After we met for class yesterday, I went right into another Anthropology class’s precept where we discussed thin and thick descriptions in a series of poetry by Renato Renaldo. We debated as to whether or not poetry could be considered an authentic form of ethnographic work and I was reminded of the idea of authenticity that we had just discussed. I believe that a key part of ethnographic work is its appeal to humanity, and what is more a part of the human experience than human emotion. What differentiates filmmaking from poetry? They both require astute attention to detail and are considered to be works of art. They both convey the emotions of their creator’s reality. Both of these representations require expressional decisions in order to portray the intended reality of emotions.

I keep returning to the question Professor Himpele posed as to why the camera was placed at the center of the circle for the filming of the dancing ritual. If the village is considered the center of the village and the camera is then placed in the center of the village, what does this imply? I believe they chose this shot in order to represent the unity of the village in the trying time. By placing the camera in the center of the circle instead of outside the circle or above the circle, we are brought into the raw emotional connections and our presence is placed among the people, on the same level, experiencing the same things. Through this decision, we as the audience view a sample of poetry that is the Kayapo’s existence.

Media ethnography allows the narratives of individuals and cultures to be replicated through a series of decisons of styles and their intended meanings. Through the understanding that an individual’s perspective is their own reality, who are we as ethnographers to discredit its authenticity?