KIN TAII

This film tells the story of Manchurian saman culture, reaching back to its roots in history and its tribal identity.  It brings to life the origins of the Manchurian peoples, showing their spirit and soul.  Throughout the film, director Kin Taii takes his camera to various locations where he meets elderly samans, as well as a new generation of samans, sharing their insights and thoughts and the important ceremonies of Manchurian shamanism.   While bringing to light the emerging hopes of the Manchurian people, he shows the wider connections of shamanism to people’s lives.  In addition to recording talks with elders, recorded in the disappearing Manchurian language, and their sacred songs sung in Manchurian, he also shows scenes from the Changbai  Mountains that were sacred to the Manchurian rulers of the Qing Dynasty.  While presenting a wide range of scenes from his travels, the film also documents the roots of the spiritual world that underlies the places.