The Hadza: Last of the First

Narrated by Alfre Woodard and featuring Jane Goodall, filmmaker Bill Benenson's documentary serves up a fascinating portrait of the Hadza, an East African tribe of hunter-gatherers who have lived near the Rift Valley in central Africa for over 50,000 years, during which time they have maintained most of their customs and culture. From the methods used to procure food, to the creation of weapons, to the establishment of social protocols for men, women, and children, the Hadza offer the last living link to man's earliest days. This is not to say that the Hadza are totally immune to the influences of the modern world: some younger members of the tribe wear Western t-shirts with American brand logos, while the women trek to local markets and barter their wares in exchange for cornmeal and other more contemporary additions to their diets. But government efforts to educate the Hadza youngsters have met resistance from children who would prefer to be learning how to pursue wild game in the woods than studying lessons on a chalkboard (two little boys here calmly recall how they escaped from a school and traveled two days by foot across the wild to return to their village, without benefit of a map or compass). Offering an intriguing look at a still-vibrant but increasingly imperiled way of life, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)