 Movie Review:
End of the Spear
Director: Jim Hanon
Production Company: Every Tribe Entertainment
Cast: Louie Leonardo, Chad Allen, Jack Guzman, Christina Souza, Chase Ellison
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of violence
By Gregg Tubbs
(UMC.org)—Is it possible for a culture—possessing traditions, religion and a social order—to be so off-kilter that it could lead its own people to extinction? Can ingrained violence and the desire to always appear strong ironically prove to be fatal weaknesses? And at what price would you try to change such a culture by delivering the good news of Christ? These are some of the questions asked by the fact-based new film, End of the Spear—a soul-stirring Christian parable about how a warrior tribe finds the path to peace through the loving sacrifices of five courageous missionaries.
In 1956, a group of Christian missionaries attempt to make contact with the reclusive Waodani tribe living deep in the jungles of Ecuador. © 2006 Every Tribe Entertainment |
“To bring true peace, lasting peace, you need to change the human heart.” These profound words open End of the Spear, and plunge us into 1956 Ecuador, where a group of Christian missionaries attempt to make contact with the reclusive Waodani tribe living deep in the jungle. Their mission is both spiritual and practical. The Waodani have become so violent and such a threat to themselves and others that the Ecuadorian government is on the verge of sending in troops, which could lead to the eradication of the tribe.
The Waodani call themselves “The People of the Spear.” Adhering to a strident warrior culture, the Waodani settle all disputes, avenge past wrongs and ward off all threats—real or imagined—with a deadly thrust of their ever-present spears. To do anything less is seen as weakness—a flaw with deep social and religious consequences. The Waodani believe that for a warrior to reach paradise in the afterlife he must possess sufficient strength to “jump the great boa” at death. Those outside the tribe are treated with fear and suspicion, and all white “foreigners” are reviled as evil cannibals.
When the five missionaries—all men—first visit the tribe, things go well. However, a lie told by one of the warriors to protect himself ignites the Waodani’s natural suspicions. The missionaries are murdered, and their message of peace and forgiveness seems lost. However, instead of seeking vengeance, the wives of the slain missionaries journey back into the Amazon to continue the ministry to the Waodani. With the help of a Waodani woman who was raised by Europeans, the women learn the ways of the Waodani, and the tribe slowly begins to learn about them. Understanding their message about Jesus will take a little longer.
Adhering to a strident warrior culture, the Waodani settle all disputes, avenge past wrongs and ward off all threats with a deadly thrust of their ever-present spears. © 2006 Every Tribe Entertainment |
In the movie’s most inspiring scene, the women make a breakthrough by explaining the essence of the Gospel in terms the Waodani can understand. They explain, “Waegongi (God) has a son who came to earth. He was speared, but did not spear back, so that one day, those who speared him could live well.” In this spear-or-be-speared culture, the message of “living well” by setting aside the spear was radical and counter to the tribe’s entire way of life. To refuse to retaliate was to be weak, to make oneself vulnerable to one’s enemies. But when one warrior becomes so sick of the killing that he joins the missionary women in building a “house for Waegongi,” others also begin to embrace this new teaching. Finally, even the tribe’s most stalwart warrior, Mincayani—who was among those who killed the missionaries—comes to believe and proclaims, “Waegongi doesn’t want anyone to kill!”
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| Finally, even the tribe’s most stalwart warrior, Mincayani (LOUIE LEONARDO), comes to believe and proclaims, "Waegongi doesn’t want anyone to kill!" © 2006 Every Tribe Entertainment |
The first five missionaries paid the ultimate price, but their sacrifice was not in vain. Today, the Waodani live in peace and spread the word. Not only did they cooperate in the making of End of the Spear, they also allowed themselves to be the subject of the excellent documentary called Beyond the Gates of Splendor. (The documentary—some of which is shown during the closing credits of End of the Spear—is available on video, and I highly recommend it.) The documentary features the real Mincayani and the missionary, Steve Saint, who is the son of one of the missionaries Mincayane killed in 1956. To see them together as fast friends demonstrates the power of forgiveness and a loving heart to heal even the greatest of wounds.
End of the Spear testifies to the courage required to spread the gospel, the power of forgiveness and the nobility of sacrifice for others. The movie also reiterates how revolutionary the message of non-violence truly is. Although we’re taught that “He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword,” nearly everyone who has delivered that message has met resistance—from Jesus to Gandhi to Martin Luther King. Even today, the message of peace often falls on deaf ears. But if you go to Ecuador, you will find that the Waodani are no longer “the People of the Spear,” and that they do indeed “live well.”
Gregg Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.
This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Group Study Guide
Study Questions:
- Had you ever heard the story of Steve Saint and the Waodani? Did you think the film did the true story justice?
- What are your feelings towards missionary work? What are the possible tensions and difficulties of sharing the Gospel with an indigenous culture that already has its own religious and cultural traditions? How important is it for missionaries to respect the native cultures they come into contact with?
- Why do you think the Waodani were so violent? Was this point made clear in the film?
- Was the behavior of the Waodani a result of hostility or fear? Or both? How so?
- At first Mincayani seems the most likely to accept the message of peace, but then he resists. Why? How did his daughter’s death help harden his heart?
- How did holding on to long-held traditions prove harmful to the Waodani?
- Could you have forgiven the Waodani as the missionary’s wives did? Have you ever had to forgive or be forgiven of a terrible sin? Discuss the concept of forgiveness—Why is it often so difficult to forgive? As Christians, why do we believe we are called to forgive? What enables us to forgive?
- Were the missionary’s wives right to take their children with them to minister to the tribe? Were the children in danger? Why or why not?
- Do you believe the sacrifice of the five murdered missionaries was worth it? Why or why not?
- Do you believe Mincayani really saw Steve’s father “jump the great boa” while he was still alive? What do you think he saw? Could it be that he saw peace in the missionary’s eyes?
Group Activities:
Distill the Gospel: The Waodani finally began to believe when the gospel was explained to them in terms they could relate to: “Waegongi (God) has a son who came to earth. He was speared, but did not spear back, so that one day, those who speared him could live well.” Although not complete, this simple “gospel in miniature” does a good job of explaining why Jesus came to earth. Christians often use John 3:16 as a similar distilled gospel. For this activity, break your group into small teams of 2-3 and have each team create their own distilled gospel. Ask them to try to sum up the gospel in no more than three sentences. When the teams are finished, ask each team to share its statement with the whole group. Combine the best elements of each to create your groups’ own special short gospel statement.
Ready for Heaven: Just before flying in to engage the Waodani, Steve Saint asks his father if they will use their guns if attacked. He replies, “No. If we die, we are ready for heaven, but the Waodani are not.” As a group, discuss this scene. What did Steve Saint mean by his response? Discuss the “Great Commission” and your feelings about missionary work in general. For help with your discussion, see John 14:6, Matt: 28:19-20, 1 Tim 2:3-6; 1 Tim. 4:10; 1:Cor. 15:20-22; Col. 1:19-20.
Traditions to Uphold or Breakdown: Part of the challenge the missionaries faced was trying to overturn traditions and values that the Waodani culture had developed over many generations. Using a blackboard or flip chart, develop a list of traditions that the Waodani held. These could include burying a warrior’s children with him, and using the spear to settle disputes. Divide these traditions into two columns—those that are healthy and compatible with a Christian lifestyle and those that are not. Next, look at traditions of your own country, town or group. List the traditions and values that define American culture. Which are worth keeping, and which, like slavery or segregation needed to be overturned? Finally, list ancient Jewish traditions that Jesus confronted such as “an eye for an eye,” eating with tax collectors, healing on the Sabbath, etc.
Resources
Official End of the Spear Web site
Theatrical Trailer
Flash
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