MetaMedia Documentary Story Arc: Elsie Cressman
The Story of Elsie Cressman: A Legacy of Birth
Our film will be structured from new interviews
wiith Elsie and her experiences on a return trip
to Africa. The following is the approach that
we will develop as we document her story.
The Africa story
Our story begins in Africa, Elsie, then a
young missionary nurse, is recording the
events of the day into her portable tape
recorder. She describes her surroundings
and relates the story of a premature birth in
the clinic that day. Elsie in present day is
an outspoken and determined 85 year-old.
Her charm, enthusiasm and stories lead us
through our film. She tells us of her
motivation for moving to Africa, what it was
like initially and what she had hoped to
accomplish there. She speaks of the people she met, how she interacted and what she
learned about them and their situation. We learn of the Mennonite missionary tradition and
how her faith played a role in her motivation and plans for herself.
Elsie was very much a hands-on person. She picked up a wrench to fix the water pump at
her clinic and also fixed the refrigerator. She is also a straight shooter. She states her
opinions with little regard for the political correctness of the day. In one of her audio
recordings she expresses a desire to find a gun so she can chase away the hippos that
were damaging her water intake pipe in the lake. On a daily basis she tends to the sick,
teaches her skills to others and participates in the joyous occasion of African birth.
The Return to Africa
Elsie is traveling back from Canada to Kenya for our story. She visits the clinic she started
– still a going concern. She meets again with some of the Tanzanians and Kenyans she
trained and worked with. The hospital in Shirati is now run by Tanzanians . There are also
over 1000 nurses at work in the region who were trained at the Shirati School of Nursing.
Elsie tours the various departments of the health center and learns about changes as well
as the current focus on HIV/AIDS. So while there is celebration in her visit as she sees
what has grown out of her work - there is also sobering exposure to some new challenges
that have arisen. Rusinga Island, where Elsie worked in Kenya, is now considered to be
epicenter of AIDS in Kenya - 50% to 60% of the population are infected. The people of the
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MetaMedia Documentary Story Arc: Elsie Cressman
island have also suffered from the deforestation of the island, increased poverty and the
recently rising food prices.
The Canada story
In 1976 Elsie returned to Canada. It struck her that the birthing process for Canadian
women was not as positive an experience as it was for the African women she had helped.
The process of birthing in Canada was more clinical and less personable. She had brought
something very valuable back with her – the awareness that birthing could be a more
joyous and more natural event. So Elsie set about to bring the service of midwives back
into the picture for Canadian women. But there was a conflict. The practice of midwifery,
still used extensively in most countries, was illegal in Canada. It would take 10 years of
struggle to have the centuries old practice of midwifery again recognized as a valuable
service. Through her determination, skill and forceful personality she realized that goal.
To many Canadian women, who experienced her services as a midwife, Elsie is a hero. We
will hear some of their memories of the ‘Elsie’ experience. Elsie never married herself or
had children -but her niece is now an active midwife carrying on the tradition – we see her
in action.
Elsie is now recognized as a pioneer and has received the Order of Ontario/Canada for her
efforts. She has assisted many thousands of births. And while she is considered a hero to
Canadian women, Elsie still sees her work in Africa as one of the most important stages of
her life. She realizes that, while she had given her time and work for the people she met
there, she was also given many gifts from her African experience. We see Elsie
participating in a tribute in her honor put on by her African friends. We have provided Elsie
with an audio tape recorder once again – and she makes her last African audio journal
while looking out over Lake Victoria
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MetaMedia Documentary Story Arc: Elsie Cressman
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