Chip Duncan: Stories of Sacred Places Around the World

Similar in structure to his superb previous SJA speaking engagement Cinema, Culture and Faith [see link to our story] back in January of 2004, the Emmy winning documentarian previewed five clips from his Mystic Land Series and a peak at his 2004 Fall PBS broadcast The Cost of Freedom: Civil Liberties, Security and the US Patriot Act. The latter documentary examines how 9/11 happened, and questions if the United States is safer today and just what kind of civil liberties have been undermined. The American Civil Liberties Union feels the Patriot Act is highly questionable when our President can make certain decisions based on executive privilege. The Washington Post reported after 9/11 that 66% of Americans are willing to sacrifice their civil liberties in favor of preventing terrorist acts.

Duncan's documentary covers the span of the 1770s to the present, recalling when President Abraham Lincoln, with executive powers, closed eight major newspapers across the country during the Civil War. Critics of the US Patriot Act say it undermines the Bill of Rights and questions whether it justifies the means. The chief concern should always be: Is it operationally necessary? US Senator Russ Feingold was the only voice in the Senate to reject the Patriot Act. Still being reviewed by Congress today, Section 215 of the act entitles the US government to look at any US citizen's library records. Many states won't enforce the Patriot Act.

Duncan moved on to examining the themes of Spiritual places around the world. He previewed minute length clips of five locations mostly shot from 1995-96. He elaborated stories of tribulations, epiphanies and triumphs of discoveries from each film. The first clip came from the mountainous terrain in Peru, Machu Picchu: Kingdom In the Clouds. This site of an ancient Incan and pre-Incan city, about 7000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains, is located in South Central Peru. Booking a shaman as a guide, Duncan was introduced and became friends with Victor Estrada. Duncan soon learned that most of the structures here serve a spiritual purpose. The Inca empire that live here are a coalition of tribes that follow spiritual paganistic practices that worship the sun and the moon.

The next clip Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon focused on Bhutan, the kingdom in the Himalayas, located North East of India near Bangladesh. Described as a loud city of devoted Buddhist practices, this city is extremely hard to travel through as there is only one road with hiking serving as the main mode of transportation. This country limits tourism to 2000 a year and refuses traditional western influence. Until the 1960s, few Westerners have been here. Their first paved road came about in 1962. Duncan mused, "It's like Switzerland 300 years ago."

Here, Buddhism is a life style of communal living and constant chanting. We think of meditations as internal and quiet. This culture sees it as expressively loud with continuous drum banging and chanting through out the day. Duncan fondly remembers, "You kind of feel the soundtrack of their lives as you film them because they are always making music." Though most Bhutanese are not poor and own a home, health care remains a huge problem with the constant presence of malaria. Most medicines are herbal. Garbage is merely tossed off into the streets. An average life expectancy does not surpass 40 years.

Duncan discussed the people of India, a nation of a billion people under Hindu influence in a land of mysticism with a clip from Varanasi: City of Light. With a population of about one million people, Varanasi is considered the holiest city in India. The River Ganges runs through here beginning in the Himalayas and covering 1,500 miles of land to the Bay of Bengal. Hindus believe that if you die and are cremated in Varanasi, you will reach the end of your cycle of reincarnation. They believe in Gods of birth and Gods of rebirth and wash and bathe in Ganges to absorb the spirit. To us, it's incomprehensible to consider this since the dead are burned and thrown in the river as well. Duncan was able to film a reincarnation ceremony.

Varanasi will not change their devotion to river bathing despite their government's proactive steps to stop it. Cows and rats are considered sacred and run loosely through out the city. Duncan sees their spiritual practices as profound because their beliefs are centered in God and not in commerce.

When Duncan tried to get a documentary shot in Haiti, the Discovery Channel wanted to censor any aspects that related to Verdu or what is commonly referred to as Voodoo. Verdu is a synthesis of Western African Tribal traditions mixed with Catholicism. "Of all the spiritual practices, Verdu is the most interesting. It comes out of slavery," concluded Duncan. He showed a clip from Haiti: Dance of the Spirit, a nation where half the population are unemployed and in a constant state of anarchy with very little law enforcement.

Duncan's final clip, Burma: Triumph of the Spirit, examined how woven into the fabric of Burmese life is the one certainty of human existence, suffering. 45 million people live in Burma and severely struggle to obtain a democracy under a rigidly harsh and controlled government. Add to all of this is the fact that Burma has the hottest weather recorded on earth. 85% of the people here practice Buddhism. In 1988, the Burmese Government killed 3000 unarmed civilians because a pro-Democracy movement in Rangoon occurred. At the time, only one BBC radio reporter leaked out the information to the public. The government insisted Burma be renamed Mayanmar and Rangoon become Yangen. Duncan remarked that he felt Burma would be the most difficult place to film because of harsh government regulations and safety issues but it turned out to be quite safe. It was the unbearable heat that proved to be the real obstacle.

Michael Reinbold, a continuing web reporter, freelances as a writer and banquet caterer. A passionate believer in SJA's mission of social justice and collaborative ministry, Michael is an SJA Choir member, mass reader, Team Oz AIDS rider and Grace House volunteer cook. With an extensive background in theater, photography and fundraising, he relishes all aspects of the arts, staying fit and inspiring and working with people.

What a privilege to have Duncan speak and share his relevant vision of exploring cultures of Faith and respecting their practices. It's surprising how intricately they relate to Christ's teachings, yet remain complexly different and misunderstood. All the more enriching is having the experience at St. Joans, a place of openness and intellectual challenge.

Michele Jansen is a free-lance audio/video producer and multimedia project manager, who also works as an on-call announcer for KBEM-FM, Jazz 88. In other words, a jack-of-all-trades for the new millennium. She and her family, husband John, teenagers Mick and Lauren, have been members of St. Joan of Arc for 12 years. She is also a happy member of the choir, and has volunteered for various activities at St. Joan's including the Faith Formation Advisory Board. Michelle can be reached at mtj333@yahoo.com.