Moolaadé


Moolaadé, directed by Ousmane Sembène, perhaps Africa's greatest filmmaker, is an intriguing tale of political rebellion that may make you think of themes as varied as Rosa Parks or bookburning. Set in a village in Burkino Faso, the film's central message is a polemic against the genital mutilation of young girls, but beneath that single issue beats the heart of the courage of those who dare to stand up for what they believe in. It's a rousing story, expertly done, and worthy of mention as one of the best films of the decade.

As the film begins, four young girls, all of whom look younger than ten years old, appeal to a woman (Fatoumata Coulibaly) for protection. They have been scheduled for "purification"--having their clitorises removed by knife in a religious ritual. A group of red-robed women who carry out the procedure stalk after them, but Coulibaly, who refused to allow her daughter to undergo the ritual, grants them a kind of asylum--moolaadé--and as long as it in effect no one may take the children. Coulibaly, a wife in a polygamous system, is supported by the first wife of her husband, who is away on business, but defied by the men of the village. It seems that is taboo for any man to marry a woman who has not been "purified."

Sembène skillfully weaves into his story not only the perils and rewards of making a stance on principle, he also takes a look at the intersection of the modern world and the ancient superstitions. The village elders, scandalized by the resistance, immediately round up the radios, which the women like to listen to. The sight of these radios, piled into the village square and then set ablaze, conjure up memories of all sorts of oppression throughout the ages. The son of the village's leader, newly arrived from a stay in France, tells his father that TV and radio are integral parts of life in the rest of the world, but they believe in the old ways. A local peddler, who was a soldier, represents another modern intrusion into the lives of these people.

Though the film ends in an emotionally satisfying way, it does arrive at that spot in the usual manner. Those of us spoon-fed on Hollywood pablum expect certain plot developments, but Sembène resists the easy answer, and instead any victories are won not by the interference of those who represent the modern world, but by the determination of the women themselves. Let us hope the victory in this small tribe is repeated throughout Africa.

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