Through the Gates of Splendor
odd: label: Local Number
content: HSFA.1994.23
name: label: Creator
content: Saint, Nathaniel, 1923-1956
label: Creator
content: Elliot, Elisabeth
place: label: Place
content: South America
label: Place
content: Peru
label: Place
content: Ecuador
topic: label: Topic
content: Missionaries
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Received from the National Center for Film and Video Preservation at the American Film Institute in 1994.
creator: label: Creator
content: Saint, Nathaniel, 1923-1956
label: Creator
content: Elliot, Elisabeth
culture: label: Culture
content: Ssabella Indians | Ssabela | Sabela | Huaorani | Wao
physdesc: label: Extent
content: Film reels (37 minutes, color sound)
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1960
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: HSFA.1994.23
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Film reels
label: Type
content: Sound films
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sound films
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Edited film documenting ill-fated 1956 missionary expedition to the country of the Aucas, an Amazonian tribe located near the border of Peru and Ecuador. Five men were killed by the Aucas after attempting to make friendly contact. The film is narrated by Betty Elliott, wife of one of the unfortunate men, and is based on her books "Through Gates of Splendor" and "The Savage My Kinsman". In 1958, Elliott established friendly contact with the Aucas and began missionary work there with another of the widows. Film includes footage of travel scenes in Quito, a journey to missionary base camp and life at the base camp; arial shots of Auca territory and the Auca camp, footage of initial contact with Aucas, as well as scenes of Elliott in Auca camp, and scenes of Elliott's young daughter playing with Auca children.

Legacy Keywords: Children American Indian Peru Ecuador ; Culture contact Peru Ecuador ; Settlements missionary religious Peru Ecuador ; Settlements Auca Quechua Peru Ecuador ; Urban life Quito Peru Ecuador

Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or Anthropology Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.