Some Place with a Mountain(Steve Goodall,2010):USA, Federated States of Micronesia

Reviewed by Ron Christianson viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2011

Some Place with a Mountain is a documentary told by the Director, and Writer, Steve Goodall. After selling all of his worldly possessions to realize his life long dream of sailing, Steve purchased a Sailboat to explore the oceans of the world.

In his travelled, he happened to come across an isolated culture of Pacific Islanders, known as the Lapita Navigators. They are thought to be the forefathers of many civilizations in the pacific region. Being master boat builders and accomplished sailors, they are able to navigate the oceans  on voyages of many miles at a time.

The Lapita Navigators culture has been suspended in time from approximately 500 years BC, their ways, unchanged. These people have a strong sense of community. From birth, the young are taught the way of their people. Every aspect of life is done unselfishly for the better of the whole tribe.

When confronted with the theory of Global Warming and the rising of the ocean levels, one of the elders confirmed, that he has noticed the rising sea level, and erosion of their shores. The people were overwhelmed to get confirmation of what they were experiencing. At an alarming rate, the world as they’ve known it for an untold number of generations is quickly coming to an end.

With the help of Steve, and the nearby islanders of Yarp, they are willing to try and accommodate the Lapita Navigators need of finding a suitable place to relocate. There simply isn’t enough room on the island to sustain all the people of the ancient culture.

The worry is that if the Pacific Islanders are relocated, they will be influenced by outside cultures, losing and forgetting their culture forever. Is there a place on earth left than an ancient civilization may live untouched by the outside world? A suitable island may have been found, at the cost of $10,000,000.

Steve’s hope is that the movie will inspire people that have the means to help relocate these Pacific Islanders, so they may continue their way of life. I salute Steve Goodall and his noble effort with the worldwide exposure of this documentary, hopefully a solution will be found.