We have the same kind of blood
Film et Vidéo
- Auteurs : Madsen Berit ;
- Editeurs : Aarhus ;
- Date d'édition : 2001
- Sujets : Intouchables -- Népal, Castes, Films ethnographiques Népal
- Langue(s) : Népalais
- Description matérielle : 1 vidéocassette (VHS) (41 mn), : Son, coul. (PAL), 1/2po
- Pays de publication : Danemark
Résumé
The Dalit are the lower caste people in the Nepalese caste system. They are considered 'untouchable' by the upper castes. In 1990 the practice of caste based discrimination was declared illegal and punishable by law in Nepal. But the caste system still forms an essential part of the cultural landscape. This documentary film follows the daily life in a mountain village in West Nepal.The village is inhabited by several Dalit castes-the Kami (blacksmith), Damai (tailor) and Bhul (leather workers) among others, as well as some Thakuri upper caste households. We experience the relation between the lower and their reflections uponthe caste system. Why there are two separate water taps for upper and lower castes respictively, why the father of a young bridegroom insisted on finding a wife from the same caste for his son, and why Dalit are forbidden access to the temples etc. As the film moves forward we get an understanding of the influence of the religious cosmology upon caste behaviour and the daily life as such. In many ways, the Dalit live on the margin of the Nepalese society, but the film also shows the humour and strenght of the villagers as they try to make a living in dignity. Although filmed one location, this documentary reveals important aspects of the caste system as it is practised in Nepal at large.