What on earth is a Power Object?

 

A Power Object is something that embodies extremely strong beliefs, elicits intense emotions, or is otherwise considered precious, and so can be said to have power over people.

 

Such as?

 

Power objects include things such as paintings by Rembrandt and, to a lesser extent, paintings which used to be by Rembrandt.

 

It also includes extraordinary people such as Elvis Presley and, to a lesser extent, people who imitate Elvis Presley in order to experience or embody his power

 

And it includes people who sometimes dress like their long-dead ancestors in order to experience or embody their power.

 

People, all people, all over the world, value highly some person, or place or thing.

 

The objects themselves vary widely.

The reasons the objects are venerated vary widely.

The beliefs and behaviors of the admirers vary widely

(which is why this is such an interesting film).

 

But in one way or another
everybody does it.

 

Even you

 

The Maori people of New Zealand, such as the master carver Te Warihi Hetaraka pictured (and picturing) on the right, call the power of objects Mana.

 

Te Warihi (aka Wallace) says that Mana resides not only in the mind of the believers, but also in the objects themselves.

 

This is true even though the exact same object, like this frozen tuna fish might be extremely valuable in Japan but be worth less than dirt in Chimayo, New Mexico, a place also known as The Lourdes of America (So it's not just any dirt--or is it?)

 

Get the idea?

 

So

 

Mana,
beyond belief,

 

you might say, is a film about

 

what makes matter matter.

 

If you want to test your "MANA I.Q., have a look at the Mana Quiz.