SARRAOUNIA
Sarraounia
(une reine Africaine),
Med Hondo, 1986
One of my favorite movies from one of my favorite directors. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Nigerien author Abdoulaye Mamani, in which he tells the Battle of Lougou.
Sarraounia was a warrior queen hailing from Lougou. She was a Azna (a group of resistant Animists who rejected Christianity and Islam, most of them were Hausa) who fought against French colonialism, and particularly the barbaric Voulet-Chanoine mission during which the French attempted to lay claim to territories from the Niger river to Lac Chad.
Although there are controversies among Nigeriens about the ethnic group she belonged to, Sarraounia was probably Hausa. She was one of few leaders that resisted the advances of French expansionists Paul Voulet and Julien Chanoine.
Wiki synopsis: The story takes place in Niger (but filmed in Burkina Faso) and the surrounding region of the Sahel. It begins with the initiation and establishment as queen of the Aznas of a young girl. The young queen, Sarraounia, becomes an accomplished warrior when she defends her tribe from an enemy tribe. Accomplished in archery and herbalism, she is a renowned “sorceress”. Meanwhile, French colonialists Paul Voulet and Julien Chanoine set out to conquer new lands for the French colonial empire. As they advance across the land they rape women and leave burning villages in their wake.
When Abdoulaye Mamani published the novel, he gave a copy to Med Hondo who decided to adapt it into a film. As well as using the book for reference, Hondo conducted research with Mamani, interviewing older Nigerien people and accessing material in the national archives. Aï Keïta, the actress playing Sarraounia was chosen after Med Hondo witnessed a confrontation between her and a family member. He initially had her in mind for a small role (Amina, a loyal friend of Sarraounia)…
Sarraounia won the Étalon de Yennenga prize at the 1987 Panafrican Film Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO). Historian Frank Ukadike called it “a landmark of African cinema, the most ambitious for its inventiveness, professionalism and dedication.” Writing for The Boston Phoenix, Chris Fujiwara said that the film avoids clichés, calling it a “large-scale epic drama” that is “both ironic and celebratory”. I definitely recommend this movie, simply one of the best African film I have ever seen (aesthetic and historical perspectives).
(via afrikanwomen)
