|
order films
contact us
donate to tve
tve home
|
 |
|
Mpingo - The Tree That Makes Music
At a musical instrument factory in France, skilled craftsmen work fragments of African blackwood into clarinets and flutes for the international market. But in the early 1980s, with more and more wood cracking under pressure on the lathes, investigations turn to the plains of Tanzania, and to the Mpingo tree - the source of the remarkable black heartwood. The Mpingo takes over 70 years to reach commercial maturity. Prized by musicians around the world, it is also much sought after by Tanzania’s Makonde woodcarvers whose sculptures play an important role in cultural life. Michael Gunton’s exquisite film links the instruments of today with the forests where people first made music, and shows how sustainable management of Mpingo plantations benefits local communities and international markets alike.
| Genre: | documentary |
| Year: | 1992 |
| Duration: | 50' |
| Country: | Tanzania |
| Language: | English |
| Production company: | Green Umbrella Films for BBC/WNET |
| Credits: | Director: Michael Gunton; Producer: Peter Jones |
| Awards: | Merit Award for Artistic Excellence, Missoula Wildlife Film Festival (1992, USA) |
This film was made with the generous support of:
tve is a collective name for Television for the Environment and Television Trust for the Environment. Television for the Environment is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (registered office 21 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RP, company number 1811236)and a registered charity (charity number 326585). Television Trust for the Environment is a registered charity (charity number 326539).
|
|