Mama Irene
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
This is a film about Mama Irene, a remarkable 86-year-old woman Shaman (healer) from Peru who draws upon indigenous knowledge and traditions in danger of being lost forever. Yet her craft is based primarily on her own intuition: “Spirits have told me in my dreams how to proceed.”
The documentary follows Mama Irene in her everyday life, highlighting her healing methods and passion to serve each patient who knocks on her door: from local women who travel hours or days by foot through the Andes, to a medical doctor from India seeking a cure for illness that Western medicine had failed to help.
We accompany Mama Irene on ancient spiritual ceremonies such as the Snow Star Festival, where thousands of pilgrims gather in Sinakara Valley high in the Peruvian Andes to honor the local glacier and Lord Quylluritj’i. The film depicts Mama Irene’s secret healing practices, never before filmed. Yet this film is not only a vital document of endangered wisdom; it is also a story about woman empowerment.
As the film unfolds, we learn about Mama Irene’s personal journey. She discovered her healing gift by chance at three years old, when she intuitively healed a neighbor’s migraines by rubbing her own salvia on his forehead. She became known in the village as El doctor pequeño — the little doctor. She was sold by her father into slavery; beaten by her husband, who was determined to keep her in the role of servile female; gave birth to 15 children, eight of whom died; endured misogyny and rivalry from male shamans.
Yet Mama Irene never wavered in pursuing her craft. She believed in herself and in the gifts she was born with. This is a story about a woman who overcome tremendous trauma and obstacles, and continues to grow and inspire at age 86.
Citation
Main credits
Ehrhardt, Bettina (film director)
Ehrhardt, Bettina (screenwriter)
Möhlmann, Elisabeth (film director)
Möhlmann, Elisabeth (film producer)
Möhlmann, Elisabeth (screenwriter)
Bönnhoff, Torsten (film producer)
Contreras Pumayalli, Juana Irene (on-screen participant)
Other credits
Edited by Monika Abspacher; directors of photography, Franz Zavala and Manuel Llanos; original music by Jim Papoulis.
Distributor subjects
Indigenous Sprituality and Religion,South America,Medical AnthropologyKeywords
00:00:05.633 --> 00:00:08.050
(soft music)
00:00:35.110 --> 00:00:38.360
(soft music continues)
00:01:14.929 --> 00:01:18.179
(soft music continues)
00:02:49.850 --> 00:02:52.381
(both laughing)
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(Irene blowing)
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(Alfredo laughing)
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- [Alfredo] Some cookies.
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(girl crying)
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(girl crying)
00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:37.298
- Mama.
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(Irene laughing)
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(birds chirping)
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- So, what Mama Irene is doing
is she's protecting first
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the soul of the baby in this fragile body
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and also calling in all the
support from whatever allies,
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from whatever powerful energy sources,
00:12:48.450 --> 00:12:51.100
so that the baby can be
protected and in good health.
00:13:00.210 --> 00:13:02.784
Mama Irene believes she's the guardian
00:13:02.784 --> 00:13:04.383
of the sacred feminine.
00:13:05.220 --> 00:13:07.950
As a woman, she has had terrible struggles
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and sufferings in her life.
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She will focus all her healing work,
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all her life and power to
protect and to heal women.
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That's why you see
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in her house in the morning
every day, women and babies,
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and I guess the only
time where she takes care
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of the men is when they're babies.
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(all laughing)
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(child crying)
00:14:35.248 --> 00:14:37.915
(Irene blowing)
00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:50.622
(child crying)
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(all laughing)
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(Irene blowing)
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(soft music)
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- [Alfredo] Grab a potato.
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(soft flute music)
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- There are not many women
healers in our communities
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and less women healers
that are of that time
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because in that time, there
was too much oppression
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to the feminine.
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Back in the '60s, '70s, '80s,
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which is when she's
forming her healing path,
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there was a lot of
oppression to the feminine.
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Until nowadays, in some
communities, if you are a woman,
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you cannot access certain
community rituals,
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you cannot do offerings for Mother Earth.
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So she's one of these few warriors.
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(soft music)
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Our old Inca traditions
live on side by side
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with the Christian faith,
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the Spanish invaders (indistinct).
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(singing in foreign language)
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- [Speaker] When Mama Irene
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was a young woman, the male shamans
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made her life very difficult
and even tried to abuse her.
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Her faith in her spiritual
allies was her refuge.
00:20:58.917 --> 00:21:01.584
(both laughing)
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(soft horn music)
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- [Speaker] Her boyfriend
passed away three years ago.
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And whenever this bird comes by, it's him.
00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:15.999
(all laughing)
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(soft music)
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- [Speaker] She's like, imagine
I'm in love with a bird.
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(all laughing)
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This is a way of her to stay
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in communion with Mother Nature,
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in this case with the spirit of this bird.
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This is our love.
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Our love is joy.
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Our love is celebration.
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Our love is happiness.
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So that every day
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of our life is a day to celebrate
with a day of happiness.
00:27:00.728 --> 00:27:03.145
(soft music)
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- [Speaker] Even from abroad,
people come to Mama Irene
00:27:08.183 --> 00:27:09.723
seeking healing.
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We are here to pick up Uma
who arrives from Mumbai.
00:27:16.281 --> 00:27:18.698
(soft music)
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- Here in Cusco, we are at
3,400 meters above syllable.
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So in order to acclimatize gently,
00:27:50.220 --> 00:27:52.200
you need to drink lots of
00:27:52.200 --> 00:27:54.210
and water.
00:27:54.210 --> 00:27:56.892
- I think I'll acclimatize very fast.
00:27:56.892 --> 00:27:59.580
(both laughing)
00:27:59.580 --> 00:28:01.350
- [Speaker] So, Uma, what is your wish?
00:28:01.350 --> 00:28:02.940
What is your dream?
00:28:02.940 --> 00:28:06.420
What would you like to make
happen while you are here?
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- You know, I'm a Western trained doctor.
00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:12.540
- Oh.
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- I think it would be nice
for me to get some healing.
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You know, I have these
illnesses and for many years,
00:28:23.130 --> 00:28:26.610
so it's in my, you know,
intestine and things
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and in Western medicine, there is no cure.
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It's not curable, and it's only surgery
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and operation and things like
that, which I don't want.
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This trip has got organized
not even a month ago.
00:28:45.750 --> 00:28:50.190
And here I am, and I really,
in the on the flight today,
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I thanked the spirit
00:28:53.730 --> 00:28:57.540
for allowing me to come here and be here.
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It's magical.
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- Yes, yes.
00:29:02.172 --> 00:29:04.589
(soft music)
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All her medicinal plants are right here,
00:29:09.600 --> 00:29:11.190
right in front of her house.
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- I see that lovely cactus.
00:29:13.110 --> 00:29:14.040
It's unusual.
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- It's an ancestral medicine.
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Yes.
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They use it for healing the heart.
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She's the medicine woman.
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Yes, please come in.
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This is her.
00:29:46.443 --> 00:29:51.443
(soft music)
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(soft music continues)
00:30:28.860 --> 00:30:33.690
- You need to, (clearing throat)
00:30:33.690 --> 00:30:38.690
you need to look after
yourself better, she says.
00:30:50.817 --> 00:30:53.643
She needs to work on your nervous system.
00:31:00.090 --> 00:31:02.520
- It's too much emotional stress.
00:31:02.520 --> 00:31:05.400
So it's affected your nervous system.
00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:10.400
And that's why it's also
manifesting itself in the stomach.
00:31:39.544 --> 00:31:42.240
- Does your back hurt?
- Yes.
00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:44.970
- Yes?
- The back hurts sometimes.
00:31:44.970 --> 00:31:47.644
Not always, but my arm hurts.
00:31:57.570 --> 00:32:01.143
- And then eventually this pain
can travel through the body.
00:32:05.730 --> 00:32:07.560
- [Speaker] We can use this much,
00:32:07.560 --> 00:32:12.560
we can use medicinal plans
to reset the nervous system.
00:32:12.930 --> 00:32:15.570
So she's taking a look
into different options.
00:32:15.570 --> 00:32:18.480
The origins is completely emotional.
00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:19.773
Completely emotional.
00:32:21.030 --> 00:32:24.723
You fell in love too
many times. (laughing)
00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:28.100
We're gonna begin now.
00:32:30.090 --> 00:32:32.260
Yes, we begin.
00:32:32.260 --> 00:32:36.167
The Guinea pig is supposed to
realign (indistinct) energy.
00:34:01.893 --> 00:34:04.764
(soft music)
00:34:04.764 --> 00:34:07.860
- [Speaker] Young women
ask for Mama Irene's help
00:34:07.860 --> 00:34:11.160
in matters of love before they marry
00:34:11.160 --> 00:34:15.603
and also for blessing of the
gods to conceive children.
00:34:17.310 --> 00:34:20.730
She carries the medicine
of sexual alchemy,
00:34:20.730 --> 00:34:24.000
empowering women, liberating women
00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:27.123
from sexual trauma, sexual abuse.
00:34:39.540 --> 00:34:41.610
- Because her path
00:34:41.610 --> 00:34:44.640
and her experience in
life has been very hard,
00:34:44.640 --> 00:34:48.270
she knows that women will go
through a lot of hardships,
00:34:48.270 --> 00:34:52.170
so she wants to help, she wants to assist
00:34:52.170 --> 00:34:54.690
she wants to protect, and
she wants to guide women.
00:34:54.690 --> 00:34:56.490
This is her path.
00:34:56.490 --> 00:34:58.413
It's her passion in fact.
00:35:59.171 --> 00:36:01.588
(soft music)
00:37:12.709 --> 00:37:15.959
(soft music continues)
00:37:52.875 --> 00:37:54.708
- [Girl] Mommy, mommy.
00:38:57.130 --> 00:39:00.838
- Osteomyelitis Is a very serious disease.
00:39:00.838 --> 00:39:04.500
It is a bacterial infection
of the bone marrow
00:39:04.500 --> 00:39:07.885
that can lead to
amputation, if not treated.
00:40:44.487 --> 00:40:45.893
(soft music)
00:40:45.893 --> 00:40:48.090
- [Speaker] Nati's father is a healer too,
00:40:48.090 --> 00:40:49.863
but he couldn't help his daughter.
00:40:50.850 --> 00:40:52.200
She prepares a ceremony
00:40:52.200 --> 00:40:56.080
for Nati's husband who has
been cursed by enemies.
00:41:59.524 --> 00:42:01.941
(soft music)
00:42:09.443 --> 00:42:12.423
- So this ceremony is
a protection ceremony.
00:42:13.830 --> 00:42:15.990
The young man, his son-in-law,
00:42:15.990 --> 00:42:19.560
got into a fight with other
friends that were drinking
00:42:19.560 --> 00:42:23.340
and the father-in-law
wanted to protect him
00:42:23.340 --> 00:42:24.513
with this ceremony.
00:42:41.490 --> 00:42:45.183
He uses also some kind
of a clearing ritual.
00:42:46.680 --> 00:42:48.090
He calls this
00:42:48.090 --> 00:42:51.300
which means whatever
heavy energy they send
00:42:51.300 --> 00:42:54.990
to his son-in-law will be
returned to them right back.
00:42:57.982 --> 00:43:00.399
(soft music)
00:44:02.250 --> 00:44:06.090
- [Speaker] He sent a
lot of sharp, dark energy
00:44:06.090 --> 00:44:10.320
so that these friends cannot
have access to his son-in-law.
00:44:10.320 --> 00:44:13.000
And if they did, they will get in trouble.
00:45:56.761 --> 00:45:59.678
(soft flute music)
00:46:44.718 --> 00:46:47.135
(soft music)
00:48:27.284 --> 00:48:30.904
- The heart, for the
stress is this flower.
00:48:30.904 --> 00:48:32.678
(dog barking)
00:48:32.678 --> 00:48:35.095
(soft music)
00:49:15.317 --> 00:49:18.567
(soft music continues)
00:49:39.994 --> 00:49:42.827
(liquid sizzling)
00:50:08.091 --> 00:50:10.508
(soft music)
00:51:29.030 --> 00:51:32.249
- I'm trained in Western
medicine, and of course,
00:51:32.249 --> 00:51:33.600
as we saw just now
00:51:33.600 --> 00:51:35.730
that Western medicine
has some wonderful things
00:51:35.730 --> 00:51:40.563
for like acute medicines,
but for chronic things,
00:51:41.550 --> 00:51:43.680
there is very little.
00:51:43.680 --> 00:51:44.610
And you know, I got tired
00:51:44.610 --> 00:51:48.813
of my health problems that
went on for so many years.
00:51:49.770 --> 00:51:53.010
So I'm tired of taking antibiotics
00:51:53.010 --> 00:51:54.723
and they were not working so well.
00:51:56.040 --> 00:52:01.040
So then I just wanted to
explore alternative treatments.
00:52:01.260 --> 00:52:04.680
So I've been doing homeopathy,
but I still get the attacks.
00:52:04.680 --> 00:52:09.360
So that's why I feel,
I mean, if this works,
00:52:09.360 --> 00:52:11.763
it just feels wonderful.
00:52:26.160 --> 00:52:28.306
- [Speaker] Everything has to be a prayer.
00:52:50.065 --> 00:52:52.482
(soft music)
00:54:02.857 --> 00:54:05.274
(soft music)
00:54:44.873 --> 00:54:47.290
(soft music)
00:55:15.195 --> 00:55:18.445
(soft music continues)
00:55:43.606 --> 00:55:46.440
- Uma, we are here in the shores
00:55:46.440 --> 00:55:48.240
of Lake .
00:55:50.010 --> 00:55:53.730
This is a very powerful
feminine force of nature,
00:55:53.730 --> 00:55:55.140
the lakes.
00:55:55.140 --> 00:55:57.600
And Mama Irene going to do a ceremony
00:55:57.600 --> 00:56:02.297
of bringing back your
original vitality and health.
00:56:10.737 --> 00:56:13.154
(soft music)
00:57:07.633 --> 00:57:10.021
- I no longer need the sickness.
00:57:10.021 --> 00:57:12.688
(both exhaling)
00:57:17.040 --> 00:57:20.360
- [Speaker] This fire
will consume all your--
00:57:20.360 --> 00:57:22.590
(Uma exhaling)
00:57:22.590 --> 00:57:25.290
- I no longer need this
sickness. (exhaling)
00:57:25.290 --> 00:57:26.190
- Oh, yes.
00:57:35.591 --> 00:57:38.243
- [Speaker] I can see you're very strong.
00:57:41.700 --> 00:57:43.080
- I'm grateful.
00:57:43.080 --> 00:57:43.913
Thank you.
00:57:51.120 --> 00:57:52.780
I would like to ask Mama Irene
00:57:54.780 --> 00:57:59.780
when she sacrificed the animal,
00:58:01.560 --> 00:58:03.090
after passing it around me
00:58:03.090 --> 00:58:04.830
and I don't know whether I'm right
00:58:04.830 --> 00:58:09.142
in understanding that now I'm no more
00:58:09.142 --> 00:58:11.910
going to be sacrificed by, you know,
00:58:11.910 --> 00:58:16.470
the suffering and that has ended.
00:58:16.470 --> 00:58:19.533
And the animal, it has gone
onto the animal instead.
00:58:20.940 --> 00:58:21.903
Is that correct?
00:58:28.800 --> 00:58:29.633
- Yes.
00:58:29.633 --> 00:58:30.750
It's correct.
00:58:30.750 --> 00:58:31.583
- Mm-hmm.
00:59:02.100 --> 00:59:05.850
- She's saying, when you have
absolute belief in yourself,
00:59:05.850 --> 00:59:08.700
everything will come to
you through dream time
00:59:08.700 --> 00:59:13.623
and eventually it will materialize
through a woman or a man.
00:59:16.200 --> 00:59:17.853
- Mm-hmm.
- Yes.
00:59:19.140 --> 00:59:20.013
We're complete.
00:59:23.823 --> 00:59:25.230
(soft music)
00:59:25.230 --> 00:59:27.480
After Uma returned to Mumbai,
00:59:27.480 --> 00:59:30.330
she wrote to us that
her life changed greatly
00:59:30.330 --> 00:59:33.453
over the months following
Mama Irene's treatment.
00:59:34.500 --> 00:59:37.200
Her disease, diverticulitis,
00:59:37.200 --> 00:59:39.810
still gives her some discomfort.
00:59:39.810 --> 00:59:42.900
but her pain episodes are much lighter
00:59:42.900 --> 00:59:45.663
and her cholesterol levels
came down substantially.
00:59:46.560 --> 00:59:49.390
She feels more positive and happier.
01:00:56.907 --> 01:00:58.320
- Why is it necessary
01:00:58.320 --> 01:01:01.650
to have medicine men and medicine women?
01:01:01.650 --> 01:01:03.930
So that we can take better care
01:01:03.930 --> 01:01:06.063
of our families and our communities.
01:01:07.770 --> 01:01:09.720
Doesn't mean we're not
gonna have problems,
01:01:09.720 --> 01:01:12.060
doesn't mean we're not
gonna have illnesses.
01:01:12.060 --> 01:01:14.550
It just means we will be able to take care
01:01:14.550 --> 01:01:18.675
of each other better and effortlessly.
01:01:23.093 --> 01:01:25.510
(soft music)
01:02:21.494 --> 01:02:23.911
(soft music)
01:03:09.070 --> 01:03:11.487
(soft music)
01:03:30.736 --> 01:03:33.986
(soft music continues)
01:03:54.371 --> 01:03:56.788
(soft music)
01:04:31.323 --> 01:04:33.740
(soft music)
01:05:54.669 --> 01:05:57.954
(singing in foreign language)
01:06:08.881 --> 01:06:12.714
(singing in foreign language)
01:08:16.496 --> 01:08:18.169
(soft music)
01:09:00.307 --> 01:09:03.557
(soft music continues)
01:09:09.281 --> 01:09:13.114
(singing in foreign language)
01:09:31.860 --> 01:09:34.277
(soft music)
01:09:49.080 --> 01:09:52.413
(soft percussive music)
01:10:30.662 --> 01:10:34.829
(music continues)
