Piece Comment

Review of Resurrecting the Zapara


This is a compelling documentary about the struggle for cultural survival of a tiny indigenous tribe in the Amazon known as the Zapara. In just 14 minutes, this piece weaves seamlessly between Zapara history, explanations of their present plight, and sound-rich scenes of contemporary village life. It?s an inspiring story of a people making a conscious decision to regain control of their destiny after being dominated by outsiders for more than a century. It?s an effective piece of radio with strong scenes, well-recorded sound, and descriptive narration. I did find some of the voiceover translations a bit flat, but this was offset by strong content.