Digital Traditions: Kastom Keeper (2026)

Screening as part of Doc Edge 2026

In Malaita, Solomon Islands, Obama Scholar and Moana 2 cultural advisor Millicent Barty races to preserve her people’s vanishing traditions, rebuilding a traditional faefae, teaching youth to digitally archive their culture, and using ancestral knowledge to rebuild a seawall as the sea reclaims their land.

Kastom Keeper is a documentary that begins in a surprisingly muted way. The opening images feel heavy, almost drained of colour, as if the film wants the viewer to sit with the weight of what is being lost before it shows what might be saved. Then, without warning, the visuals shift. Bright, crisp shots of the Solomon Islands break through the gloom, revealing a place that is both breathtaking and vulnerable. The contrast is striking, and while the cinematography can feel uneven at times, the intention is clear. This is a story about a culture caught between fading traditions and the sharp glare of modernity.

The film explores the concept of kastom, a term that encompasses Indigenous knowledge systems, governance, oral histories, spirituality, and the practices that have shaped communities across Melanesia for generations. These traditions are not relics. They are living frameworks that guide how people relate to land, family, and each other. Yet they are also fragile, threatened by climate change, foreign development, and the slow erosion of intergenerational connection.

What makes Kastom Keeper compelling is its focus on communication. The Solomon Islands is home to many languages, and the film shows how miscommunication can be weaponised. Developers, politicians, and outside interests often exploit linguistic gaps to push through decisions that harm local communities. The documentary highlights this without sensationalism. Instead, it shows how easily people can be manipulated when they are not given the tools to understand what is being taken from them.

This is where the project at the heart of the film comes in. The Kastom Keeper initiative uses digital tools to preserve and share traditional knowledge. It is an unexpected pairing. Smartphones, tablets, and digital archives are not what most people imagine when they think of ancestral wisdom. Yet the film makes a strong case for why technology can be a lifeline rather than a threat. By recording stories, mapping land, and documenting practices, communities can protect themselves from exploitation and strengthen their resilience against climate change.

The storytelling approach is intriguing. The film blends interviews, illustrations, and community workshops to show how digital literacy can empower people who have historically been sidelined. The illustrations are particularly effective. They act as bridges between worlds, helping elders communicate complex ideas to younger generations who have grown up in a more urbanised, globalised environment. These drawings also help translate kastom into a form that can be shared across language barriers, preventing outsiders from twisting the truth for their own gain.

At its core, the documentary is about self-sustenance. Not just in the sense of food or land, but in the sense of identity. Climate change is often framed as rising seas and stronger storms, but Kastom Keeper reminds us that the deeper loss is cultural. When knowledge is not passed down, when stories fade, when young people leave their villages without learning the traditions that shaped their ancestors, something irreplaceable disappears. The film captures this with a quiet sadness, but also with hope.

The music throughout is calming and steady, giving the documentary a contemplative rhythm. It never overwhelms the imagery. Instead, it creates a sense of grounding, as if the soundtrack itself is part of the land. The cinematography, while occasionally inconsistent in clarity, offers moments of real beauty. Shots of the ocean, the forest, and the faces of community members carry emotional weight even when the narrative is understated.

There is a sense, at times, that the film edges close to promotional material. The messaging is clear, the solutions are presented with optimism, and the tone leans toward advocacy. But this does not diminish the sincerity of the work. If anything, it reflects the urgency of the situation. The communities featured in the film are not abstract case studies. They are people fighting to protect their heritage in a world that often overlooks them.

The documentary also touches on the emotional impact of losing family and community. When people leave their villages for work or education, the ties that hold kastom together weaken. The film shows how this loss affects not only individuals but the collective ability to resist outside pressures. Without strong community bonds, it becomes easier for foreign investors to take advantage of land, resources, and people. The film does not dwell on this in a dramatic way. It simply presents it as a reality that must be addressed.

What ultimately makes Kastom Keeper resonate is its balance of realism and hope. It acknowledges the challenges facing the Solomon Islands, from climate change to political manipulation, but it also highlights the strength of the people who are working to preserve their culture. The digital tools are not presented as magic solutions. They are simply one way to ensure that kastom survives in a rapidly changing world.

The film ends with a sense of possibility. Not a naive optimism, but a grounded belief that traditions can adapt without losing their essence. It is comforting to see not only the problems but the potential pathways forward. In a time when so many documentaries focus on crisis, Kastom Keeper offers something rare: a reminder that cultural survival is still possible when communities are given the tools to protect themselves.

Screening as part of Doc Edge 2026. Check out the films and screenings here

Review written by Alex Moulton