiences.

On the same journey to the Il Ngwesi Lodge, where the meeting took place, we were surprised by the presence of a second filmmaker: Vincenzo Cadallo of the Cultural Video Foundation. After a brief and informal discussion regarding our work and our purpose, he offered to contribute any help required with resources and networking to make this project a success. These two partnerships were but the preemption of a 6-day onslaught of over 15 hours of footage, which puts us at precisely 47 total hours.

We were able to witness the man to nature interaction that is constantly taking place in Il Ngwesi, and the celebration thereof through song and dance, by a group of nearly 30 Moran's and women: enough chanting to keep the elephants away. Also, during one of our in-vehicle journeys, we were priviledged by the presence of 5 Moran's belting out their ancient songs as the vast landscape of the Rift Valley flew by. To share in this celebration was no doubt and honor as always, for which both us and the camera are grateful.

Meanwhile, as the team were breaking down camp and preparing a trip to the coastal island of Lamu, Cameron was back in Toronto on his computer cataloging images, drafting proposals, and hunting for a place for the soon-approaching second phase of this endeavor: post-production. Via phone he was receiving the vital updates regarding the debriefing session that took place between the 18th and 19th on Lamu. Here the detailed description of the model for future use on future projects of the process, groundwork, values and approaches, questions to be asked, storyline, budget, and shooting method for this entire venture were discussed, as well as plans and shot lists for the next stint, to take place between the 28th of July and the 14th of August. Javid will be travelling solo on this mission as Max's departure on the 22nd has regrettably approached and passed. Upon his arrival in Washington D.C., Max will begin to outline a more concrete conceptualization of the overall story and structure of this film, as well as familiarize himself with the software that will be necessary for when the three regroup for editing on the 26th of August. He will be in co-ordination with Cam back in Toronto, as the designing of a template for a website and the raising of funding for post-production are now underway.

Fortunately, in Max's absence, Javid will be accompanied by a new crewmember. He will be taking the time to mentor a Maasai from the community in the art of filmmaking with hopes of furthering the documentation of Il Ngwesi. This will be one of the many footprints that Apo Calypso will leave behind for the community when we are forced to depart.

Javid and this yet to be identified apprentice will be shooting the following:
- The Myth of Il Ngwesi, as told by a Moisay
- Lion tracking with the head guide at Lewa Conservancy
- Close-up shots of animals yet to be obtained
- 10-day on-foot herding trek
- As well as the bringing of one Moran and one woman to B Ware Recording Studios

Onward and Upward,
Apo Calypso Prductions

July 1st - July 13th

2008-07-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

Once again the Apo Calypso team is back with our most recent updates. After working on the 1st and 2nd on gathering amazing animal footage and on obtaining permission to film the Moran's graduation ceremony at the Makurian boma , we were optimistic on our way there on the 3rd. However, we were disappointed to learn that this permission was not to be granted upon our arrival, understandably due to the importance of the ceremony remaining as true to its traditions as possible. Nonetheless, Apo Calypso has been informed of a number of the same ceromonies taking place in the month of August, as well as a circumcision ceremony next week in the same Makurian community boma, to which we have been invited.

Following our visit, we returned back to Nanyuki on the 4th and said our final goodbyes to Heather Ramsey, who was to head back to Nairobi for her flight the next morning. Although she was dissapointed to leave, she clearly enjoyed the two-weeks stay which she was fortunate enough to spend with such a special community. She will be helping us build the architecture and groundworkings of Apo Calypso, the non-for-profit productions organisation, upon our return to Toronto.

Back in Nanyuki, the collection of 3000+ photos taken thus far were being copied and duplicated for Cameron, who was leaving on the morning of the 7th, to take back to Toronto. Although he will no longer be with the rest of the team in Kenya, he will be busy applying for grants, compiling contact lists, a photo album, mastering sound recording, and writing his first-hand account of his voyage and submersion into the Maasai culture, and his reemersion back into the 'west' thereafter. Also: the Apo Calypso story.
So the team travelled to Nairobi to say their Kwaheri's and were soon after to be found in the streets of Nairobi and the slums of Kibera, gathering incredible city footage to emphasize the contrast between the Maasai' and the rest of Kenya's way and state of living.

We had a very successful meeting with the Nairobi production company Vivid Features, (where most of Kenya's media equipment is sought out for) where we were granted access to Final Cut editing software, as well as a professional DAT recorder. The latter will be added to the collection of new and improved sound equipment we have gathered, courtesy of BWare studios, who have offered their help with equipment as well as plain experience.

Now we are heading back out to Il Ngwesi, in hopes of fullfilling a specific shot and sound list for the upcoming 5 days, where a meeting with the community leaders, regarding permission for the film's title, will also be orchestrated. We have 23 hours of film to be shot by July 18th, whereupon we will continue to search for simba and also a more indepth shooting of the provider, Mount Kenya.

P.S. The goat, Buanafiki, is happy and hungry.

June 21st - July 1st

2008-07-01T01:57:00.000-07:00

The Apo Calypso team is busy making arrangements for the days to come, however let us give a brief update on the previous 10 days.

The 21st and 22nd were spent in Nanyuki preparing for the touchdown of Heather Ramsey on the 24th and deciding how best to spend her 12-day visit here in Kenya. Due to a number of illnesses in the team, we had been forced to keep our energy exertion to a minimum for these two days.

Having recovered, on the afternoon of the 23rd we set out to Nairobi for a nights stay on account of Heather's early arrival the following morning. Unfortunately, our meeting with Senator Joseph Lekuton fell through, partially as a result of his obvious preoccupation with the newly formed coalition government. Nonetheless, on the 24th we were back on our feet and ready to partake on our next adventure.

We picked up Heather, got a bite to eat, and before we knew it were returning to Nanyuki to charge batteries and pick up the necessary groceries and supplies for our departure that afternoon. Our destination: back to the community boma for an in-depth look at the Maasai woman' and Moran's day-to-day work for the community. In Heather's words, this is not simply a car ride, but rather a trip back through a seemingly 15, 000 year time period.

We obtained some beautiful shots of the flowing river of Ngare Ndare and arrive that evening just in time to set-up camp and record a marvelous sunset through the floating Acacias and behind the rocky ridges of Il Ngwesi.

Having awoken to the calling of the eastward Sun, the team was well-rested and prepared for a few days of extensive work. On the 25th alone, we managed to capture a full 6-hours of footage, which included:

- the birds and trees of the rift valley
- women beading a nourishing their children
- the different stages of the boma throughout its construction and inhabitance
- woman constructing fence from branches
- a goat slaughter with 20 Moran warriors
- Moran jewellery/adornments
- the Maasai flute
- and another beautiful sunset

While this was all being filmed, Javid was meeting elsewhere with the elders of Il Ngwesi, the go-to men for everything in that community. Fortunately enough, the meeting went off without a hitch, and luckily the elders of two other communities, Amboseli and the Masai Mara were present. These two contacts, particularly in the Mara, will indeed play a useful role in the weeks to come.

On the 26th, we were allowed the chance to capture more of the life of a Maasai woman. We gathered footage of group song and dance, the sweeping of the boma, the building of fire, breast-feeding, and the vital retrieval of water. The woman's responsibility over the rest of the community is never underestimated on any of its members' behalf.

The next day we returned briefly to Nanyuki for a photo off-load, battery charge, and restocking of food for our next destination.

We then head off to what is the biggest sporting event, not to mention the finest example of the commercialization of nature, in Kenya. The Safaricom Marathon in Lewa Downs Conservancy is one of the top ten most difficult terrains on the world circuit, and Apo Calypso was in the press lines capturing the sunrise stampede on the 28th of feet (some with shoes, others without) through the Rift Valley. Inspiring landscapes bore the name 'Safaricom' where all eyes could see, an unmistakable conflict for the Maasai culture, attributed to the rise in commercial interest in what was once Maasai territory.

Having experienced and captured nature in a considerably different fashion than our previous encounters, we have returned to Nanyuki for Canada Day and will be back in the bush tomorrow.

We have received news of a massive graduation ceremony and celebration for the older Moran's in the Makurian community boma beginning on the morning of the 4th until the evening of the 5th, throughout which 1,000 Maasai visitors and 10 bull slaughters will be expected. We have been invited, and are awaiting news on what the elders will expect from us in order to film the procession.

NEXT DESTINATIONS:
- Sweet water
- Chumvi
- Nadungoro
- Makurian
- Mount Kenya helicopter flight
- Nairobi
- Masai Mara

June 21st

2008-06-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

Due to a shortage in available time before the arrival of Heather Ramsey, Apo Calypso has postponed its visit to Samburu until after her departure on the fifth of July. Following our Nairobi meetings on the 23rd, the team should have a better arrangement as far as Mount Kenya, the Masai Mara and wildebeest migration are concerned. Tomorrow, however, we are arranging for a potential encounter with lions, an essential member and component of Maasai culture, at the Sweetwater game reserve, in hopes of capturing as up-close shots of simba as possible.

On the 24th, following Heather's landing in Nairobi, we will be trekking back to Il Ngwesi for the 10-day entirety of her stay after a brief stop in Nanyuki for last-minute supplies. On this stint, we plan on diving even deeper into the beliefs and spiritual practices of Maasai culture, particularly those pertaining to rites of passage.

On the 28th, the team will be relocating its camp for two days to the Lewa Downs Conservancy for its 8th annual Safaricom Marathon, one of the top-ten most difficult terrains on the world-circuit. Footage of this event, if not put towards the documentary itself, may be used in acquiring further funding to be put towards a website and other future endeavours under Apo Calypso's newly registered name.

Apo Calypso continues to be optimistic about forthcoming opportunities and are in no sense perturbed by the slight adjustment in Samburu plans. Internet will likely be unavailable to us until the 4th of July, so we shall update you then.

Onward and Upward,
Apo Calypso Productions

June 8th - June 16th

2008-06-16T03:38:00.000-07:00

Apo Calypso has wasted no time in submerging itself back into the wilderness. On the 9th, we revisited the Lewa Downs Conservancy in an attempt to capture some of the wildlife missed on our first time around. We arrived in Kamanjo, our camp site, that evening and on the following morning, we took the camera out on a walk through the bush, and a hike up the rock cliffs.

On the 10th, we returned to Nanyuki to begin preparations for a three-day stint in the Lower Sanga community Manyatta, a district in central Il Ngwesi where the people live in an utmost traditional fashion. The elders granted us permission to set up camp within the Manyatta, their communal home and village, and it wasn't long before the opportunity to collect footage arose, as with their help we were able to orchestrate a full-day of Moran chants and dances. The complexity of their songs can at times be entrancing, especially as more members are added to their indigenous choir. Even at nighttime, the sound of a mother singing to her crying child is one that resonates deep within. The sound that we have managed to capture thus far, will play a key role in the Maasai experience that Apo Calypso hopes to achieve.

The Moran's are a fierce group. They stand together hand-in-hand, seemingly impenetrable. Meanwhile, their glance are razor sharp and would be intimidating to most, to say the least. These are the protector's of the community, armed with spears and arungus, who would surely sacrifice themselves for their tribe and their herd.

We continue to be pleased with our overall progress, our footage, which now exceeds a total of 20 hours, and audio quality.

Shots we have thus far include:
- The Rolling hills of the plains Savannah
- The True Safari Drive
- The Base of the Rift Valley
- Mount Kenya
- The Skyline / Clouds / Sunset / Moon
- The Trees (Acacia & Zufobia)
- Wildlife
- Turtle, Lizard, Zebra, Elephant, White Rhino, Buffalo, Water Buck, Thompson Gazelles, Baboons, Giraffe, Camels, Birds, Annex, Cattle and Goat
- Interviews with 6 Maasai Elders
- Elders herding and meeting
- Goat Slaughter
- Moran Chants and Dances
- The Morijo and Kiyaa's Manyatta / Boma
- Children playing
- Women
- Beadwork
- Daily chores
- Boma building

Locations we have visited within Il Ngwesi are:
- Leparua (2 nights at Kenyaga boma)
- Makurian community Manyatta (1 night)
- Sanga community Manyatta (3 nights)
- Chumvi
- Ngare Ndare
- Munyangalo
- Ethi
- Lewa Downs
- Borana Ranch
- Nadungoro
- Dol Dol
- Sieku
- Kamanjo (1 Night)
- Isiolo

In the following 10 days, we hope to visit the Samburu region and potentially Mount Kenya, depending on the clouds. On the 24th, however, the team must return to Nairobi for the arrival of Heather Ramsey, President of Upstream Wealth, who is coming to check out our operation with hopes of offering her help in building Apo Calypso's sustainable organization. Meetings with the Executive Director of Sunrise, based out of Toronto, as well as Michael Joseph, CEO of Safaricom in Kenya are being arranged in hopes of receiving possible funding. Another meeting with Joseph Lekuton, a Maasai member of parliament, is in the midst of being arranged for the purpose of obtaining connections within the Masai Mara, before we head in that direction. We will be returning to the field on the 18th.

Until Next Time,
Your friends at Apo Calypso Productions

June 1st - June 7th

2008-06-08T02:11:00.001-07:00

In light of the objectives to accomplish over the course of our stay in Kenya, the past week has brought us much reassurance and progress. Despite a few ruts in our approach of portraying the Maasai in their purest forms, our perseverance has illicit a much more concrete sense of where we are going and how we are going to get there, both literally and as far as this project as a whole is concerned.

This week we were able to successfully capture the wildlife of Lewa Downs Conservancy, and were welcomed into the boma of Goyma Kinyaga, a Maasai living with his brothers, wives, children, and father in Il Ngwesi. By demonstrating our willingness to learn from Goyma and his family, we were able to orchestrate a meeting and discussion on the very night of our arrival with the elders of the community. We had the privilege of being granted full permission to record: dialogue with the elders, Goyma, and a Moran warrior regarding the importance of conservation, preservation, and culture; goat herding; boma paving; and also a number of myths and stories as told through the elders.

We stayed with Goyma for two days and left on the third to the Maasai community Minyatta of Makurian. While we had been prohibited use of cameras, the experience nevertheless proved useful in our, specifically Max and I's, exposure to the Maasai culture. Immediately upon our arrival, the co-dependent way of living to which the Maasai adhere to was omnipresent. The respect shown from one to another was especially striking, as well as their ability to laugh and enjoy themselves. Creating an environment where the Maasai feel comfortable enough to enact these cultural aspects on film will be a major obstacle to climb in the approaching future.

Upon our arrival back in Nanyuki on June 4th, we were disappointed to find that our desired apartment still was not vacant. We have however found and moved into an enclosed compound where we have a house and room for the latest addition to our team, a young goat. He will serve useful as a gift to the Maasai in Il Ngwesi, particularly the Morans, in order to overcome any discomfort on their behalf with the use of cameras.

On the 6th we made a brief visit to Doldol, a small Maasai township where the shrubs grow thick, the soil seeps red, and the rocks stand tall to acquire some more footage. After having reviewed the entirety of our material, Apo Calypso is proud to have its name attached to the footage so-far obtained, and we are looking forward to forthcoming opportunities.

Nairobi - Nanyuki (May 26 - May 31)

2008-06-01T01:03:00.001-07:00

Since landing in Nairobi, our time has been predominantly spent on the facilitation aspects of transportation, accommodation, and preparation of equipment. All necessary visual and audio gear has been obtained as well as an apartment in Nanyuki, a town at the base of Mount Kenya, to serve as an operations base for the forthcoming months. So far no major setbacks have compromised our planning and budgeting, and we all look forward to making our way into the Il Ngwesi community today. For the next five days, both phone and internet will be inaccessible to us as we travel into the wilderness.

Our first priority is to arrange a meeting with the elders of Il Ngwesi to discuss their and our roles in the documentation of their community in an attempt to foster mutual understanding and respect. This will be the key to unlocking the doors of any hesitations on the community as a wholes behalf. In-depth documentation will commence today.

Kenya has undergone drastic changes in the aftermath of the post-election violence outbreaks and has been seemingly discouraged about their future. Both Javid and I had the opportunity to briefly visit some of the wreckage in the slums of Kibera, where spray-painted walls are demanding for peace. More riots are expected to come.

On another note, we have learned through a contact that the first fiber-optic cables in Kenya are due to arrive from Dubai within the next three months. These cables will connect the entirety of Africa to a global network of information at speeds as never before. I wonder what type of role this will play in international and online business, as well as Africa as a whole. The wealth of information that will be made accessible to people on this continent will surely spur change on a grand scale.

Until next time,
Cameron Boatman,
A representative of Apo Calypso Productions

Welcome to the Apo Calypso Productions Blog

2008-05-31T03:31:00.000-07:00

Apo Calypso Productions has successfully landed in Kenya, and we are now underway in all business and production endeavours. We will try our best to maintain this website with minimum weekly entries to update all those concerned with the latest news on our locations, directions, and progress.

Asante Sana,

Javid Gibson (javid@apocalypsoproductions.org)
Cameron Boatman (cam@apocalypsoproductions.org)

Cell:
1 647 686 8057
1 416 550 2287