Visual Medium for Insperation

[ltlconf]

Hello Folks,

I have found it hard to find movies, documentaries (beyond the mandatory wildlife ones) and such on Africa and it's history. You can use National Geo for only so much. Besides they avoid the more violent aspects of Afrian culture (made Zulus look like picked-on peaceful pastoralist. The Sotho would like to know who pushed them into mountains then) and every player likes a good full scale battle now and then. Beside the obvious (SHAKA ZULU) what's out there visual-wise?

[Nyambefan]

Lots of Art Links www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/art.html

Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
www.nmafa.si.edu/index2.html

Africa - the series by national geographic - some history, lots of culture and landscapes

Zulu - 1964 movie, some lots of battles of Zulus vs Brits but the story is completely Eurocentric. This is a great zulu marriage ceremony that is spectactular. Plot Synopsis: On the January 22nd 1879 the British Army suffers one of it's worst defeats when Zulu forces massacre 1,500 of its troops. A short time after the main battle a Zulu force numbering in excess of 4000 warriors advances on a British supply dump guarded by 139 Welsh infantrymen. The film concentrates on this bloody 12 hour battle.

King Solomon's Mines - 1937 movie, another eurocentric movie but there are some great african costumes and the watusi are breathtaking to behold.

Other than some picture books from the library there just aren't any visuals like what you and probably all of us here are looking for.

Check your local library, use interlibrary loan and please, if anyone finds anything, share it here.

[bodry]

there's also the "Zulu" prequel, "Zulu Dawn", about the battle of Isandlwana.
How about "The Ghost and the Darkness", about the infamous Tsavo maneating lions?
There's also a movie who's title I don't remember, about a white hunter who gets caught by unfriendly Africans, escapes them d**n near naked, runs away from a group hunting him, runs afoul of slavers, and barely gets back to civilization at the end of it...

[Mindobwe]

Try www.tribalphoto.com -- really impressive images from tribal cultures around the world. Their mission seems to be photodocumentation before it is too late.

[ltlconf]

Hello Folks,


Seen or got most of those movies, and got "Naked Prey," the movie bodry refered to. That one I use as much as "Shaka Zulu!" The problem all of you note is the Eurocentric nature of these films. I don't mind that really as so long as they show the Africans in a accurate light, warts and all. I guess what I need are films like "Shaka" and "Naked Prey" that show more than just one tribe or location. I've checked out the various "King Solomon Mine's" and find the older versions fit the bill, thanks.
As for books, it's as depressing as one can expect. Most are of modern Africa. I did find one, called "Black Kingdoms, Black Peoples" that concentrates of West Africa and it's myriad of cultures and it's role as the cradle of the bulk of Sub-Saharan African civilization. The narration is informative while being easily understood and the images truly breathtaking. Grab it if you can. I loved the chapter on the tribes of the Congo River Basin and how they actually largely feared the forest around them. That caught me off guard!