Some of the best footage of cargo cults I’ve seen was in — of all things — the “Chariots of the Gods” documentary. Erich von Däniken had the idea that ancient myths of gods descending to Earth and temples built to worship them were an ancient version of cargo cults involving actual aliens from space, and drew a parallel with modern cargo cults. World War II-era GIs from America would seem to natives of remote Pacific islands about as stunningly super-advanced as aliens from Alpha Centauri would to us. Okay, you don’t have to buy von Däniken, but the people who made the documentary based on his book did come up with some pretty amazing footage of actual cargo cults in operation circa 1970, with things like replicas of airplanes made with sticks (in the hope of luring the real things back by sympathetic magic). In a way, because it was genuine, it was more astonishing than the speculative stuff about aliens.
Sounds like a plan- works with ducks!
Originally saw “cargo-cults” described in a movie “Mondo Cane”.
Will try looking for that footage on YouTube. Thanks.