Across the Frontiers

Attenborough summarizes his exploration of tribal ways as seen through tribal arts. He explains that the structure of many tribal societies is so delicate that even apparently helpful ideas introduced from the outside can rock a community to its foundations and leave the people deeply confused, with no faith in the old and no real understanding of the new. Several contemporary examples of cross-cultural fertilization that produced worthy results are examined. Points out that it is an illusion that tribal societies have remained unchanged since time immemorial.