Papa bilong Chimbu

Documentary on Father John Nilles, the great-uncle of the filmmaker, who in 1937 as a young missionary arrived in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. He stayed over the next 54 years, living with the people of Chimbu as a priest, but also as an anthropologist, linguist, politician, and clan leader. Through interviews with those who knew him, the filmmaker reveals the new family Nilles developed, and offers insight into the complexity of cultural exchange.

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"Documentary on Father John Nilles, the great-uncle of the filmmaker, who in 1937 as a young missionary arrived in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. He stayed over the next 54 years, living with the people of Chimbu as a priest, but also as an anthropologist, linguist, politician, and clan leader. Through interviews with those who knew him, the filmmaker reveals the new family Nilles developed, and offers insight into the complexity of cultural exchange."@en
""The story of a German missionary's life in Papua New Guinea through the eyes of his Australian great niece. Father John Nilles arrived in 1937 to live with the Chimbu. He learnt their language and way of life, introduced them to God and Western culture and much more. He stayed 54 years and would become an anthropologist, linguist, politician and clan leader. His great-niece journeys to the highlands to piece together this moving portrait told through his diaries, letters, photos, archive and interviews with the people of PNG who knew him. There are also visually charming 'postage stamp' graphics evocative of a bygone era effectively used as transition/turning points" -- website."
"Story of German missionary Father John Nilles' life in Papua New Guinea, seen through the eyes of his Australian great niece. Draws on his diaries, letters, archival photos and interviews with the Chimbu people who knew him."@en
""Father John Nilles, arrived in the highlands of Papua New Guinea in 1937 and for the next 54 years, living with the people of Chimbu, learning their language and way of life, introducing them to his God and Western culture. Through Nilles' extraordinary archive of photos, diaries and letters as well as interviews with those who knew him, filmmaker Verena Thomas pieces together a portrait of this fascinating man, her great-uncle. What she discovers is an unexpected new family, who had made 'Papa' Nilles one of their own.Presenting a personal perspective on 'big picture' history, Papa Bilong Chimbu offers a thought-provoking insight into the complexity of cultural exchange.Note: Papa Bilong Chimbu is Pidgin English for 'Father of the Chimbu'. Chimbu is now commonly spelled 'Simbu' but the older spelling is used here for consistency. The local language is known as Kuman." --Kanopy website."