River Journeys; A River Journey by Christina Dodwell
- Series
- River Journeys
- Producing Organization
- British Broadcasting Corporation
- WETA-TV (Television station : Washington, D.C.)
- RKO Pictures
- Contributing Organization
- The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia (Athens, Georgia)
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip-526-sn00z7282p
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- Description
- Episode Description
- This is the program A River Journey by Christina Dodwell. The documentary begins with Christina Dodwell's arrival in Madang, Papua New Guinea for her second river-based journey through this country. She begins her journey up the Sepik River on a World War 2 mission boat with Captain Joseph and Pastor Peter Amos. On her first trip to New Guineas she had journeyed up the Sepik in a single canoe and became the first white person to do so. On her first journey, Christina had made acquaintances with many of the tribes along the Sepik. For the first half of the documentary she revisits many of these tribes showing their daily lives as well as special ceremonies. Her initial goal of traveling up the Sepik was to revisit the village of Kraimbit to take part in a coming of age ceremony for the men in the tribe. This blood ritual leaves scares reminiscent of a crocodile and Christina receives the high honor of her own skin cutting to open doors for her with the natives as well as protect her harm. She joins a crew of American river rafters at the upper Wahgi to begin the treacherous journey to become the first to descend the whole of the 'Eater of Men.? Along the journey the massive rapids present to be quite the challenge. They fight many and often end up flipping. They even have a helicopter come to move their gear upstream as they walked through the jungle to a safer entry point. However, it appears the journey has become too dangerous and the decide to turn back. While the did not complete the first descent of the Wahgi River, Christina Dodwell walks away not with a feeling of victory but of accomplishment and appreciation for the ever enthralling Papua New Guinea.
- Series Description
- "Six writers take six very different journeys along some of the world's major waterways in RIVER JOURNEYS. For each film a writer was asked to undertake a journey --using local transport wherever possible--which held promise of adventure or insight. Some are great rivers, like the Mekong, the Congo and the Nile. Others, like the Wahgi in New Guinea, are relatively unknown. All offer views of the differing life-styles and cultures of communities which cluster along the river banks of the world. "In order of presentation, the programs are: "A RIVER JOURNEY BY CHRISTINA DODWELL (also titled 'Eater of Men')--Writer and explorer Christina Dodwell's journey begins at the mouth of the Sepik River on the north coast of Papua New Guinea where she revisits a tribe among whom she lived for two years. It ends as she joins a team of American adventurers attempting to make the first-ever raft descent of the treacherous Wahgi River, called 'eater of men.' (November 6) THE MEKONG WITH WILLIAM SHAWCROSS--William Shawcross, author of 'Sideshow,' a book about the American involvement in Cambodia during the Vietnam War, revisits Southeast Asia and travels along the Mekong from Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) to the temples of Angkor Wat. (November 13) THE CONGO WITH MICHAEL WOOD--Historian Michael Wood travels by river ferry, cargo boat, and converted whaler on a journey which yields a rich sense of the teeming life along Africa's great artery. (November 20) RIO SAO FRANCISCO WITH GERMAINE GREER--Author Germaine Greer explores the northeastern region of Brazil as she travels along the Rio Sao Francisco. Her transport is a vintage paddle steamer making its last voyage. (November 27) THE NILE WITH BRIAN THOMPSON--Playwright/novelist Brian Thompson journeys from the African town of Juba in the south of Sudan to the Nile Delta. (December 4) THE MURRAY WITH RUSSELL BRADDON--Australian writer Russell Braddon follows Australia's greatest river from its source in snowy mountains to its estuary in the sea."--1985 Peabody Awards entry form.
- Broadcast Date
- 1985-11-06
- Created Date
- 1985-11-06
- Asset type
- Episode
- Media type
- Moving Image
- Duration
- 00:58:20.497
- Credits
-
-
Producing Organization: British Broadcasting Corporation
Producing Organization: WETA-TV (Television station : Washington, D.C.)
Producing Organization: RKO Pictures
- AAPB Contributor Holdings
-
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the
University of Georgia
Identifier: cpb-aacip-fdd311a5a19 (Filename)
Format: U-matic
If you have a copy of this asset and would like us to add it to our catalog, please contact us.
- Citations
- Chicago: “River Journeys; A River Journey by Christina Dodwell,” 1985-11-06, The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed May 2, 2025, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-sn00z7282p.
- MLA: “River Journeys; A River Journey by Christina Dodwell.” 1985-11-06. The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. May 2, 2025. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-sn00z7282p>.
- APA: River Journeys; A River Journey by Christina Dodwell. Boston, MA: The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-sn00z7282p