Catalogue of Czech Television Programmes
If we turn the pages of a Tahiti telephone directory we find whole paragraphs of typically Czech surnames. Is that just coincidence? All these names? Why? It brought about the origin of our documentary cycle, in which we tried to answer these questions. Well find out about Milan Rastislav Štefániks sojourn and his observatory in Tahiti, and about the New Slovakia project. On the other hand Miloš Rivňáč is a name we are probably hearing for the first time, and we find that it was he who initiated the arrival of Czechs in the South Seas. We shall also travel to the distant Marquise Archipelago, where there is a Czech Valley. But primarily we shall learn about the fates of courageous people who set out from Czechoslovakia to find their fortune right on the other side of the globe. 1. Tahiti in the introductory part we go to Tahiti Island, a place of wonder and enchantment many people have succumbed to. The first countryman who provably arrived here was Tadeaš Xaver Haenke of Chřibsko. That was way back in 1792. He was the first but definitely not the last 2. Observatory in this, the second part we hear about Milan Rostislav Štefánik, the first Slovak politician when Czechoslovakia was established, coming to Tahiti to observe the Haley Comet for which purpose he built an observatory on the hill above the harbour. Štefánik did not see the comet but the observatory remained there for many years. What was its fate and what was the final outcome? 3. Another Island in all books about Milan Rastislav Štefínik we find mention of the fact that he bought an island somewhere near Tahiti, where he wanted to establish a new Slovakia. Is there any truth in this? And if there is, which island was it? 4. A man with an English moustache we shall look up Miloš Řivňáč, who left Prague hastily in 1923 and found himself a new home in Tahiti 5. Papenoo in the next part of the series we shall visit the most extensive valley on the island of Tahiti, named Papenoo 6. Vanilla Island in this part we set out for the island of Raiatea, where in 1925 the first cooperative of Czechoslovaks was established in the South Seas 7. Makatea a somewhat forgotten and inaccessible island these days. It used to be one of the world sources of phosphate and the only place with a railway in Polynesia. The island figured in the fates of several people from Czechoslovakia. 8. The Czech Valley the Marquise Islands are a symbol for remoteness and inaccessibility. And yet a group of Czechoslovaks worked on Nuku Hiva Island from the year 1926 on. The place is still called Vallé de Tcheco by the locals the Valley of the Czechs. 9. Hanaiapa Hive Oa, one of the Marquise Islands, is known mainly in connection with the life of Paul Gauguin the painter, who lies buried there. A forgotten Czechoslovak named Jan Duchek lived all his life in one of the remote villages on this island. 10. Telephone Directory finally we leaf through the telephone directory and visit several families who still live in Tahiti with Czech name. 11. Returns in the final part of the cycle we find out what kind of fortunes the emigrants from Czechoslovakia found in Tahiti.
SD | 11 x 18´ | © 2004
director(s): Jiří Tesař
producer(s): Czech Television, Martin Kratochvíl STUDIO BUDIKOV
scriptwriter(s): Jiří Tesař
director of photography: Jiří Tesař, Martin Kratochvíl
rights available: TV, Video, Internet
original language: Czech