Circle Of Life

Presented by American Indian youth for American Indian youth, Circle of Life is an excellent documentary on the subject of teen pregnancy, in particular, and related problems such as drug and alcohol abuse and abusive relationships. Mixing interviews with teen mothers and couples, health experts, and parents, the program also has a running story told by Roberta Hill Whiteman. The story is about Ninth Wave who, despite her younger sister's objections, runs off with a stranger, becomes pregnant, and isn't allowed to visit her family anymore--thus is the "circle of life" between the maternal generations broken through rash decisions. Beyond the beautifully filmed parable of Ninth Wave, Circle of Life does not seek to preach, but rather to inform. Health experts talk about the ignorance concerning sex among teenagers, and the high prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse on the reservation. The teen mothers are candid about their experiences, whether they're describing the hell of being a young mother, the joys of being a young mother, or the likeliness of being a single mother. While targeted towards Native Americans, the subjects which the tape addresses are universal, and the overall production values are excellent. The binder contains two separate tapes: Part 1, Circle of Life is a complete 43-minute documentary. Part 2 is 32-minutes, and divided into three sections for discussion use: "The Effects of Alcohol & Drugs," "Abusive Relationships," and "Teen Pregnancy & Parenting," which includes some of the footage from Part 1, but also offers more in-depth interviews. Libraries with Native American patronage will definitely want to purchase this excellent documentary, but it is also highly recommended for all libraries. (Available from: Leech Lake Reservation Health Division, R.R. 3, Box 100, Cass Lake, MN 56633.)