UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 2, Page 10
September 7, 1995
African films to air Tuesday nights

     The African Studies Program will present a free public film
series this fall at 7 p.m. on selected Tuesdays in Room 205 of
Kirkbride Lecture Hall.
     Opening the series on Sept. 12 is Chocolat, about a young woman
who returns to Cameroon in west Africa to trace her past.
     On Sept. 26, Gold Widows: Women in Lesotho will be screened.
Lesotho is a small country surrounded by South Africa, and this film
features interviews with the women there, who are virtually widows
since most of their husbands work in South African gold mines.
     Three films are scheduled Oct. 10. The Ashanti Kingdom from Ghana
explains the strict hierarchical organization of the Ashanti, such as
the importance of the characteristic Kente garment, naming of children
and religious beliefs. The Bambara Kingdom of Segu from Mali traces
the extraordinary history of the Bambara, which goes back before the
seventh century, A.D. The Lost City of Zimbabwe examines the
spectacular ruins of southern Africa's first city, long mistakenly
identified as the remnants of some ancient white civilization.
     On Oct. 24, Namibia: Rebirth of a Nation will be shown. The film
profiles Namibia's struggle for independence under the leadership of
the SWAPO movement and its president, Sam Nujoma.
     Yeelen, called "the most beautifully photographed African film
ever made," will be shown on Nov. 7.
     Concluding the series Nov. 28 will be Maids and Madams, an
examination of the tragedy of apartheid.
     For information, contact W.O. Maloba, coordinator, at 831-2189.