Belles of the South Seas (1944)

After watching Belles of the South Seas, I felt as if Pacific Islanders today have lost their culture. In this short film, set in 1944, I saw a detailed insight into life on 6 different islands, all showing true meaning to the Pacific theme (e.g how Samoans get their food by climbing up trees getting cocounuts and weaving flax into baskets to catch fish) In this generation, with many immigrating to New Zealand, plus a major technology boom, Polynesians wouldn't catch fish anymore by weaving flax, but instead use a fishing rod and boat. I feel the islanders today have lost their traditional values by immigrating to this country. However, as they show Maoris boiling bags of water into geysers, today they still manage to make hangi's, boiling food underground as many of the geysers hyave become extinct. I feel the Maoris continue to hold culture as a first priority, by continuing to make hangis to cook food, the traditional way. In conclusion, since many Maoris haven't migrated from New Zealand, culture is considered very important, whereas many Pacific Islanders have migrated from their home country to New Zealand, they have started a new life here and I feel they have forgotten about where their roots come from, the only exception being Polyfest, a NZ event where Polynesian cultures combine to present where they originally derive from.