African Studies Media Catalog
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African Religions (Videocassette : 52 min. ) [1978]
V. CASS. VHS 2866
Abstract: Visits the Zulu Independent Churches of South Africa to explore the Black African response to Christianity. Traces the history of religious beliefs inAfrica from the arrival of the first Christian missionaries to the current rediscovery of the African religious identity.
Director: Jonathan Stedall Distributor:Ambrose Video
Keywords: South Africa, religion, history, missionaries
African Sanctus (Videocassette : 47 min. ) [1977]
V. CASS. 29
Abstract: This program retraces composer David Fanshawe's African odyssey which inspired his now-famous composition of the same name. The music incorporates the centuries-old rhythms of Africa into a colorful Latin Mass, which celebrates human experience as we travel from the Mediterranean down to Lake Victoria, and from the mountains of the western Sudan across the Red Sea.
Director: David Fanshawe Distributor:Time-Life Video
Keywords: religion, music
African and African-American Religions (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [1998]
V.CASS. VHS 7590
Abstract: Discusses the cultural diversity of Africa through its many religions. Shows how shared elements of various customs serve as unifying threads across peoples, centuries, and continents. Narrated by Ben Kingsley. Teacher's guide and related materials available at http://www.libraryvideo.com
Director: Coley Coleman Distributor:Schlessinger Media
Keywords: Africa, diaspora, religion
Africans (The) (Videocassette : 540 min. ) [1986]
V. CASS. VHS 683
Abstract: Controversial examination of contemporary Africa in terms of its triple heritage: what is indigenous, what was contributed by Islam, and what wasacquired from the West. Narrated by Ali Mazrui. (9 videocassettes: 60 minutes/ea)
Director: NA Distributor:Films Inc.
Keywords: overview, history, religion
Angel Returns: Changing the Tradition of Female Circumcision (The) (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [2002]
VHS 9170/ DVD 8084
Abstract: This colorfully photographed film is set in Somalia, where the tradition of female circumcision is firmly entrenched. Isnino Ahmed Musso, a determined and articulate woman, wants change. More than most other films on this subject, this documentary shows clearly what problems a reformer faces. Circumcision is a tradition of family honor, a marketable commodity for dowries, a religious rite, a means to control women's sexuality, and what is often not expressed, a livelihood for the many women who perform this ritual. Circumcisers are viewed with respect and paid for their services. They lobby fiercely against its abolition. Isnino uses all methods at her disposal to change the mindset of her people, including radio debates, which is an effective way to reach an illiterate population. But often, after meeting with religious leaders and elders in villages, she realizes that her best hope is to encourage a transition from a full Pharaonic circumcision to the lesser Sunna-type, consisting of just a few small cuts. In Somali with English subtitles. Also available in DVD format (DVD 8084).
Director: Jacqueline Bakker Distributor:Filmakers Library, NY
Keywords: Somalia, female circumcision, initiation rites, religion, clitoridectomy, ceremonies, media, social change, women, gender
Angel Returns: Changing the Tradition of Female Circumcision, The (DVD : 50 min. ) [2002]
DVD 8084/ VHS 9170
Abstract: This colorfully photographed film is set in Somalia, where the tradition of female circumcision is firmly entrenched. Isnino Ahmed Musso, a determined and articulate woman, wants change. More than most other films on this subject, this shows clearly what problems a reformer faces. Circumcision is a tradition of family honor, a marketable commodity for dowries, a religious rite, a means to control women's sexuality, and what is often not expressed, a livelihood for the many women who perform this ritual. Circumcisers are viewed with respect and paid for their services. They lobby fiercely against its abolition. Isnino uses all methods at her disposal to change the mindset of her people, including radio debates, which is an effective way to reach an illiterate population. But often, after meeting with religious leaders and elders in villages, she realizes that her best hope is to encourage a transition from a full Pharaonic circumcision to the lesser Sunna-type of just a few small cuts. Also available in videocassette format (VHS 9170).
Director: Jacqueline Bakker Distributor:Filmmakers Library
Keywords: Somalia, female circumcision, initiation rites, religion, clitoridectomy, ceremonies, media, social change, women, gender
Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking at the Emory University School of Law 1994 Religious Human Rights Conference (Videocassette : 43 min. ) [1994]
LAW Library VC No 450
Abstract: Archbishop Desmond Tutu's address at the 1994 conference on Religious Human Rights held at the Emory School of Law.
Director: NA Distributor:Emory University School of Law
Keywords: South Africa, Desmond Tutu, human rights, religion, law
Atlantico Negro: Na Rota dos Orixás = Black Atlantic: On the Orixas Route (Videocassette : 55 min. ) [2001]
V. CASS. VHS 6016
Abstract: / documentário de Renato Barbieri ; idealização e realização Instituto Itaú Cultural Videografia. The waters of the Atlantic brought the slaves from Africa to Brazil, their bodies in chains but their souls still tied to mother Africa. This Brazilian-made film takes us to both shores, to how spiritual life, dance and song came with the captive people and took root in the new soil. Among the many traditions were the language and gods of Yoruba and Jejes from the Republic of Benin. Today, when Brazilians revisit Africa, they teach the Africans the culture that these descendants of slaves keep alive in Brazil. The documentary is a testimony to some of the ironies of the Diaspora.
Director: Renato Barbieri Distributor:Filmakers Library Inc.
Keywords: Benin, Brazil, slave trade, diaspora, history, religion
Bahia, Africa in the Americas (Videocassette : 58 min. ) [1988]
V. CASS. VHS 826
Abstract: The impact of African culture on the people of Bahia, Brazil is explored. Some interview responses in Portuguese; these are followed by English translation. Produced, written and translated by Geovanni Brewer.
Director: Michael Brewer Distributor:University of California, Extension Media Center
Keywords: Brazil, Bahia, religion, popular culture, Diaspora
Behind the Mask (Videocassette : 120 min. ) [1976]
V. CASS. VHS 3016 v.1 and v.2
Abstract: An examination of the masks and statues of the Dogon people of Mali, both as art and as religious artifacts. Produced by BBC-TV and Warner Bros. (2 cassettes: 120 min.)
Director: NA Distributor:Time-Life Video
Keywords: Mali, Dogon, masking, art, religion
Body and Soul (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [2001]
V.CASS. VHS 8243
Abstract: In South Africa millions of people are in desperate situations because of HIV and AIDS. This film looks at the attitudes of the three main religions (Christianity, Islam and African traditionalist) in South Africa through interviews with people who must interpret and practice religion in terms of the country's realities. Part of Steps for the Future, a unique collection of documentaries and short films from Southern Africa about life in the time of HIV/AIDS (Volume 4).
Director: Melody Emmett Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: South Africa, HIV/AIDS, religion, Christianity, Islam, traditional religion, Steps for the Future
Born Slave (DVD : 52 min. ) [2004]
DVD 8215
Abstract: It is shocking to see that slavery still exists in contemporary Mauritania, even though it is outlawed on the books since 1981. It is estimated that there are 100,000 people enslaved there. This remarkable documentary, shot secretly by the production team disguised as tourists, provides the outside world's first look at this human rights abuse. The child of a slave woman belongs to her master. From the time it can walk, it is put to work and can also be given away to others. In the film we meet sixteen-year-old Bilal who was only two when his mother escaped and left him with his master. He finally ran away and found his mother in the slums of the capital. They describe their lives as mistreated and humiliated unpaid workers, explaining that the masters often use religion to frighten their slaves into submission. Boubacar Messaoud, leader of the organization SOS Slave, gives us the historical and sociological background of slavery.
Director: Helen Aastrup-Samuels and Bo Harringer Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mauritania, slavery, human rights, labor
Ceddo (Videocassette : 112 min. ) [2001]
V. CASS. VHS 6978
Abstract: An historical epic set loosely in the 19th century, the film examines the confrontation between opposing forces in the face of Moslem expansion in Africa.
Director: Ousmane Sembène Distributor:New Yorker Films
Keywords: Islam, slavery, religion, politics, feature film
Divine Horsemen: the Living Gods of Haiti (Motion Picture : 54 min. ) [1977]
MP-16MM 381
Abstract: A documentary on Voudoun religion of Haiti. The film deals with the rituals of the Rada, Petro and Congo cults of Haiti.
Director: Maya Deren Distributor:Fox Lorber Associates
Keywords: Haiti, Voudoun, religion, ritual
Egypt: the Habit of Civilization (Videocassette : 57 min. ) [1992]
V. CASS. VHS 2383
Abstract: Looks at the history of Egypt, the longest lasting of the ancient civilizations, which created the state institutions on which nations are still built: bureaucratic government, organized religion and international trade. Also discusses how ancient traditions come together in the Moslem culture that is the Middle East today. Producer & director: Peter Spry-Leverton.
Director: Peter Spry-Leverton Distributor:Ambrose Video
Keywords: Egypt, overview
Emperor's Birthday (The) (Videocassette : 52 min. ) [1992]
V. CASS. VHS 7193
Abstract: Rastas come from various parts of the world to celebrate the centenary birthday of Haile Selassie, the late Emperor of Ethiopia. Through the testimonies of Rastas and Ethiopians, archival film and music, this film explores the origins of Rasta belief and what it means in Ethiopia today.
Director: John Dollar Distributor:NA
Keywords: Ethiopia, Jamaicans, Rastafari, religion, history
Eze Nwata: The Small King (Videocassette : 30 min. ) [1982]
V. CASS. VHS 6657
Abstract: Eze Nwata, a young Igbo man from Nigeria, relates his experiences of falling ill and being healed by Ezi Mmiri, a water priestess.
Director: Georg Jell Distributor:Ogbuide Corporation
Keywords: Nigeria, Igbo, healers, religion
Femmes du Niger: entre integrisme et democratie (Videocassette : 26 min. ) [1993]
VHS 9416
Abstract: Niger is a traditionally Islamic country where authorized polygamy and Muslim fundamentalism clash with the country's struggle for democracy. In elections in 1993, men voted by proxy for their different wives and daughters. Women who speak out about their rights have been physically attacked and excommunicated by the ayatollahs. Working together, women are the most ardent defenders of democracy, which offers the best hope of winning the equal rights which are still denied them. Critical viewing for those interested in women's human rights and the impact of fundamentalism.
Director: Anne-Laure Folly Distributor:Women Make Movies
Keywords: Niger, women, Islam, human rights, government, religion
Geldoff in Africa (DVD : 240 min. ) [2005]
DVD 5559
Abstract: If Bob Geldof had never seen news footage of the horrific famine in Ethiopia back in the mid-'80s, he might have carried on in relative obscurity, making so-so records with his band the Boomtown Rats. But see it he did, which led to Band Aid (and 'Do They Know It's Christmas' ), Live Aid, Live 8, knighthood, and now Geldof in Africa, a profound, provocative, beautifully made six-part series that aired in 2005 on Britain's BBC. Sir Bob, who narrates both on- and off-screen, visited many parts of what he calls the Luminous Continent (as opposed to the Dark Continent moniker that was ironically bestowed on Africa by Europeans whose own countries were often gray and grim), including Somaliland, a sort of non-country whose very existence isn't acknowledged by any other nation; Ghana, from which slaves were once shipped to America and elsewhere; the Congo, the true heart of darkness, which still bears the ugly scars of Belgian colonization; the Sahara desert, where 'you discover the absolute insignificance of you'; Uganda, where a brutal 'rebel leader' abducts children and turns them into sex slaves and soldiers; and Ethiopia, where it all started for Geldof (and where conditions are actually improving). But Geldof and producer-director John Maguire's film is not a travelogue. Nor is it a scientific documentary, although we learn something about geography, anthropology, meteorology, geology, agriculture, history, religion, and, inevitably, politics. What distinguishes Geldof in Africa is the presence of Geldof himself. An excellent writer and articulate speaker, he brings a decidedly subjective point of view to the work. 'I can't do slick television,' he admits; neither cynical nor naïve, he says exactly what he thinks, and expresses his wonder, fascination, rage, grief, sympathy, blame, and hope with a quiet passion that compels the viewer to feel those things as well. The camera work is flawless throughout, with shot after shot of breathtaking beauty, and Pete Briquette's music provides graceful accompaniment. Extras include audio commentary by Geldof and Maguire, deleted scenes, photos, and a Geldof interview. --Sam Graham
Director: John Maguire Distributor:BBC/Warner Vision International
Keywords: Africa, Congo, Ghana, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, charity, development, NGO, travel
Genèse (La) (Videocassette : 102 min. ) [1999]
V. CASS. VHS 6142
Abstract: Genesis is given a new spin which recasts a famous story by relocating it in the nation of Mali and using a cast of African actors. Covering Chapters 23-37, it recounts the story of Esau whose birthright is stolen by his brother Jacob in exchange for a plate of beans. This allegorical tale combines an accurate interpretation of the Biblical story with relevant allusions to African history and culture.
Director: Cheick Oumar Sissoko Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Mali, myth, religion, history, feature film
Guelwaar (Videocassette : 115 min. ) [1996]
V. CASS. VHS 4487
Abstract: When Guelwaar, a political activist and a Christian, is mistakenly buried in a Muslim cemetery, family members, political and religious leaders become embroiled in the dispute.
Director: Ousmane Sembène Distributor:New Yorker Films
Keywords: Senegal, social relations, religion, politics, feature film
Healers of Ghana (Videocassette : 58 min. ) [1996]
V. CASS. VHS 5775
Abstract: Explores the traditional medical practices of the Bono people of central Ghana and how their healers are accommodating the conflict between the arrival of Western medicine and their religious beliefs. Traditionally, Bono tribal priests undergo a painful spiritual possession, during which deities reveal to them the causes of illnesses, which plants to use to treat them, who is perpetrating witchcraft, and which villagers might be endangering society through improper behavior.
Director: NA Distributor:Films for the Humanities and Sciences
Keywords: Ghana, Akan, medicine, religion, spirit possession
Hemelse Modder: Architectuur en Magie in West Afrika = Heavenly Mud: Architecture and Magic in Mali (DVD : 52 min. ) [2003]
DVD 9032
Abstract: This unique film takes us on a journey down the Niger River in Mali (West Africa) filled with rarely seen traditional African architecture. These edifices are as visionary as anything conceived by Gaudi in the 20th century. The power and striking beauty of African architecture is immediately apparent. The film compares ancient African architecture to twentieth century 'organic' architecture as practiced by Frank Lloyd Wright and Antonio Gaudi. A famous Dutch organic architect, Max van Huut, believes modern Western architecture has contributed to alienation, whereas contemporary organic architecture, with its more human scale, contributes to a sense of community.
Director: Ton van der Lee Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mali, architecture, religion, art
In the Name of Allah (Motion Picture : 73 min. ) [1971]
MP-16MM 198
Abstract: Examines the culture, history, and scriptures of the Islam religion by viewing all aspects of life in the Muslim community of Fez, Morocco. Shows the events of circumcision, bargaining for a wife, confirmation, and marriage and describes the ceremonies and rituals that surround each event. (motion picture: 3 reels, 76 min.)
Director: NA Distributor:Indiana University, Bloomington. Audio-Visual Center
Keywords: Morocco, Fez, Islam, marriage, ritual
James' Journey to Jerusalem (Videocassette : 87 min. ) [2003]
V.CASS. VHS 8698
Abstract: In the imaginary village of Entshongweni, very far from the Western world, the young James is chosen to undertake a mission--a pilgrimage to Holy Jerusalem. At the airport, however, James is suspected of trying to infiltrate the country in order to work illegally and is jailed by the Israeli immigration authorities. This contemporary Candide is miraculously bailed out by a shady small-time businessman only to become part of his migrant labor pool. Undeterred, James perseveres in his religious quest, until he gets a taste of fortune by exploiting his employer's friends and colleagues for his own profit. Director Ra'anan Alexandrowicz offers an astute exploration of the economic, moral and spiritual hypocrisies of Western society through an evocative portrait of modern Israel's cultural and generational divisions. Topped with a moving and charismatic performance by South African actor Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe, James' Journey to Jerusalem stealthily layers these serious issues with biting wit and a lilting fairy-tale charm. In Hebrew, English and Zulu with English subtitles.
Director: Ra'anan Alexandrowicz Distributor:Zeitgeist Films
Keywords: Israel, South Africa, race, religion, migrant labor, feature film
Jean Rouch: Les Films de la Pléiade (DVD : 660 min. ) [2005]
DVD 4870
Abstract: Presents ten films by ethnologist Jean Rouch, along with interviews of the filmmaker, famous for his Niger-based films. Disc 1. Ciné-Transe: Les maîtres fous (1956, 28 min.) -- Mammy Water (1956, 18 min.) -- Les Tambours d'avant/Tourou et Bitti (1972, 9 min.) ; Ciné-conte: La chasse au lion à l'arc (1967, 77 min.) -- Un lion nommé l'americain (1972, 20 min.) --- Disc 2. Ciné-Plaisir: Jaguar (1967, 88 min.) -- Moi, un noir (1959, 70 min.) --- Disc 3. Ciné-Rencontre: Petit à petit (1971, 92 min.) -- La pyramide humaine (1961, 88 min.) -- Disc 4. Ciné-Rouch: Jean Rouch raconte à Pierre-Andre Boutang (104 min.) -- A propos de Jean Rouch, conversation Bernard Surugue et Patrick Leboutte -- Le double d'hier a rencontré demain / un film de Luc Riolon et Bernard Surugue (2004, 10 min.) -- Les veuves de 15 ans / un film de Jean Rouch (1965, 24 min.)
Director: Patrick Leboutte and Marc Antoine Roudil Distributor:Editions Montparnasse
Keywords: Niger, anthropology, Jean Rouch, ethnography, history, migration, religion, feature films
Justice at Agadez (Videocassette : 78 min. ) [2005]
VHS 9201
Abstract: In the Western African country of Niger, the official justice system of this former French colony is based on the Napoleonic Code. A small percentage of the population still subscribe to superstitious beliefs and seek the advice of traditional healers. But in this largely Muslim nation, many citizens seek justice from the local Islamic judge, or Cadi, who interprets Koranic law. Filmed in the village of Agadez in northern Niger, Justice at Agadez chronicles seven typical cases heard by the local Cadi. The film unobtrusively witnesses these seven 'stories' --small civil disputes, domestic conflicts, marriage problems, accusations of theft. With the small vestibule of his home serving as a 'courtroom,' the Cadi listens to the complaints and often heated arguments of all parties to the dispute -- sometimes just a husband and wife but at other times a room full of shouting people-- listening patiently, frequently posing questions and seeking clarification, before rendering his judgment. The movie not only demonstrates the power of Islamic religious beliefs in enforcing both moral and civil behavior, but also provides viewers with a rare opportunity to see how Islamic law actually functions on an everyday basis, unlike the manner in which it has often been sensationalized in the Western media.
Director: Christian Lelong Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: Niger, justice system, Islam, Koranic law, law, religion, disputes, marriage
Kabala (Videocassette : 112 min. ) [2005]
V.CASS. VHS 9144
Abstract: 'Kabala is a small West African village suffering from a terrible drought. The only source of water is a holy well that shows signs of contamination. The village elders decide that a traditional dance of fire is needed to bring life back to the village. Hamalla (Modibo Traoré), one of the village's many youths, prepares to join this sacred dance until his torch doesn't light, and he is cast out of the ceremony as doubts begin to surface about his legitimacy. Humiliated, he leaves the village and the woman he loves, Sokona (Djénéba Koné ), to work as a dynamite blaster in a distant mine. Four years pass, and Hamalla hears news of tragic fatalities in his village due to the tainted well water. He decides to return home to provide assistance. There he is reunited with Sokona, who is now betrothed to Hamalla's brother, Sériba (Fily Traoré), who already has a pregnant wife. The men's father, Babji (Baba Dabo), attempts to reconcile a violent dispute between his sons, suffering a severe heart attack. On his deathbed, Babji reveals a secret to Hamalla that explains why he was originally cast out of the sacred fire dance Hamalla's mother is the local witch, Bayassa (Nakani Koné). Their love was not allowed to exist; Babji was forced to raise Hamalla with a new wife. Hamalla tries to convince the village elders of the necessity to drill within the sacred well, but his entreaties are presumed to be a desecration of the village's spiritual symbol. Hamalla goes to Bayassa to tell her he knows she is his mother. He also confides his despair over Sokona's pending-marriage to his brother. Bayassa agrees to help Hamalla win back Sokona. Using her magical powers, Bayassa makes Sériba's marriage begin to sour. Sériba is unable to consummate the marriage, bringing much joy and laughter to Sokona and the local women. When Sériba learns of Bayassa's role in his impotence, he seeks the help of a male sorcerer who is unable to combat Bayassa's spell. A furious Sériba sets Bayassa's hut on fire. Hamalla comes to Bayassa's rescue, but his mother is severely burned. Before she dies, Bayassa manages to ensure that Sériba's first wife gives birth to a healthy baby. The sacred well has fallen into further disrepair, but when one of the staunchest objectors to Hamalla's plan falls deathly ill due to drinking the contaminated water, Hamalla makes a new case to the Kabalais of his ability to drill for cleaner water. In light of other recent deaths, the villagers agree to the plan if the Kabalais themselves can work on the project under Hamalla's guidance. When the whole village works on the well, fresh water springs forth --and Sokona is betrothed to Hamalla.' (Synopsis from http://www.globalfilm.org/library.htm) Originally released as a motion picture in 2002
Director: Assane Kouyaté Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: Mali, ritual, traditional religion, witchcraft, water, feature film
Kaplans and the Black Demon (The) (Videocassette : 37 min. ) [1999]
V. CASS. VHS 5434
Abstract: When Micha and Sara Kaplan's youngest daughter, Liat, brings home her new boyfriend, Micha and Sara's nightmare begins. The boyfriend is not from the neighborhood. Husam is from Sudan, is black, Muslim, and a refugee living in a makeshift hut in Sinai. The Kaplans and the Black Demon is about the impact this interracial, interclass relationship has on the Kaplan family, and what the parents try and do about it.
Director: Liat Kaplan, Yifat Elkayam and Udi Burstein Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: Israel, Sudan, race relations, religion
Keep the Dance Alive (Que la danse continue) (DVD : 75 min. ) [2007]
DVD 8816
Abstract: A unique voyage through the music, dance and spirit possession practices of the Ovahimba people of north-western Namibia and south-western Angola, Keep the Dance Alive features remarkable footage of how dance and spirit possession is integrated into everyday life from infancy to death. The documentary presents a singular vision of the Ovahimba people, that of director Rina Sherman who filmed the lives of an Omuhimba family for seven years. She focuses on how singing, rhythm and voice work together with dance and spirit possession to compose a complete imaginary universe and a dense and complex social structure.
Director: Rina Sherman Distributor:Documentary Educational Resources
Keywords: Namibia, Angola, Ovahimba, dance, music, ethnography, spirit possession, religion, cosmology, family, social organization
Kimbanguists-oye! (50 Slides 50 ) [1982]
BR1463.Z3 K5
Abstract: Kimbanguists-oye! tells about the ecumenical visit of the World Council team to Zaire. The slides show the style of the Kimbanguists, an independent African church in Zaire. Photography by John Taylor. Theology Library also has black and white photographs with script. (50 slides)
Director: NA Distributor:World Council of Churches. Department of Communications
Keywords: Zaire, Kimbanguists church, religion
King Does Not Lie (The) (Videocassette : 44 min. ) [1992]
V. CASS. VHS 1785
Abstract: The initiation of a priest of Shango. Documentary showing the ritual and ceremony associated with the initiation of a priest of Shango, the thunder god of the traditional Yoruba religion. Takes place in a contemporary Puerto Rican community among New World practitioners of the ancient religion, Santeria.
Director: NA Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Yoruba, religion, ritual, diaspora
Malentendu colonial, Le = Colonial Misunderstanding (Videocassette : 73 min. ) [2004]
V.CASS. VHS 9140
Abstract: Jean-Marie Téno looks at European colonialism in Africa through the lens of Christian evangelism as the model for the relationship between Africa and Western countries today. The history of German missionaries in Namibia in the 19th and 20th centuries is discussed by African and German historians and theologians, revealing how colonialism destroyed African beliefs and social systems, and replaced them with European ones.
Director: Jean-Marie Téno Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Namibia, Germany, religion, history, evangelism, colonialism, Christianity, traditional religion , missionaries
Mali & Senegal: The Power of Islam (Videocassette : 49 min. ) [2002]
V. CASS VHS 7507
Abstract: Islam has influenced West Africa since the 11th century, but only in the last 100 years has the religion grown so rapidly in Senegal and Mali. One prominent sect, the Mouride movement, has millions of followers and wealth accumulated from peanut cultivation. As a force of conservative Islam, its economic and political power must be watched by the West. Part of a three part series entitled Africa in the 21st Century, see Somalia: The Neglected Civil Warand Zimbabwe & South Africa: Still Far From Coexistence.
Director: Hiroyuki Shima Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mali, Senegal, Islam, Mouride movement, religion
Mami Wata: Der Geist der Weissen Frau (Videocassette : 59 min. ) [1988]
V. CASS. VHS 3642
Abstract: Mami Wata is a water deity worshiped in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. In collaboration with the Institute fur den Wissenschaftlichen Film, Gottengen. Color VHS, English narration and subtitles.
Director: NA Distributor:Institut fur den Wissenschaftlichen Film
Keywords: Togo, Mami Wata, religion, ritual
Mammy Water: In Search of the Water Spirits in Nigeria (Videocassette : 59 min. ) [1989]
V. CASS. VHS 1554
Abstract: The film features Mammy Water rituals and interviews with devotees and their leaders. Mammy Water is a water deity worshiped in Nigeria.
Director: Sabine Jell-Bahlseh Distributor:University of California Extension Center for Media
Keywords: Nigeria, Mami Wata, religion, ritual
Man, God and Africa (DVD : 51 min. ) [1993]
DVD 8037
Abstract: While the media has focused on the violent history of South Africa, it has paid little attention to a social phenomenon of great importance. Some nine-million South African blacks live with a strong commitment to their religion, Pentecostal Christianity. Their faith has enabled them to survive appalling hardship and deprivation. Their religion is a blend of deep-rooted African traditions and the imported values of Christianity. This commitment could be a stabilizing force in the new South Africa. This film captures the joyous singing and rhythmic movement that is common to the various black churches. It shows the African influence on funerals, baptisms, and weddings. Through these ceremonies the churches foster a sense of community and pride at being black South African. Adherents cut across all social classes. One sees an educated civil rights lawyer practice centuries-old healing practices. We hear from representatives of the traditional Church hierarchy, such as Archbishop Tutu and Alan Boesack, who have a profound respect for the adaptation of Christianity to the African culture.
Director: Don Boyd Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: South Africa, religion, Pentecostal churches, ceremony
Médiations du Sacré en Afrique: des ornements liturgiques (Des) (43 Slides 43 ) [1980]
SLIDE BL2400. K323 Theology Library
Abstract: (43 slides plus booklet)
Director: NA Distributor:Filles de St. Paul, Kinshasa
Keywords: religion
Ordinary People. City of Dreams (Videocassette : 26 min. ) [1993]
VHS 9320
Abstract: City of Dreams spends a day in Ponte City, perhaps the tallest residential building in the southern hemisphere, and home to thousands of immigrants from all over Africa. This film introduces Babu, a bandmember in Ponte City's Zairian evangelical church; Mary, organizer of the on-premise nightclub's Miss Manhattan Africa competition; and James, a Zimbabwean banker and complex resident, who attends the pageant. The film reveals a city of dreamers, who in turn lend fascinating insights into the aspirations of urban Africans in South Africa.
Director: Harriet Gavshon Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: South Africa, urbanization, immigration, religion, performance
Parchment Makers: An Ancient Art in Present-Day Ethiopia (Videocassette : 19 min. ) [2000]
V. CASS. VHS 5571
Abstract: Documents the way that books were created in the centuries before the printing press. The video follows the process from start to finish as Ethiopian artist and scribe, Meregeta Berhane Abade, works on a text for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which still requires that certain texts be hand-rendered on parchment. The video draws on the research of Neal Sobania, a historian at Hope College, and Ray Silverman, an art historian at Michigan State University, and their chronicling of traditions of art in Ethiopia.
Director: NA Distributor:Sola Scriptura
Keywords: Ethiopia, history, religion, art, writing
Reasonable Man (A) (Videocassette : 103 min. ) [1999]
V. CASS VHS 8295
Abstract: This film tells the story of a city lawyer who defends a herdboy from rural Zululand. The herdboy is accused of murdering a one year old baby in the mistaken belief that he was killing an evil spirit known as the Tikoloshe. Dark secrets lie buried deep within the lawyer and on taking the case he enters aworld of witchcraft and mysticism in order to discover the truth about the killing, and himself.
Director: NA Distributor:Ster-Kinekor Home Entertainment
Keywords: South Africa, law, religion, feature film
Religiones Tribales = Tribal Religions (Videocassette : 56 min. ) [2001]
V.CASS. VHS 7045
Abstract: Hans Kung travels to Australia to investigate the beliefs of today's Aborigines through body painting, music and dance. He then journeys to Africa to gain insights into indigenous culture through modern rites that include torchlight processions, dance, and animal sacrifice. The influence of Christian missionaries is also examined.
Director: Hans Kung Distributor:Films for the Humanities & Sciences
Keywords: Australia, Africa, religion, ritual, missionaries
Right to be Nuba (The) (Videocassette : 45 min. ) [1993]
V. CASS. VHS 3881
Abstract: Film maker/anthropologist Hugo D'aybaury presents the struggles felt by the Nuba people, caught in the middle of Sudan's civil war between the northern Islamic Khartoum and the southern Sudan People's Liberation Army rebel forces. Writer, director, co-producer: Hugo D'aybaury.
Director: Hugo D'aybaury Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Sudan, Nuba, civil war, politics, religion, human rights
Ronde Voudou (Le) = Voodoo Dance (Videocassette : 56 min. ) [1989]
V.CASS. VHS 8974
Abstract: Documents the significant role of Voodoo in Haitian culture from the perspectives of Voodoo priests, government officials, historians, and politicians.
Director: Elsie Haas Distributor:Third World Newsreel
Keywords: Haiti, African diaspora, Voudou, dance, religion, politics
Saints and Spirits (Motion Picture : 26 min. ) [1979]
MP-16MM 226
Abstract: Shows several religious observances in the Moroccan city of Marrakech. The dimensions of religious expression in Islam are viewed through the experiences of one woman. Producer/Director: Melissa Llewelyn-Davies; Writer/Associate Producer: Elizabeth Fernea.
Director: Melissa Llewellyn-Davies Distributor:Icarus Films
Keywords: Morocco, Marrakech, Islam, religion, women
Saints and Spirits (video) (Videocassette : 26 min. ) [1979]
V. CASS. VHS 3609
Abstract: Explores Muslim religious expression in Morocco through three events: pilgrimage to the shrine of Sidi Chamharouch, a celebration of renewal in Marrakech, and the establishment of a new place of pilgrimage in a rural village. Producer/director: Melissa Llewelyn-Davies. Writer/co-producer: Elizabeth Fernea.
Director: Melissa Llewellyn-Davies Distributor:First Run/Icarus
Keywords: Morocco, Islam, religion, ritual, spirit possession
Sept Nuits et Sept Jours = Seven Nights and Seven Days (Videocassette : 48 min. ) [1992]
V. CASS VHS 7527
Abstract: This film documents a healing ceremony in Senegal. The ceremony, called the Ndepp, is organized by the Lebou people to honor their ancestral spirits and to ask them to allow a cure to take place of one of their members, in this case a mother who refuses to care for her newborn. Performed over seven days and nights, it is a complicated ceremony with a precise set of rules and involves the whole community.
Director: Maurice Dorès Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Senegal, Lebou, healing, medicine, ritual, religion
Spite: An African Prophet-Healer (DVD : 54 min. ) [1984]
DVD 8394
Abstract: People from all over the Ivory Coast seek out prophet-healers for treatment of their medical and emotional problems. Some of these ailments may be caused by the stress of cultural change. Often Western medicine cannot cure them. This stunningly photographed film focuses on Sebim Odjo, who draws upon Moslem, Christian and traditional African beliefs in his healing ceremonies. He moderates disputes, tracks down the source of illness, and uses his powers to heal. We see a water cure used on a patient ill with spite.
Director: J.P. Colleyn and Catherine De Clippel Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Cote D'Ivoire, medicine, religion, health
Sultan's Burden, The (DVD : 50 min. ) [1994]
DVD 9086
Abstract: Sultan Issa Maigari is the ruler of the northern Cameroon province of Adamawa, an area the size of England. Served by a liveried bodyguard of servants and slaves, he lives in an extraordinary thatched palace with his harem of wives and concubines and his thirty children. We are in a world of heraldry and magic, an ancient world fast disintegrating under the pressures of contempory political forces. In 1992, the Sultan allowed anthropologist Lisbet Holtedahl and award-winning director Jon Jerstad to film his life. Never before had a traditional Islamic leader granted such access to a world that seems straight out of the Arabian Nights. We see the many problems besetting the Sultan, ranging from the threat of an armed rebellion among the peasant farmers, to his impossible task of justifying support for the national Christian government to his local Moslem subjects. His courtiers criticize his rule. His own praisesinger (surely the worst praisesinger in Africa) contributes a bitter diatribe against the Sultan for his lack of generosity. The intrigues of the court are reminiscent of Shakespearean drama. Filmed as the first democratic elections in Cameroon were about to be held, The Sultan's Burden captures the myriad political and ethnic rivalries which occur all over Africa as it emerges from a colonial past.
Director: Jon Jerstad Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Cameroon, government, religion, elections, politics
Swampdwellers (The) (Videocassette : 53 min. ) [1990]
V. CASS. VHS 7144
Abstract: In the swampland of Western Nigeria, the devout farmers make offering in kind to their gods so that they might protect the fields and bring good harvests. The priests who intercede demand their share of the sacrifices. The young men who go to the towns no longer respect the priests and question their authority over the people of the village. A play by Wole Soyinka.
Director: Norman Florence Distributor:Phoenix Films
Keywords: Nigeria, religion, ritual, theater
Tales of Sand and Snow (DVD : 49 min. ) [2004]
DVD7232
Abstract: Having recently immigrated to Montreal, Burkinabé director Hyacinthe Combary explores his roots in an effort to rediscover the spiritual values of his people. His quest leads him to the northern forests of Quebec and an enlightening encounter with the Atikamekw of Wemotaci. In filming this Aboriginal people, he creates a moving cinematic dialogue between the Gourmantche of Burkina Faso, who practise the divinatory art of geomancy, and the men of the taiga, who connect with the spirits through sweat lodges. In this journey between North and South, the filmmaker comes to the realization that his quest is universal. 'It is the same question for all the peoples of the earth: With the globalization of culture, how can one keep from becoming dehumanized, from being cut off from one's deepest being?'
Director: Hyacinthe Combary Distributor:NA
Keywords: Burkina Faso, Gourmantche, Quebec, Wemotaci, Atikamekw, religion, divination
They Carry Their Families: A Village in Mauritania (DVD : 14 min. ) [1999]
DVD 8972
Abstract: Life in a rural village in Mauritania is hard on women. Tradition and Islamic religion are intertwined to reinforce strict gender roles. The husband is the protector and keeper; his word is law. While the men take their ease, the girls and women are off to the fields during the peanut planting and harvest season, walking five miles each way, and coming home with heavy burdens from the fields to prepare the family dinner. They carry the water, sweep the yard, wash the clothes, and care for the children. This short, beautifully filmed video captures succinctly the subservience of women, while at the same time remaining respectful of tradition and culture. There are no drugs, alcohol or loneliness in this kind of community, where family bonds are very strong. We hear from several young Peace Corps workers in the village who are hopeful that by educating and thereby widening the horizons of young women, eventually women will have more choices. From a Western perspective, the future of Africa depends on education and family planning.
Director: Ingo A. Zamperoni Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mauritania, women, gender, religion, family, work, education
This Crazy Thing Called Grace: Desmond Tutu and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Videocassette : 40 min. ) [1997]
On Order
Abstract: The main objective of this documentary is to communicate the synthesis Desmond Tutu has made in his own mind of politics, liberation, Africanness and the practice and dedicated interpretation of the Christian faith in the context of a South Africa in full transition, as he took on the role of Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Director: Joëlle Chesselet Distributor:Journeyman Pictures
Keywords: South Africa, Desmond Tutu, TRC, religion, reconciliation
Thunderbolt (Videocassette : 105 min. ) [2000]
V. CASS. VHS 7174
Abstract: This feature film focuses on Yinka from the Yoruba tribe and Ngozi, an Igbo, who meet in the National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria. A retelling and adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello story in an African setting, the seeds of jealousy are planted when a friend of Yinka suggests that Ngozi is having a secret affair because 'Igbo are untrustworthy.' The film then becomes distinctly West African as the supernatural comes to the fore; curses and ritual cleansing take the place of psychological explanations. An old man warns Ngozi, who is accused of having AIDS, that her death is imminent and will strike her like a thunderbolt.
Director: Tunde Kelani Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Nigeria, Igbo, Yoruba, HIV/AIDS, medicine, religion, feature film
Trokosi: Wife of the Gods (Videocassette : 25 min. ) [1994]
V. CASS. VHS 6445
Abstract: Documents a system of providing young girls as servants/slaves to priests among the Ewe people of southeastern Ghana. These 'inmates' (or wives of gods) must serve for an indefinite time as workers and wives to atone for family crimes that can date back to the 17th century.
Director: Kofi Boateng Distributor:Cinema Guild
Keywords: Ghana, Ewe, women, slaves, religion, history
Unexplained: Voodoo Rituals (The) (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [1998]
V.CASS. VHS 6862
Abstract: As a young man, Yuseff Abdulla ventured into the swamplands of South Carolina in search of spiritual fulfillment. He found his way to the Oyutunji African village 65 miles south of Charleston, where the people live in a culture modeled on that of the West African Yoruba people. An essential part of their culture is the practice of Voodoo. Twenty years after his introduction to Oyotunji, Yuseff, now a high priest of Voodoo, begins another odyssey, journeying to West Africa to confirm that the traditions he has devoted his life to reflect those of his ancestors.
Director: Andrew Holland Distributor:New Video Group
Keywords: United States, West Africa, Yoruba, voudou, ritual, religion, diaspora
Voodoo Secrets (Videocassette : 87 min. ) [1998]
V.CASS. VHS 6863
Abstract: From its origins in Africa to candid testimony from modern believers, this is an eye-opening look at the rites and roots of Voodoo.
Director: Paul Boorstin Distributor:New Video Group
Keywords: West Africa, diaspora, religion, ritual, voudou
Western Tradition (Videocassette : 56 min. ) [1989]
V. CASS. VHS 910
Abstract: Program 1. Introduction to the course; including the edifice sequence from Why Man Creates by Saul Bass. Begins historical overview at the end of the age of the giant reptiles and covers the origins of religion. Program 2. Covers the area known as the fertile crescent, and the Egyptian civilization. Explores the role of the gods and the pharaoh in the society. Executive Producer: Fred Barzyk in association with the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Director: NA Distributor:Theo Annenberg/CPB Project
Keywords: Egypt, history, overview
Witchcraft among the Azande (Videocassette : 52 min. ) [1982]
V.CASS. VHS 8701
Abstract: Presents the role of witchcraft among the Azande in spite of their acceptance of Christianity. Focuses on its usage in adjudicating disputes, curing illness, assuring success in the hunt, and purification of the newborn.
Director: André Singer Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Sudan, Azande, religion, ritual, health, witchcraft
Witchdoctors: a Day in the Other Africa (DVD : 55 min. ) [2007]
DVD 10030
Abstract: Film by Brooklyn librarian/documentary filmmaker Boniface Wewe that aims to show viewers the other Africa full of life and culture, as opposed to the stereotyped images of poverty and corruption often presented on the evening news. Filmed in West Central and South Africa, the film offers a first-hand look at some of the people and the professions that play a role in African cultures and lives. Highlights indigenous professions from palm wine tapping in Santa, Cameroon; thumb piano ( ndenge ) playing in Bali, Cameroon; Zulu singing ( isicathamiya ) by the award-winning Hlahlindlela High School choir; and an interview with the Prime Minister to the King of the Zulu Nation. The bulk of the program, however, is comprised of a day spent with a community of traditional healers ( sangoma ) in Kwangcolosi Village in the Valley of 1000 Hills, South Africa, who train together in an apprentice system under an experienced practitioner. The chief sangoma , Ma Nokusho Bhengu, has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal for her collaboration with President Bush and an American program which sees a partnership between Western and traditional doctors in South Africa. We meet a variety of people who have trained under Ma Bhengu as the viewer becomes acquainted with the criteria for becoming a sangoma , sample medications (muti) and their cures, the initiation of a young sangoma and esoteric dances punctuated with hallucinating growls when the ancestors are invoked. A traditional African blessing and prayer to the ancestors concludes the day.
Director: Boniface Ndemping Wewe Distributor:African Artistic Videos
Keywords: Cameroon, South Africa, healing, music, religion
Witches in Exile (Videocassette : 78 min. ) [2005]
V.CASS. VHS 9141
Abstract: From Tanzania and Zambia to Ivory Coast and Ghana, belief in witchcraft continues to terrorize women. In Northern Ghana alone, there are estimated to be more than 5000 witches confined to witches' villages--part sanctuaries, part prison camps. This film introduces us to five women who have taken refuge in the Kukuo witches' camp and who represent a cross section of the witch population of Northern Ghana today. It leads us on a step by step journey on how a woman becomes stigmatized as a witch. The film makes clear that one cannot successfully attack a phenomenon like witches' camps in isolation, but must see them as part of a wider set of beliefs designed to mark women as an expendable part of society (especially older women who have lost their economic usefulness). The film traces the complex intersection of anthropology, political science and economics, which must come together in any strategy for liberating women in Africa.
Director: Allison Berg Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Ghana, Dagomba, gender relations, human rights, social conditions, traditional religion, witchcraft, women
Yaaba Soore: the Path of the Ancestors/ Dance of the Spirits: Mask Styles and Performances in the Upper Volta (Videocassette : 45 min. ) [1988]
V. CASS. VHS 6634
Abstract: These two documentaries discuss the types and styles of masks used in the religious ceremonies and dance performances of various peoples of Burkina Faso.
Director: NA Distributor:NA
Keywords: Burkina Faso, masks, religion, ritual, art, performance
Page(s): 1
African Religions (Videocassette : 52 min. ) [1978]
V. CASS. VHS 2866
Abstract: Visits the Zulu Independent Churches of South Africa to explore the Black African response to Christianity. Traces the history of religious beliefs inAfrica from the arrival of the first Christian missionaries to the current rediscovery of the African religious identity.
Director: Jonathan Stedall Distributor:Ambrose Video
Keywords: South Africa, religion, history, missionaries
African Sanctus (Videocassette : 47 min. ) [1977]
V. CASS. 29
Abstract: This program retraces composer David Fanshawe's African odyssey which inspired his now-famous composition of the same name. The music incorporates the centuries-old rhythms of Africa into a colorful Latin Mass, which celebrates human experience as we travel from the Mediterranean down to Lake Victoria, and from the mountains of the western Sudan across the Red Sea.
Director: David Fanshawe Distributor:Time-Life Video
Keywords: religion, music
African and African-American Religions (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [1998]
V.CASS. VHS 7590
Abstract: Discusses the cultural diversity of Africa through its many religions. Shows how shared elements of various customs serve as unifying threads across peoples, centuries, and continents. Narrated by Ben Kingsley. Teacher's guide and related materials available at http://www.libraryvideo.com
Director: Coley Coleman Distributor:Schlessinger Media
Keywords: Africa, diaspora, religion
Africans (The) (Videocassette : 540 min. ) [1986]
V. CASS. VHS 683
Abstract: Controversial examination of contemporary Africa in terms of its triple heritage: what is indigenous, what was contributed by Islam, and what wasacquired from the West. Narrated by Ali Mazrui. (9 videocassettes: 60 minutes/ea)
Director: NA Distributor:Films Inc.
Keywords: overview, history, religion
Angel Returns: Changing the Tradition of Female Circumcision (The) (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [2002]
VHS 9170/ DVD 8084
Abstract: This colorfully photographed film is set in Somalia, where the tradition of female circumcision is firmly entrenched. Isnino Ahmed Musso, a determined and articulate woman, wants change. More than most other films on this subject, this documentary shows clearly what problems a reformer faces. Circumcision is a tradition of family honor, a marketable commodity for dowries, a religious rite, a means to control women's sexuality, and what is often not expressed, a livelihood for the many women who perform this ritual. Circumcisers are viewed with respect and paid for their services. They lobby fiercely against its abolition. Isnino uses all methods at her disposal to change the mindset of her people, including radio debates, which is an effective way to reach an illiterate population. But often, after meeting with religious leaders and elders in villages, she realizes that her best hope is to encourage a transition from a full Pharaonic circumcision to the lesser Sunna-type, consisting of just a few small cuts. In Somali with English subtitles. Also available in DVD format (DVD 8084).
Director: Jacqueline Bakker Distributor:Filmakers Library, NY
Keywords: Somalia, female circumcision, initiation rites, religion, clitoridectomy, ceremonies, media, social change, women, gender
Angel Returns: Changing the Tradition of Female Circumcision, The (DVD : 50 min. ) [2002]
DVD 8084/ VHS 9170
Abstract: This colorfully photographed film is set in Somalia, where the tradition of female circumcision is firmly entrenched. Isnino Ahmed Musso, a determined and articulate woman, wants change. More than most other films on this subject, this shows clearly what problems a reformer faces. Circumcision is a tradition of family honor, a marketable commodity for dowries, a religious rite, a means to control women's sexuality, and what is often not expressed, a livelihood for the many women who perform this ritual. Circumcisers are viewed with respect and paid for their services. They lobby fiercely against its abolition. Isnino uses all methods at her disposal to change the mindset of her people, including radio debates, which is an effective way to reach an illiterate population. But often, after meeting with religious leaders and elders in villages, she realizes that her best hope is to encourage a transition from a full Pharaonic circumcision to the lesser Sunna-type of just a few small cuts. Also available in videocassette format (VHS 9170).
Director: Jacqueline Bakker Distributor:Filmmakers Library
Keywords: Somalia, female circumcision, initiation rites, religion, clitoridectomy, ceremonies, media, social change, women, gender
Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking at the Emory University School of Law 1994 Religious Human Rights Conference (Videocassette : 43 min. ) [1994]
LAW Library VC No 450
Abstract: Archbishop Desmond Tutu's address at the 1994 conference on Religious Human Rights held at the Emory School of Law.
Director: NA Distributor:Emory University School of Law
Keywords: South Africa, Desmond Tutu, human rights, religion, law
Atlantico Negro: Na Rota dos Orixás = Black Atlantic: On the Orixas Route (Videocassette : 55 min. ) [2001]
V. CASS. VHS 6016
Abstract: / documentário de Renato Barbieri ; idealização e realização Instituto Itaú Cultural Videografia. The waters of the Atlantic brought the slaves from Africa to Brazil, their bodies in chains but their souls still tied to mother Africa. This Brazilian-made film takes us to both shores, to how spiritual life, dance and song came with the captive people and took root in the new soil. Among the many traditions were the language and gods of Yoruba and Jejes from the Republic of Benin. Today, when Brazilians revisit Africa, they teach the Africans the culture that these descendants of slaves keep alive in Brazil. The documentary is a testimony to some of the ironies of the Diaspora.
Director: Renato Barbieri Distributor:Filmakers Library Inc.
Keywords: Benin, Brazil, slave trade, diaspora, history, religion
Bahia, Africa in the Americas (Videocassette : 58 min. ) [1988]
V. CASS. VHS 826
Abstract: The impact of African culture on the people of Bahia, Brazil is explored. Some interview responses in Portuguese; these are followed by English translation. Produced, written and translated by Geovanni Brewer.
Director: Michael Brewer Distributor:University of California, Extension Media Center
Keywords: Brazil, Bahia, religion, popular culture, Diaspora
Behind the Mask (Videocassette : 120 min. ) [1976]
V. CASS. VHS 3016 v.1 and v.2
Abstract: An examination of the masks and statues of the Dogon people of Mali, both as art and as religious artifacts. Produced by BBC-TV and Warner Bros. (2 cassettes: 120 min.)
Director: NA Distributor:Time-Life Video
Keywords: Mali, Dogon, masking, art, religion
Body and Soul (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [2001]
V.CASS. VHS 8243
Abstract: In South Africa millions of people are in desperate situations because of HIV and AIDS. This film looks at the attitudes of the three main religions (Christianity, Islam and African traditionalist) in South Africa through interviews with people who must interpret and practice religion in terms of the country's realities. Part of Steps for the Future, a unique collection of documentaries and short films from Southern Africa about life in the time of HIV/AIDS (Volume 4).
Director: Melody Emmett Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: South Africa, HIV/AIDS, religion, Christianity, Islam, traditional religion, Steps for the Future
Born Slave (DVD : 52 min. ) [2004]
DVD 8215
Abstract: It is shocking to see that slavery still exists in contemporary Mauritania, even though it is outlawed on the books since 1981. It is estimated that there are 100,000 people enslaved there. This remarkable documentary, shot secretly by the production team disguised as tourists, provides the outside world's first look at this human rights abuse. The child of a slave woman belongs to her master. From the time it can walk, it is put to work and can also be given away to others. In the film we meet sixteen-year-old Bilal who was only two when his mother escaped and left him with his master. He finally ran away and found his mother in the slums of the capital. They describe their lives as mistreated and humiliated unpaid workers, explaining that the masters often use religion to frighten their slaves into submission. Boubacar Messaoud, leader of the organization SOS Slave, gives us the historical and sociological background of slavery.
Director: Helen Aastrup-Samuels and Bo Harringer Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mauritania, slavery, human rights, labor
Ceddo (Videocassette : 112 min. ) [2001]
V. CASS. VHS 6978
Abstract: An historical epic set loosely in the 19th century, the film examines the confrontation between opposing forces in the face of Moslem expansion in Africa.
Director: Ousmane Sembène Distributor:New Yorker Films
Keywords: Islam, slavery, religion, politics, feature film
Divine Horsemen: the Living Gods of Haiti (Motion Picture : 54 min. ) [1977]
MP-16MM 381
Abstract: A documentary on Voudoun religion of Haiti. The film deals with the rituals of the Rada, Petro and Congo cults of Haiti.
Director: Maya Deren Distributor:Fox Lorber Associates
Keywords: Haiti, Voudoun, religion, ritual
Egypt: the Habit of Civilization (Videocassette : 57 min. ) [1992]
V. CASS. VHS 2383
Abstract: Looks at the history of Egypt, the longest lasting of the ancient civilizations, which created the state institutions on which nations are still built: bureaucratic government, organized religion and international trade. Also discusses how ancient traditions come together in the Moslem culture that is the Middle East today. Producer & director: Peter Spry-Leverton.
Director: Peter Spry-Leverton Distributor:Ambrose Video
Keywords: Egypt, overview
Emperor's Birthday (The) (Videocassette : 52 min. ) [1992]
V. CASS. VHS 7193
Abstract: Rastas come from various parts of the world to celebrate the centenary birthday of Haile Selassie, the late Emperor of Ethiopia. Through the testimonies of Rastas and Ethiopians, archival film and music, this film explores the origins of Rasta belief and what it means in Ethiopia today.
Director: John Dollar Distributor:NA
Keywords: Ethiopia, Jamaicans, Rastafari, religion, history
Eze Nwata: The Small King (Videocassette : 30 min. ) [1982]
V. CASS. VHS 6657
Abstract: Eze Nwata, a young Igbo man from Nigeria, relates his experiences of falling ill and being healed by Ezi Mmiri, a water priestess.
Director: Georg Jell Distributor:Ogbuide Corporation
Keywords: Nigeria, Igbo, healers, religion
Femmes du Niger: entre integrisme et democratie (Videocassette : 26 min. ) [1993]
VHS 9416
Abstract: Niger is a traditionally Islamic country where authorized polygamy and Muslim fundamentalism clash with the country's struggle for democracy. In elections in 1993, men voted by proxy for their different wives and daughters. Women who speak out about their rights have been physically attacked and excommunicated by the ayatollahs. Working together, women are the most ardent defenders of democracy, which offers the best hope of winning the equal rights which are still denied them. Critical viewing for those interested in women's human rights and the impact of fundamentalism.
Director: Anne-Laure Folly Distributor:Women Make Movies
Keywords: Niger, women, Islam, human rights, government, religion
Geldoff in Africa (DVD : 240 min. ) [2005]
DVD 5559
Abstract: If Bob Geldof had never seen news footage of the horrific famine in Ethiopia back in the mid-'80s, he might have carried on in relative obscurity, making so-so records with his band the Boomtown Rats. But see it he did, which led to Band Aid (and 'Do They Know It's Christmas' ), Live Aid, Live 8, knighthood, and now Geldof in Africa, a profound, provocative, beautifully made six-part series that aired in 2005 on Britain's BBC. Sir Bob, who narrates both on- and off-screen, visited many parts of what he calls the Luminous Continent (as opposed to the Dark Continent moniker that was ironically bestowed on Africa by Europeans whose own countries were often gray and grim), including Somaliland, a sort of non-country whose very existence isn't acknowledged by any other nation; Ghana, from which slaves were once shipped to America and elsewhere; the Congo, the true heart of darkness, which still bears the ugly scars of Belgian colonization; the Sahara desert, where 'you discover the absolute insignificance of you'; Uganda, where a brutal 'rebel leader' abducts children and turns them into sex slaves and soldiers; and Ethiopia, where it all started for Geldof (and where conditions are actually improving). But Geldof and producer-director John Maguire's film is not a travelogue. Nor is it a scientific documentary, although we learn something about geography, anthropology, meteorology, geology, agriculture, history, religion, and, inevitably, politics. What distinguishes Geldof in Africa is the presence of Geldof himself. An excellent writer and articulate speaker, he brings a decidedly subjective point of view to the work. 'I can't do slick television,' he admits; neither cynical nor naïve, he says exactly what he thinks, and expresses his wonder, fascination, rage, grief, sympathy, blame, and hope with a quiet passion that compels the viewer to feel those things as well. The camera work is flawless throughout, with shot after shot of breathtaking beauty, and Pete Briquette's music provides graceful accompaniment. Extras include audio commentary by Geldof and Maguire, deleted scenes, photos, and a Geldof interview. --Sam Graham
Director: John Maguire Distributor:BBC/Warner Vision International
Keywords: Africa, Congo, Ghana, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, charity, development, NGO, travel
Genèse (La) (Videocassette : 102 min. ) [1999]
V. CASS. VHS 6142
Abstract: Genesis is given a new spin which recasts a famous story by relocating it in the nation of Mali and using a cast of African actors. Covering Chapters 23-37, it recounts the story of Esau whose birthright is stolen by his brother Jacob in exchange for a plate of beans. This allegorical tale combines an accurate interpretation of the Biblical story with relevant allusions to African history and culture.
Director: Cheick Oumar Sissoko Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Mali, myth, religion, history, feature film
Guelwaar (Videocassette : 115 min. ) [1996]
V. CASS. VHS 4487
Abstract: When Guelwaar, a political activist and a Christian, is mistakenly buried in a Muslim cemetery, family members, political and religious leaders become embroiled in the dispute.
Director: Ousmane Sembène Distributor:New Yorker Films
Keywords: Senegal, social relations, religion, politics, feature film
Healers of Ghana (Videocassette : 58 min. ) [1996]
V. CASS. VHS 5775
Abstract: Explores the traditional medical practices of the Bono people of central Ghana and how their healers are accommodating the conflict between the arrival of Western medicine and their religious beliefs. Traditionally, Bono tribal priests undergo a painful spiritual possession, during which deities reveal to them the causes of illnesses, which plants to use to treat them, who is perpetrating witchcraft, and which villagers might be endangering society through improper behavior.
Director: NA Distributor:Films for the Humanities and Sciences
Keywords: Ghana, Akan, medicine, religion, spirit possession
Hemelse Modder: Architectuur en Magie in West Afrika = Heavenly Mud: Architecture and Magic in Mali (DVD : 52 min. ) [2003]
DVD 9032
Abstract: This unique film takes us on a journey down the Niger River in Mali (West Africa) filled with rarely seen traditional African architecture. These edifices are as visionary as anything conceived by Gaudi in the 20th century. The power and striking beauty of African architecture is immediately apparent. The film compares ancient African architecture to twentieth century 'organic' architecture as practiced by Frank Lloyd Wright and Antonio Gaudi. A famous Dutch organic architect, Max van Huut, believes modern Western architecture has contributed to alienation, whereas contemporary organic architecture, with its more human scale, contributes to a sense of community.
Director: Ton van der Lee Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mali, architecture, religion, art
In the Name of Allah (Motion Picture : 73 min. ) [1971]
MP-16MM 198
Abstract: Examines the culture, history, and scriptures of the Islam religion by viewing all aspects of life in the Muslim community of Fez, Morocco. Shows the events of circumcision, bargaining for a wife, confirmation, and marriage and describes the ceremonies and rituals that surround each event. (motion picture: 3 reels, 76 min.)
Director: NA Distributor:Indiana University, Bloomington. Audio-Visual Center
Keywords: Morocco, Fez, Islam, marriage, ritual
James' Journey to Jerusalem (Videocassette : 87 min. ) [2003]
V.CASS. VHS 8698
Abstract: In the imaginary village of Entshongweni, very far from the Western world, the young James is chosen to undertake a mission--a pilgrimage to Holy Jerusalem. At the airport, however, James is suspected of trying to infiltrate the country in order to work illegally and is jailed by the Israeli immigration authorities. This contemporary Candide is miraculously bailed out by a shady small-time businessman only to become part of his migrant labor pool. Undeterred, James perseveres in his religious quest, until he gets a taste of fortune by exploiting his employer's friends and colleagues for his own profit. Director Ra'anan Alexandrowicz offers an astute exploration of the economic, moral and spiritual hypocrisies of Western society through an evocative portrait of modern Israel's cultural and generational divisions. Topped with a moving and charismatic performance by South African actor Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe, James' Journey to Jerusalem stealthily layers these serious issues with biting wit and a lilting fairy-tale charm. In Hebrew, English and Zulu with English subtitles.
Director: Ra'anan Alexandrowicz Distributor:Zeitgeist Films
Keywords: Israel, South Africa, race, religion, migrant labor, feature film
Jean Rouch: Les Films de la Pléiade (DVD : 660 min. ) [2005]
DVD 4870
Abstract: Presents ten films by ethnologist Jean Rouch, along with interviews of the filmmaker, famous for his Niger-based films. Disc 1. Ciné-Transe: Les maîtres fous (1956, 28 min.) -- Mammy Water (1956, 18 min.) -- Les Tambours d'avant/Tourou et Bitti (1972, 9 min.) ; Ciné-conte: La chasse au lion à l'arc (1967, 77 min.) -- Un lion nommé l'americain (1972, 20 min.) --- Disc 2. Ciné-Plaisir: Jaguar (1967, 88 min.) -- Moi, un noir (1959, 70 min.) --- Disc 3. Ciné-Rencontre: Petit à petit (1971, 92 min.) -- La pyramide humaine (1961, 88 min.) -- Disc 4. Ciné-Rouch: Jean Rouch raconte à Pierre-Andre Boutang (104 min.) -- A propos de Jean Rouch, conversation Bernard Surugue et Patrick Leboutte -- Le double d'hier a rencontré demain / un film de Luc Riolon et Bernard Surugue (2004, 10 min.) -- Les veuves de 15 ans / un film de Jean Rouch (1965, 24 min.)
Director: Patrick Leboutte and Marc Antoine Roudil Distributor:Editions Montparnasse
Keywords: Niger, anthropology, Jean Rouch, ethnography, history, migration, religion, feature films
Justice at Agadez (Videocassette : 78 min. ) [2005]
VHS 9201
Abstract: In the Western African country of Niger, the official justice system of this former French colony is based on the Napoleonic Code. A small percentage of the population still subscribe to superstitious beliefs and seek the advice of traditional healers. But in this largely Muslim nation, many citizens seek justice from the local Islamic judge, or Cadi, who interprets Koranic law. Filmed in the village of Agadez in northern Niger, Justice at Agadez chronicles seven typical cases heard by the local Cadi. The film unobtrusively witnesses these seven 'stories' --small civil disputes, domestic conflicts, marriage problems, accusations of theft. With the small vestibule of his home serving as a 'courtroom,' the Cadi listens to the complaints and often heated arguments of all parties to the dispute -- sometimes just a husband and wife but at other times a room full of shouting people-- listening patiently, frequently posing questions and seeking clarification, before rendering his judgment. The movie not only demonstrates the power of Islamic religious beliefs in enforcing both moral and civil behavior, but also provides viewers with a rare opportunity to see how Islamic law actually functions on an everyday basis, unlike the manner in which it has often been sensationalized in the Western media.
Director: Christian Lelong Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: Niger, justice system, Islam, Koranic law, law, religion, disputes, marriage
Kabala (Videocassette : 112 min. ) [2005]
V.CASS. VHS 9144
Abstract: 'Kabala is a small West African village suffering from a terrible drought. The only source of water is a holy well that shows signs of contamination. The village elders decide that a traditional dance of fire is needed to bring life back to the village. Hamalla (Modibo Traoré), one of the village's many youths, prepares to join this sacred dance until his torch doesn't light, and he is cast out of the ceremony as doubts begin to surface about his legitimacy. Humiliated, he leaves the village and the woman he loves, Sokona (Djénéba Koné ), to work as a dynamite blaster in a distant mine. Four years pass, and Hamalla hears news of tragic fatalities in his village due to the tainted well water. He decides to return home to provide assistance. There he is reunited with Sokona, who is now betrothed to Hamalla's brother, Sériba (Fily Traoré), who already has a pregnant wife. The men's father, Babji (Baba Dabo), attempts to reconcile a violent dispute between his sons, suffering a severe heart attack. On his deathbed, Babji reveals a secret to Hamalla that explains why he was originally cast out of the sacred fire dance Hamalla's mother is the local witch, Bayassa (Nakani Koné). Their love was not allowed to exist; Babji was forced to raise Hamalla with a new wife. Hamalla tries to convince the village elders of the necessity to drill within the sacred well, but his entreaties are presumed to be a desecration of the village's spiritual symbol. Hamalla goes to Bayassa to tell her he knows she is his mother. He also confides his despair over Sokona's pending-marriage to his brother. Bayassa agrees to help Hamalla win back Sokona. Using her magical powers, Bayassa makes Sériba's marriage begin to sour. Sériba is unable to consummate the marriage, bringing much joy and laughter to Sokona and the local women. When Sériba learns of Bayassa's role in his impotence, he seeks the help of a male sorcerer who is unable to combat Bayassa's spell. A furious Sériba sets Bayassa's hut on fire. Hamalla comes to Bayassa's rescue, but his mother is severely burned. Before she dies, Bayassa manages to ensure that Sériba's first wife gives birth to a healthy baby. The sacred well has fallen into further disrepair, but when one of the staunchest objectors to Hamalla's plan falls deathly ill due to drinking the contaminated water, Hamalla makes a new case to the Kabalais of his ability to drill for cleaner water. In light of other recent deaths, the villagers agree to the plan if the Kabalais themselves can work on the project under Hamalla's guidance. When the whole village works on the well, fresh water springs forth --and Sokona is betrothed to Hamalla.' (Synopsis from http://www.globalfilm.org/library.htm) Originally released as a motion picture in 2002
Director: Assane Kouyaté Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: Mali, ritual, traditional religion, witchcraft, water, feature film
Kaplans and the Black Demon (The) (Videocassette : 37 min. ) [1999]
V. CASS. VHS 5434
Abstract: When Micha and Sara Kaplan's youngest daughter, Liat, brings home her new boyfriend, Micha and Sara's nightmare begins. The boyfriend is not from the neighborhood. Husam is from Sudan, is black, Muslim, and a refugee living in a makeshift hut in Sinai. The Kaplans and the Black Demon is about the impact this interracial, interclass relationship has on the Kaplan family, and what the parents try and do about it.
Director: Liat Kaplan, Yifat Elkayam and Udi Burstein Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: Israel, Sudan, race relations, religion
Keep the Dance Alive (Que la danse continue) (DVD : 75 min. ) [2007]
DVD 8816
Abstract: A unique voyage through the music, dance and spirit possession practices of the Ovahimba people of north-western Namibia and south-western Angola, Keep the Dance Alive features remarkable footage of how dance and spirit possession is integrated into everyday life from infancy to death. The documentary presents a singular vision of the Ovahimba people, that of director Rina Sherman who filmed the lives of an Omuhimba family for seven years. She focuses on how singing, rhythm and voice work together with dance and spirit possession to compose a complete imaginary universe and a dense and complex social structure.
Director: Rina Sherman Distributor:Documentary Educational Resources
Keywords: Namibia, Angola, Ovahimba, dance, music, ethnography, spirit possession, religion, cosmology, family, social organization
Kimbanguists-oye! (50 Slides 50 ) [1982]
BR1463.Z3 K5
Abstract: Kimbanguists-oye! tells about the ecumenical visit of the World Council team to Zaire. The slides show the style of the Kimbanguists, an independent African church in Zaire. Photography by John Taylor. Theology Library also has black and white photographs with script. (50 slides)
Director: NA Distributor:World Council of Churches. Department of Communications
Keywords: Zaire, Kimbanguists church, religion
King Does Not Lie (The) (Videocassette : 44 min. ) [1992]
V. CASS. VHS 1785
Abstract: The initiation of a priest of Shango. Documentary showing the ritual and ceremony associated with the initiation of a priest of Shango, the thunder god of the traditional Yoruba religion. Takes place in a contemporary Puerto Rican community among New World practitioners of the ancient religion, Santeria.
Director: NA Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Yoruba, religion, ritual, diaspora
Malentendu colonial, Le = Colonial Misunderstanding (Videocassette : 73 min. ) [2004]
V.CASS. VHS 9140
Abstract: Jean-Marie Téno looks at European colonialism in Africa through the lens of Christian evangelism as the model for the relationship between Africa and Western countries today. The history of German missionaries in Namibia in the 19th and 20th centuries is discussed by African and German historians and theologians, revealing how colonialism destroyed African beliefs and social systems, and replaced them with European ones.
Director: Jean-Marie Téno Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Namibia, Germany, religion, history, evangelism, colonialism, Christianity, traditional religion , missionaries
Mali & Senegal: The Power of Islam (Videocassette : 49 min. ) [2002]
V. CASS VHS 7507
Abstract: Islam has influenced West Africa since the 11th century, but only in the last 100 years has the religion grown so rapidly in Senegal and Mali. One prominent sect, the Mouride movement, has millions of followers and wealth accumulated from peanut cultivation. As a force of conservative Islam, its economic and political power must be watched by the West. Part of a three part series entitled Africa in the 21st Century, see Somalia: The Neglected Civil Warand Zimbabwe & South Africa: Still Far From Coexistence.
Director: Hiroyuki Shima Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mali, Senegal, Islam, Mouride movement, religion
Mami Wata: Der Geist der Weissen Frau (Videocassette : 59 min. ) [1988]
V. CASS. VHS 3642
Abstract: Mami Wata is a water deity worshiped in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. In collaboration with the Institute fur den Wissenschaftlichen Film, Gottengen. Color VHS, English narration and subtitles.
Director: NA Distributor:Institut fur den Wissenschaftlichen Film
Keywords: Togo, Mami Wata, religion, ritual
Mammy Water: In Search of the Water Spirits in Nigeria (Videocassette : 59 min. ) [1989]
V. CASS. VHS 1554
Abstract: The film features Mammy Water rituals and interviews with devotees and their leaders. Mammy Water is a water deity worshiped in Nigeria.
Director: Sabine Jell-Bahlseh Distributor:University of California Extension Center for Media
Keywords: Nigeria, Mami Wata, religion, ritual
Man, God and Africa (DVD : 51 min. ) [1993]
DVD 8037
Abstract: While the media has focused on the violent history of South Africa, it has paid little attention to a social phenomenon of great importance. Some nine-million South African blacks live with a strong commitment to their religion, Pentecostal Christianity. Their faith has enabled them to survive appalling hardship and deprivation. Their religion is a blend of deep-rooted African traditions and the imported values of Christianity. This commitment could be a stabilizing force in the new South Africa. This film captures the joyous singing and rhythmic movement that is common to the various black churches. It shows the African influence on funerals, baptisms, and weddings. Through these ceremonies the churches foster a sense of community and pride at being black South African. Adherents cut across all social classes. One sees an educated civil rights lawyer practice centuries-old healing practices. We hear from representatives of the traditional Church hierarchy, such as Archbishop Tutu and Alan Boesack, who have a profound respect for the adaptation of Christianity to the African culture.
Director: Don Boyd Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: South Africa, religion, Pentecostal churches, ceremony
Médiations du Sacré en Afrique: des ornements liturgiques (Des) (43 Slides 43 ) [1980]
SLIDE BL2400. K323 Theology Library
Abstract: (43 slides plus booklet)
Director: NA Distributor:Filles de St. Paul, Kinshasa
Keywords: religion
Ordinary People. City of Dreams (Videocassette : 26 min. ) [1993]
VHS 9320
Abstract: City of Dreams spends a day in Ponte City, perhaps the tallest residential building in the southern hemisphere, and home to thousands of immigrants from all over Africa. This film introduces Babu, a bandmember in Ponte City's Zairian evangelical church; Mary, organizer of the on-premise nightclub's Miss Manhattan Africa competition; and James, a Zimbabwean banker and complex resident, who attends the pageant. The film reveals a city of dreamers, who in turn lend fascinating insights into the aspirations of urban Africans in South Africa.
Director: Harriet Gavshon Distributor:First Run/Icarus Films
Keywords: South Africa, urbanization, immigration, religion, performance
Parchment Makers: An Ancient Art in Present-Day Ethiopia (Videocassette : 19 min. ) [2000]
V. CASS. VHS 5571
Abstract: Documents the way that books were created in the centuries before the printing press. The video follows the process from start to finish as Ethiopian artist and scribe, Meregeta Berhane Abade, works on a text for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which still requires that certain texts be hand-rendered on parchment. The video draws on the research of Neal Sobania, a historian at Hope College, and Ray Silverman, an art historian at Michigan State University, and their chronicling of traditions of art in Ethiopia.
Director: NA Distributor:Sola Scriptura
Keywords: Ethiopia, history, religion, art, writing
Reasonable Man (A) (Videocassette : 103 min. ) [1999]
V. CASS VHS 8295
Abstract: This film tells the story of a city lawyer who defends a herdboy from rural Zululand. The herdboy is accused of murdering a one year old baby in the mistaken belief that he was killing an evil spirit known as the Tikoloshe. Dark secrets lie buried deep within the lawyer and on taking the case he enters aworld of witchcraft and mysticism in order to discover the truth about the killing, and himself.
Director: NA Distributor:Ster-Kinekor Home Entertainment
Keywords: South Africa, law, religion, feature film
Religiones Tribales = Tribal Religions (Videocassette : 56 min. ) [2001]
V.CASS. VHS 7045
Abstract: Hans Kung travels to Australia to investigate the beliefs of today's Aborigines through body painting, music and dance. He then journeys to Africa to gain insights into indigenous culture through modern rites that include torchlight processions, dance, and animal sacrifice. The influence of Christian missionaries is also examined.
Director: Hans Kung Distributor:Films for the Humanities & Sciences
Keywords: Australia, Africa, religion, ritual, missionaries
Right to be Nuba (The) (Videocassette : 45 min. ) [1993]
V. CASS. VHS 3881
Abstract: Film maker/anthropologist Hugo D'aybaury presents the struggles felt by the Nuba people, caught in the middle of Sudan's civil war between the northern Islamic Khartoum and the southern Sudan People's Liberation Army rebel forces. Writer, director, co-producer: Hugo D'aybaury.
Director: Hugo D'aybaury Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Sudan, Nuba, civil war, politics, religion, human rights
Ronde Voudou (Le) = Voodoo Dance (Videocassette : 56 min. ) [1989]
V.CASS. VHS 8974
Abstract: Documents the significant role of Voodoo in Haitian culture from the perspectives of Voodoo priests, government officials, historians, and politicians.
Director: Elsie Haas Distributor:Third World Newsreel
Keywords: Haiti, African diaspora, Voudou, dance, religion, politics
Saints and Spirits (Motion Picture : 26 min. ) [1979]
MP-16MM 226
Abstract: Shows several religious observances in the Moroccan city of Marrakech. The dimensions of religious expression in Islam are viewed through the experiences of one woman. Producer/Director: Melissa Llewelyn-Davies; Writer/Associate Producer: Elizabeth Fernea.
Director: Melissa Llewellyn-Davies Distributor:Icarus Films
Keywords: Morocco, Marrakech, Islam, religion, women
Saints and Spirits (video) (Videocassette : 26 min. ) [1979]
V. CASS. VHS 3609
Abstract: Explores Muslim religious expression in Morocco through three events: pilgrimage to the shrine of Sidi Chamharouch, a celebration of renewal in Marrakech, and the establishment of a new place of pilgrimage in a rural village. Producer/director: Melissa Llewelyn-Davies. Writer/co-producer: Elizabeth Fernea.
Director: Melissa Llewellyn-Davies Distributor:First Run/Icarus
Keywords: Morocco, Islam, religion, ritual, spirit possession
Sept Nuits et Sept Jours = Seven Nights and Seven Days (Videocassette : 48 min. ) [1992]
V. CASS VHS 7527
Abstract: This film documents a healing ceremony in Senegal. The ceremony, called the Ndepp, is organized by the Lebou people to honor their ancestral spirits and to ask them to allow a cure to take place of one of their members, in this case a mother who refuses to care for her newborn. Performed over seven days and nights, it is a complicated ceremony with a precise set of rules and involves the whole community.
Director: Maurice Dorès Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Senegal, Lebou, healing, medicine, ritual, religion
Spite: An African Prophet-Healer (DVD : 54 min. ) [1984]
DVD 8394
Abstract: People from all over the Ivory Coast seek out prophet-healers for treatment of their medical and emotional problems. Some of these ailments may be caused by the stress of cultural change. Often Western medicine cannot cure them. This stunningly photographed film focuses on Sebim Odjo, who draws upon Moslem, Christian and traditional African beliefs in his healing ceremonies. He moderates disputes, tracks down the source of illness, and uses his powers to heal. We see a water cure used on a patient ill with spite.
Director: J.P. Colleyn and Catherine De Clippel Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Cote D'Ivoire, medicine, religion, health
Sultan's Burden, The (DVD : 50 min. ) [1994]
DVD 9086
Abstract: Sultan Issa Maigari is the ruler of the northern Cameroon province of Adamawa, an area the size of England. Served by a liveried bodyguard of servants and slaves, he lives in an extraordinary thatched palace with his harem of wives and concubines and his thirty children. We are in a world of heraldry and magic, an ancient world fast disintegrating under the pressures of contempory political forces. In 1992, the Sultan allowed anthropologist Lisbet Holtedahl and award-winning director Jon Jerstad to film his life. Never before had a traditional Islamic leader granted such access to a world that seems straight out of the Arabian Nights. We see the many problems besetting the Sultan, ranging from the threat of an armed rebellion among the peasant farmers, to his impossible task of justifying support for the national Christian government to his local Moslem subjects. His courtiers criticize his rule. His own praisesinger (surely the worst praisesinger in Africa) contributes a bitter diatribe against the Sultan for his lack of generosity. The intrigues of the court are reminiscent of Shakespearean drama. Filmed as the first democratic elections in Cameroon were about to be held, The Sultan's Burden captures the myriad political and ethnic rivalries which occur all over Africa as it emerges from a colonial past.
Director: Jon Jerstad Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Cameroon, government, religion, elections, politics
Swampdwellers (The) (Videocassette : 53 min. ) [1990]
V. CASS. VHS 7144
Abstract: In the swampland of Western Nigeria, the devout farmers make offering in kind to their gods so that they might protect the fields and bring good harvests. The priests who intercede demand their share of the sacrifices. The young men who go to the towns no longer respect the priests and question their authority over the people of the village. A play by Wole Soyinka.
Director: Norman Florence Distributor:Phoenix Films
Keywords: Nigeria, religion, ritual, theater
Tales of Sand and Snow (DVD : 49 min. ) [2004]
DVD7232
Abstract: Having recently immigrated to Montreal, Burkinabé director Hyacinthe Combary explores his roots in an effort to rediscover the spiritual values of his people. His quest leads him to the northern forests of Quebec and an enlightening encounter with the Atikamekw of Wemotaci. In filming this Aboriginal people, he creates a moving cinematic dialogue between the Gourmantche of Burkina Faso, who practise the divinatory art of geomancy, and the men of the taiga, who connect with the spirits through sweat lodges. In this journey between North and South, the filmmaker comes to the realization that his quest is universal. 'It is the same question for all the peoples of the earth: With the globalization of culture, how can one keep from becoming dehumanized, from being cut off from one's deepest being?'
Director: Hyacinthe Combary Distributor:NA
Keywords: Burkina Faso, Gourmantche, Quebec, Wemotaci, Atikamekw, religion, divination
They Carry Their Families: A Village in Mauritania (DVD : 14 min. ) [1999]
DVD 8972
Abstract: Life in a rural village in Mauritania is hard on women. Tradition and Islamic religion are intertwined to reinforce strict gender roles. The husband is the protector and keeper; his word is law. While the men take their ease, the girls and women are off to the fields during the peanut planting and harvest season, walking five miles each way, and coming home with heavy burdens from the fields to prepare the family dinner. They carry the water, sweep the yard, wash the clothes, and care for the children. This short, beautifully filmed video captures succinctly the subservience of women, while at the same time remaining respectful of tradition and culture. There are no drugs, alcohol or loneliness in this kind of community, where family bonds are very strong. We hear from several young Peace Corps workers in the village who are hopeful that by educating and thereby widening the horizons of young women, eventually women will have more choices. From a Western perspective, the future of Africa depends on education and family planning.
Director: Ingo A. Zamperoni Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Mauritania, women, gender, religion, family, work, education
This Crazy Thing Called Grace: Desmond Tutu and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Videocassette : 40 min. ) [1997]
On Order
Abstract: The main objective of this documentary is to communicate the synthesis Desmond Tutu has made in his own mind of politics, liberation, Africanness and the practice and dedicated interpretation of the Christian faith in the context of a South Africa in full transition, as he took on the role of Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Director: Joëlle Chesselet Distributor:Journeyman Pictures
Keywords: South Africa, Desmond Tutu, TRC, religion, reconciliation
Thunderbolt (Videocassette : 105 min. ) [2000]
V. CASS. VHS 7174
Abstract: This feature film focuses on Yinka from the Yoruba tribe and Ngozi, an Igbo, who meet in the National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria. A retelling and adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello story in an African setting, the seeds of jealousy are planted when a friend of Yinka suggests that Ngozi is having a secret affair because 'Igbo are untrustworthy.' The film then becomes distinctly West African as the supernatural comes to the fore; curses and ritual cleansing take the place of psychological explanations. An old man warns Ngozi, who is accused of having AIDS, that her death is imminent and will strike her like a thunderbolt.
Director: Tunde Kelani Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Nigeria, Igbo, Yoruba, HIV/AIDS, medicine, religion, feature film
Trokosi: Wife of the Gods (Videocassette : 25 min. ) [1994]
V. CASS. VHS 6445
Abstract: Documents a system of providing young girls as servants/slaves to priests among the Ewe people of southeastern Ghana. These 'inmates' (or wives of gods) must serve for an indefinite time as workers and wives to atone for family crimes that can date back to the 17th century.
Director: Kofi Boateng Distributor:Cinema Guild
Keywords: Ghana, Ewe, women, slaves, religion, history
Unexplained: Voodoo Rituals (The) (Videocassette : 50 min. ) [1998]
V.CASS. VHS 6862
Abstract: As a young man, Yuseff Abdulla ventured into the swamplands of South Carolina in search of spiritual fulfillment. He found his way to the Oyutunji African village 65 miles south of Charleston, where the people live in a culture modeled on that of the West African Yoruba people. An essential part of their culture is the practice of Voodoo. Twenty years after his introduction to Oyotunji, Yuseff, now a high priest of Voodoo, begins another odyssey, journeying to West Africa to confirm that the traditions he has devoted his life to reflect those of his ancestors.
Director: Andrew Holland Distributor:New Video Group
Keywords: United States, West Africa, Yoruba, voudou, ritual, religion, diaspora
Voodoo Secrets (Videocassette : 87 min. ) [1998]
V.CASS. VHS 6863
Abstract: From its origins in Africa to candid testimony from modern believers, this is an eye-opening look at the rites and roots of Voodoo.
Director: Paul Boorstin Distributor:New Video Group
Keywords: West Africa, diaspora, religion, ritual, voudou
Western Tradition (Videocassette : 56 min. ) [1989]
V. CASS. VHS 910
Abstract: Program 1. Introduction to the course; including the edifice sequence from Why Man Creates by Saul Bass. Begins historical overview at the end of the age of the giant reptiles and covers the origins of religion. Program 2. Covers the area known as the fertile crescent, and the Egyptian civilization. Explores the role of the gods and the pharaoh in the society. Executive Producer: Fred Barzyk in association with the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Director: NA Distributor:Theo Annenberg/CPB Project
Keywords: Egypt, history, overview
Witchcraft among the Azande (Videocassette : 52 min. ) [1982]
V.CASS. VHS 8701
Abstract: Presents the role of witchcraft among the Azande in spite of their acceptance of Christianity. Focuses on its usage in adjudicating disputes, curing illness, assuring success in the hunt, and purification of the newborn.
Director: André Singer Distributor:Filmakers Library
Keywords: Sudan, Azande, religion, ritual, health, witchcraft
Witchdoctors: a Day in the Other Africa (DVD : 55 min. ) [2007]
DVD 10030
Abstract: Film by Brooklyn librarian/documentary filmmaker Boniface Wewe that aims to show viewers the other Africa full of life and culture, as opposed to the stereotyped images of poverty and corruption often presented on the evening news. Filmed in West Central and South Africa, the film offers a first-hand look at some of the people and the professions that play a role in African cultures and lives. Highlights indigenous professions from palm wine tapping in Santa, Cameroon; thumb piano ( ndenge ) playing in Bali, Cameroon; Zulu singing ( isicathamiya ) by the award-winning Hlahlindlela High School choir; and an interview with the Prime Minister to the King of the Zulu Nation. The bulk of the program, however, is comprised of a day spent with a community of traditional healers ( sangoma ) in Kwangcolosi Village in the Valley of 1000 Hills, South Africa, who train together in an apprentice system under an experienced practitioner. The chief sangoma , Ma Nokusho Bhengu, has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal for her collaboration with President Bush and an American program which sees a partnership between Western and traditional doctors in South Africa. We meet a variety of people who have trained under Ma Bhengu as the viewer becomes acquainted with the criteria for becoming a sangoma , sample medications (muti) and their cures, the initiation of a young sangoma and esoteric dances punctuated with hallucinating growls when the ancestors are invoked. A traditional African blessing and prayer to the ancestors concludes the day.
Director: Boniface Ndemping Wewe Distributor:African Artistic Videos
Keywords: Cameroon, South Africa, healing, music, religion
Witches in Exile (Videocassette : 78 min. ) [2005]
V.CASS. VHS 9141
Abstract: From Tanzania and Zambia to Ivory Coast and Ghana, belief in witchcraft continues to terrorize women. In Northern Ghana alone, there are estimated to be more than 5000 witches confined to witches' villages--part sanctuaries, part prison camps. This film introduces us to five women who have taken refuge in the Kukuo witches' camp and who represent a cross section of the witch population of Northern Ghana today. It leads us on a step by step journey on how a woman becomes stigmatized as a witch. The film makes clear that one cannot successfully attack a phenomenon like witches' camps in isolation, but must see them as part of a wider set of beliefs designed to mark women as an expendable part of society (especially older women who have lost their economic usefulness). The film traces the complex intersection of anthropology, political science and economics, which must come together in any strategy for liberating women in Africa.
Director: Allison Berg Distributor:California Newsreel
Keywords: Ghana, Dagomba, gender relations, human rights, social conditions, traditional religion, witchcraft, women
Yaaba Soore: the Path of the Ancestors/ Dance of the Spirits: Mask Styles and Performances in the Upper Volta (Videocassette : 45 min. ) [1988]
V. CASS. VHS 6634
Abstract: These two documentaries discuss the types and styles of masks used in the religious ceremonies and dance performances of various peoples of Burkina Faso.
Director: NA Distributor:NA
Keywords: Burkina Faso, masks, religion, ritual, art, performance
September 16, 2008: Geoffrey Nyarota
