FADOA FILMS

 

THE WITCHES OF GAMBAGA

 

THE WITCHES OF GAMBAGA

 

TRANSMISSION SCRIPT

 

JOB ID:     33010

 

 

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Time-codes & Captions

Dialogue

 

Music

10:00:07:09

 

10:00:13:00

CAPTION

The testimony of Amina Wumbula [OBSCURED BY TIMECODE]

 

10:00:20:21

CAPTION

Ghana, West Africa

 

ACTRESS

AFTER MY HUSBAND DIED I DECIDED TO RETURN TO MY FATHER’S HOUSE.  MY BROTHERS ACCEPTED ME, GIVING ME A ROOM.  ONE DAY IT WAS THREATENING TO RAIN.  WE ALL RAN TO FETCH CONTAINERS TO COLLECT RAIN WATER. 

 

1.

10:00:00:12

Music In

 

1.

10:00:17:01

Music Out

 

10:00:28:09

ACTRESS

THE NEXT MORNING ALL THE CONTAINERS WERE FULL EXCEPT FOR MINE.  SO I ASKED “WHERE IS MY WATER?”  MY BROTHER REPLIED THAT I SHOULD ASK HIS WIFE.  SO I ASKED.  “WHERE IS MY WATER?”  WE STARTED ARGUING.  MY BROTHER CAME OUT AND SAID THAT I SHOULDN’T INSULT HIS WIFE, FOR IF I INSULT HER I’M INSULTING HIM AS WELL.  HE SAID I SHOULD GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.  THE HOUSE BELONGS TO ALL OF US.  IT IS OUR FATHER’S HOUSE AND HE DOESN’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO THROW ME OUT.  MY BROTHER STRUCK ME.  THAT VERY NIGHT HE DIED.  HIS CHILDREN CLAIM THAT I KILLED HIM WITH WITCHCRAFT SO THEY CAME AFTER ME WITH PEOPLE FROM THE LARGEST HOUSES IN THE VILLAGE.  THEY BEAT ME UNTIL THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY’D KILLED ME.  LUCKILY MY SENIOR SON ARRIVED AND DROVE EVERYONE AWAY.  BUT THE NEXT DAY THE VILLAGERS CARRIED ME ACROSS THE RIVER AND DUMPED ME ON THE OTHER SIDE, CALLING ME A WITCH. 

 

2.

10:00:44:22

Music In

 

2.

10:01:43:07

Music Out

 

3.

10:01:44:21

Music In

 

10:01:47:23

 

 

NARRATOR

I LAY THERE FOR A FULL DAY AND NIGHT BEFORE I FELT STRONG ENOUGH TO GET UP AND WALK TO GAMBAGA.

 

 

10:01:54:12

(SINGING)

 

 

10:02:01:04

TITLE:

The Witches of Gambaga

a film by

Yaba Badoe

 

 

3.

10:02:09:20

Music Out

 

10:02:14:11

NARRATOR

WHEN I HEARD AMINA [WUMBALA’S] ACCOUNT OF HOW SHE WAS EXPELLED FROM HER VILLAGE AND FORCED TO TAKE REFUGE AT THE WITCHES’ CAMP IN GAMBAGA IN NORTHERN GHANA I WAS HORRIFIED.  I’M YABA BADOE, A WRITER AND FILMMAKER.  I COULDN’T UNDERSTAND HOW TRADITIONAL BELIEFS THAT, IN MY OPINION, DEMONISE WOMEN ARE STILL SO STRONGLY HELD THAT THEY CAN UNLEASH VIOLENT THAT DESTROYS A WOMAN’S LIFE AND THIS, IN A COUNTRY PROUD OF ITS HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD.

 

 

10:02:49:24

NARRATOR

I WAS BORN IN [TAMALE,] NOT FAR FROM GAMBAGA, AND EDUCATED IN BRITAIN.  FOR YEARS I’VE BEEN FASCINATED BY STORIES THAT LINK ORDINARY, MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN LIKE MYSELF TO WITCHCRAFT AND FOR THE PAST 14 YEARS I’VE BEEN WRITING ABOUT THE LIVES OF THE WITCHES OF GAMBAGA. 

 

 

10:03:47:11

NARRATOR

GAMBAGA WAS ONCE THE CAPITAL OF THE NORTHERN REGION, A PART OF GHANA RAVAGED BY POVERTY.  IT’S NOW A RUNDOWN PROVINCIAL TOWN, FAMOUS FOR HOUSING THE OLDEST SANCTUARY FOR WITCHES IN THE NORTH.  IT’S CLAIMED THAT THE TOWN’S GODS PROTECT ITS CITIZENS FROM WITCHCRAFT BY DESTROYING THE POTENCY OF WITCHES.  IT WAS AN UTTER REVELATION WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT GAMBAGA WAS ONE OF SEVERAL REFUGES FOR WITCHES IN THE NORTH.

 

 

10:03:47:16

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE ]

 

 

10:03:50:24

Yaba Badoe

And how many people attacked you? 

 

 

10:03:52:21

FOREIGN DIALOGUE

 

 

10:03:55:23

Villager

Six men. 

 

 

10:03:59:19

NARRATOR

BUT WHAT WAS EVEN MORE SHOCKING WAS THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM.  I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WERE OVER 1,000 WOMEN CONDEMNED FOR WITCHCRAFT LIVING IN CAMPS. 

 

 

10:04:14:15

NARRATOR

IN 2005, WHEN I WAS LAST HERE, MA HAWA, THE MOST SENIOR RESIDENT AT THE CAMP, WAS ABOUT TO BE INSTALLED AS THE WITCHES’ SPOKESWOMAN BY THE CHIEF. 

 

 

4.

10:04:18:04

Music In

 

10:04:29:10

NARRATOR

THE CELEBRATION TOOK PLACE AT THE CHIEF’S PALACE.  THE CHIEF’S POWER IS ABSOLUTE.  HE GIVES THE WOMEN SANCTUARY BUT THEY CAN’T LEAVE HIS CUSTODY WITHOUT HIS CONSENT.  HE PROTECTS THE WOMEN, EVERY ONE OF WHOM IS SCARRED BY EVENTS THAT BROUGHT HER TO GAMBAGA. 

 

 

10:04:46:11

(chanting)

 

 

10:04:52:13

NARRATOR

[ASANA] WAS TORTURED BY HER BROTHER, WHO THREATENED TO PLUCK OUT HER EYES IF SHE DIDN’T CONFESS TO WITCHCRAFT. 

 

 

10:05:02:07

NARRATOR

[AWABU] WAS BEATEN AND THEN TORTURED FOR DAYS.  WHEN SHE FOUND HER WAY TO THE CHIEF SHE WAS AT THE POINT OF DEATH. 

 

 

10:05:14:04

NARRATOR

[BINTUK] WAS ON THE RUN FOR HER LIFE FOR THREE MONTHS BEFORE SHE FOUND REFUGE HERE. 

 

4.

10:05:28:08

Music Out

 

10:05:28:12

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:05:29:22

SUBTITLE:

Listen!

Praise be to the son of war

 

 

 

10:05:36:23

Chief

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:05:37:09

SUBTITLE:

Praise to the invincible one

 

 

10:05:39:22

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:05:43:00

SUBTITLE:

Save me, great son

who drives away rain.

 

10:05:47:21

SUBTITLE:

Let’s praise our chief, the protector

of the witches of Gambaga.

 

 

10:05:57:01

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

 

10:05:57:20

Chief

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:05:58:11

SUBTITLE:

Magazia Hawa

 

10:06:00:20

SUBTITLE:

I install you as the head of

Mamprusi women.

 

10:06:08:05

SUBTITLE:

I want you all to be united.

 

10:06:15:05

SUBTITLE:

I don’t want you to quarrel.

 

10:06:22:21

SUBTITLE:

If there’s any problem at the camp

let me know.

 

10:06:30:13

SUBTITLE:

Do you understand me? (clapping)

 

 

 

5.

10:06:33:11

Music In

 

10:06:55:14

NARRATOR

EVEN THOUGH THE WOMEN ARE REJECTED BY THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ARE BEHOLDEN TO THE CHIEF, THEY’RE SUPPORTED BY MEN AND WOMEN, SUCH AS GLADYS LARIBA WHO’S WORKED AT THE WITCHES’ CAMP AT GAMBAGA FOR YEARS.   SHE STARTED OFF AS A VOLUNTEER BUT IS NOW A MEMBER OF A TEAM INITIATED BY THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TO HELP WITCHES RETURN HOME TO THEIR VILLAGES.

 

 

5.

10:07:06:16

Music Out

 

 

10:07:25:10

NARRATOR

SHE FINDS OUT WHAT’S GOING ON AT THE CAMP THROUGH DAILY VISITS TO MA HAWA’S COMPOUND.

 

 

10:07:30:07

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:07:37:20

NARRATOR

IN HER FORMER LIFE, MA HAWA WAS A FAMOUS PRAISE SINGER AT LOCAL WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS.  BUT JUST LIKE MOST WOMEN HERE SHE SHARED HER HUSBAND WITH ANOTHER WIFE, DESCRIBED AS A RIVAL.

 

 

10:07:51:05

Ma Hawa

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:07:54:01

SUBTITLE:

My rival died and I was looking

after her children

 

10:07:58:08

SUBTITLE:

when the devil stepped in.

 

10:08:03:13

SUBTITLE:

The boy said he couldn’t sleep

because I was bewitching him

 

10:08:10:18

SUBTITLE:

So my children brought me to

Gambaga

 

10:08:17:02

SUBTITLE:

for the chief to look after me.

 

 

10:08:23:17

Yaba Badoe

You said that you had caused the boy’s sickness.  How is that possible?

 

 

10:08:29:24

Ma Hawa

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:08:29:21

SUBTITLE:

To be honest, when it  happened

 

10:08:32:14

SUBTITLE:

it was the boy’s word against mine.

 

10:08:36:05

SUBTITLE:

But how could I deny it?

 

10:08:40:13

SUBTITLE:

If I’m here in Gambaga

I can’t deny that I’m a witch.

 

10:08:50:03

SUBTITLE:

I was brought here because of one

thing alone, I’m a witch.

 

10:08:54:21

SUBTITLE:

That was my problem.

I didn’t argue with anyone about it

 

 

 

10:08:58:16

SUBTITLE:

because it’s true.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.

10:08:59:11

Music In

 

10:09:17:17

NARRATOR

I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF MA HAWA’S CONFESSION.  SHE LATER TOLD ME THAT IF SHE HADN’T CONFESSED TO WITCHCRAFT SHE’D HAVE BEEN KILLED. 

 

 

10:09:31:11

NARRATOR

YET A CONVICTION THAT SHE WAS A WITCH MADE ME WONDER IF WITCHCRAFT BELIEFS ARE SO DEEPLY ENTRENCHED THAT TO BE BORN A WOMAN IS TO BE BORN UNDER A SHADOW OF SUSPICION.  THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH’S TEAM, TO HELP WOMEN RETURN TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, IS LED BY SIMON NGOTA.

 

 

10:09:51:21

 

10:09:57:17

CAPTION

Simon Ngota

Team Leader “Go Home” project

 

Simon Ngota

A common belief, especially this part of the country, northern Ghana, people have a very strong belief in witchcraft and they have a belief that the witches they have the power to cause the illness of somebody, even to the extent of the person dying.  So they believe that it is actually something that is very bad. 

 

 

6.

10:09:52:24

Music Out

 

10:10:21:19

NARRATOR

MEN ARE BELIEVED TO USE WITCHCRAFT AS WELL.  HOWEVER, THEY’RE EXPECTED TO EXERCISE THEIR SPIRITUAL POWER RESPONSIBLY.

 

 

10:10:28:20

Simon Ngota

With the men they use it in a positive way.  Like a man might use it to protect his house, a man might use it to treat people, as a herbalist, but they have the general belief that women actually use it to destroy life. 

 

 

10:10:48:09

NARRATOR

THE WITCHES’ CAMP AT GAMBAGA WAS ESTABLISHED THANKS TO THE INTERVENTION OF THE FIRST IMAM OF GAMBAGA SOMETIME TOWARDS THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY, BEFORE THE BRITISH COLONISED WHAT WAS THEN REFERRED TO AS THE GOLD COAST.  AS THE STORY GOES, IMAM [BABA] WAS ON HIS WAY TO [NALERIGU], WALKING ALONG THIS ROAD, WHEN HE CAME ACROSS A WOMAN, [ADISA] OF [SIMBA], FROM A VILLAGE IN THE UPPER EAST, WHO WAS BEING LED TO HER EXECUTION BECAUSE OF WITCHCRAFT ON THIS HILL BEHIND ME.  ADISA RAN TO THE IMAM AND BEGGED FOR HER LIFE.  THE IMAM MANAGED TO TAKE HER TO SEE THE CHIEF OF NALERIGU WHO’D JUST AUTHORISED HER EXECUTION.  HE QUOTED VERSES OF THE KORAN TO HIM.  HE ASKED FOR CLEMENCY AND THE CHIEF AGREED THAT IMAM BABA COULD TAKE ADISA BACK TO THE MOSQUE AT GAMBAGA FOR HER PROTECTION.

 

 

10:11:42:04

(chanting)

 

7.

10:11:42:03

Music In

 

10:11:55:04

Yaba Badoe

Before long, whenever a woman was about to be executed for witchcraft she would run to Gambaga for protection at the mosque.  The Imam apparently made the woman swear on the Koran that she would behave herself and if she didn’t it’s said that the Koran made sure that she got her comeuppance.

 

7.

10:11:59:24

Music Out

 

10:12:15:01

(chanting)

 

8.

10:12:15:02

Music In

 

10:12:17:10

NARRATOR

EVENTUALLY, SO MANY WOMEN WERE LIVING IN THE MOSQUE THAT THE PEOPLE AND THE CHIEF OF GAMBAGA BUILT A CAMP FOR WITCHES ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE TOWN.

 

 

10:12:28:11

(chanting)

 

 

10:12:33:06

NARRATOR

BUT WHEN THE NEXT IMAM QUARRELLED WITH THE CHIEF OF NALERIGU, THE CHIEF PLACED THE WITCHES UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHIEF OF GAMBAGA, THE GAMBARRANA.  THEY REMAIN IN THE CUSTODY OF HIS DESCENDENTS TO THIS DAY. 

 

8.

10:12:34:16

Music Out

 

10:12:48:00

Chief

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:12:48:15

SUBTITLE:

Women have their own witchcraft

 

10:12:52:04

SUBTITLE:

that’s the way things are.

 

10:12:55:07

SUBTITLE:

Can you tell if someone is a thief?

 

 

10:12:59:09

SUBTITLE:

Answer me.

 

 

10:13:01:13

Yaba Badoe

I can’t tell what’s in people’s hearts.

 

 

10:13:03:12

Chief

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:13:04:02

SUBTITLE:

That’s how witchcraft is.

 

10:13:07:15

SUBTITLE:

Do you think that everyone in

Europe is good?

 

10:13:12:14

SUBTITLE:

There are bad people there too,

witches and wizards.

 

10:13:15:19

SUBTITLE:

I’ve seen them myself, men and

women.

 

 

 

10:13:19:22

NARRATOR

so witchcraft is everywhere. what the chief doesn’t mention is that he has a stake in KEEPING it that way. 

 

9.

10:13:27:03

Music In

 

10:13:31:04

NARRATOR

because every woman at the camp pays for his protection and if a woman arrives with NOTHING she repays her debt with labour.

 

 

10:14:03:04

 

10:14:07:19

CAPTION

Salmata

 

10:14:10:08

CAPTION

New arrival

 

NARRATOR

today, yet another woman condemned for witchcraft arrives at the camp and begins what could be years of exile from her family.  she’s escorted from the chief’s palace to Ma Hawa’s hut. 

 

9.

10:14:04:07

Music Out

 

10:14:17:15

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:14:19:19

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:14:21:14

Translator

Well actually I just come out to [INAUDIBLE]. 

 

 

10:14:25:22

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:14:26:15

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:14:27:11

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:14:30:15

NARRATOR

salmata’s daughter is the ONLY MEMBER of her family to come to Gambaga to support her. 

 

 

10:14:35:21

Yaba Badoe

Could you ask her what happened. 

 

 

10:14:38:03

Gladys Lariba

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:14:39:19

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:14:40:05

SUBTITLE:

My rival’s daughter died

and they say I’m responsible

 

 

 

10:14:44:11

SUBTITLE:

The dead woman was living in a

different town when she died.

 

10:14:48:02

SUBTITLE:

Yet they said my

mother and I killed her.

 

10:14:51:23

SUBTITLE:

I rely on my mother to look after

my children when I’m working.

 

10:14:54:17

SUBTITLE:

Who is going to help me now?

 

10:14:58:17

SUBTITLE:

Try and be patient.

 

 

10:15:01:06

NARRATOR

it transpires that both mother and daughter have been accused of witchcraft and both have undergone a trial by ordeal.

 

 

 

10:15:09:10

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:15:09:16

SUBTITLE:

They made my mother and I kill

fowls.

 

10:15:12:20

SUBTITLE:

They say my mother bewitched

the woman.

 

 

10:15:15:06

NARRATOR

according to local belief, the daughter is innocent.  salmata, however, is now a confirmed witch because the ritual has gone against her. 

 

 

10:15:24:06

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:15:25:10

SUBTITLE:

My fowl died the wrong way,

 

10:15:28:08

SUBTITLE:

so they blamed me for what

happened.

 

 

10:15:29:23

(singing)

 

10.

10:15:29:07

Music In

 

10:15:32:15

NARRATOR

her guilt was determined by how a chicken died when it was slaughtered; whether it died with its WINGS facing the sky or the ground. 

 

10.

10:15:46:04

Music Out

 

11.

10:15:46:04

Music In

 

10:15:58:08

Villager

Ah, you see that that’s correct.

 

11.

10:15:59:16

Music Out

 

10:16:04:18

 

10:16:17:08

CAPTION

Alima

 

10:16:19:17

CAPTION

Resident at the camp

for 20 years

 

 

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:16:22:23

NARRATOR

while salmata begins her new life as a witch, alima is GETTING ready to return home with her son.

 

 

10:16:32:01

 

10:16:34:02

CAPTION

Agruba

 

10:16:36:02

CAPTION

Resident at the camp

for 10 years

 

NARRATOR

she’ll be GOING with another woman from the same village, agruba.

 

 

 

10:16:39:23

NARRATOR

WORKING closely with THE chief, simon ngota and gladys Lariba do one of the toughest jobs in the world.  they help women, believed to be witches, RETURN home.  but before she can leave the chief’s custody, agruba has to prove that she’s completely free of witchcraft by undergoing a final trial by ordeal.

 

 

10:17:00:14

Chief

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:17:01:05

SUBTITLE:

Many people have tried to film

what’s happening today

 

10:17:04:19

SUBTITLE:

I didn’t allow it.

Only you have succeeded.

 

10:17:07:05

SUBTITLE:

Only you.

 

 

10:17:13:09

Chief

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:17:16:18

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:17:21:18

Chief

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:17:21:19

SUBTITLE:

Is your name Agruba?

 

 

 

10:17:26:17

SUBTITLE:

How long have you been here?

 

10:17:29:06

SUBTITLE:

She’s been here for 10 years.

 

10:17:33:14

SUBTITLE:

My God, these people have asked

for the return of this woman.

 

10:17:40:05

SUBTITLE:

She’s been here for 10 years and

they have brought this fowl

 

10:17:46:18

SUBTITLE:

so that she may go home.

 

 

10:17:53:24

Chief

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:17:56:13

Simon Ngota

The [INAUDIBLE] who come to [INAUDIBLE] so you go back.

 

 

 

10:18:08:15

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:18:14:02

NARRATOR

the chicken has died with its wings upturned, a sign that the gods have given agruba the GO-AHEAD and, cleansed of witchcraft, she will soon be on her way home with THE chief’s blessing.

 

 

10:18:25:23

Simon Ngota

And we are working together so that even if the woman is going the chief will have to inform us and after the chief has performed his rituals we will have to take the woman back and then, as a church, we will make follow ups to ensure that the woman is living at the community peacefully.

 

 

10:18:48:02

NARRATOR

through simon and Lariba the church has helped agruba and alima’s sons pay most of the fee demanded by the chief for the RELEASE of their mothers. 

 

 

10:19:01:08

NARRATOR

just as alima and agruba are ABOUT to leave, Ma Hawa prays for their safe passage home.

 

 

10:19:07:05

Ma Hawa

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:19:07:17

SUBTITLE:

God our great chief and owner of

everything

 

10:19:13:20

SUBTITLE:

Alima was accused of witchcraft.

 

10:19:18:05

SUBTITLE:

She wept, saying lions and hyenas

were about to devour her.

 

10:19:23:01

SUBTITLE:

The animals chased Alima to the

Gambarrana

 

10:19:28:10

SUBTITLE:

and she said “Father, save me.”

 

10:19:33:09

SUBTITLE:

He agreed to save her.

 

10:19:37:01

SUBTITLE:

Alima came to our father the

Gambarrana

 

10:19:41:23

SUBTITLE:

with thorns in her feet.

 

10:19:44:23

SUBTITLE:

Our father has removed the thorns

and given her sandals.

 

10:19:49:07

SUBTITLE:

May these sandals protect Alima’s

feet in her husband’s house.

 

 

10:19:54:19

Villagers

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:19:56:01

(chanting)

 

 

10:20:10:23

NARRATOR

before they leave the chief’s custody, alima and agruba have to drink a special potion that prevents them from dabbling in witchcraft again. then the chief gives their sons a final word of advice.

 

 

10:20:24:01

 

10:20:59:10

CAPTION

Kparigu

Chief

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:20:24:13

SUBTITLE:

When you get home, I don’t want

anyone to bother these women.

 

10:20:29:04

SUBTITLE:

If you have any problems come

and see me, I’ll sort it out.

 

12.

10:20:30:22

Music In

 

10:20:59:10

CAPTION

Kparigu

 

 

 

10:21:06:12

NARRATOR

the village of kparigu is notorious for expelling women believed to be witches.  so far, five of them have ended up at Gambaga. 

 

12.

10:21:09:15

Music Out

 

10:21:18:08

Simon Ngota

The chief and the elders he didn’t want to accept them back but with our regular visits and counselling they have come to understand and now they are ready to accept them.

 

 

10:21:33:13

NARRATOR

sometimes relatives take women home and kill them to ERase the stain of witchcraft from the family. 

 

 

10:21:40:08

Villager

We have got strangers; we have to say before we sit down because you are filming. (laughing)

 

 

10:21:48:01

NARRATOR

this time, despite hours of preparation, the village elders aren’t very welcoming. 

 

 

10:21:54:06

Villager elder

Who brought them to me? 

 

 

10:21:57:17

NARRATOR

the women have to prove that the gambarrana has cleansed them of witchcraft.

 

 

10:22:02:14

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:22:09:11

NARRATOR

even so, UNWILLING to take any chances, a village elder lays down some cast iron rules.

 

 

10:22:15:19

Village elder

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

10:22:16:14

SUBTITLE:

You can’t go to anyone’s house.

 

10:22:19:09

SUBTITLE:

You can’t go to the market

or play with anyone’s child

 

10:22:23:21

SUBTITLE:

If you want to buy something

send someone to buy it for you.

 

10:22:31:02

SUBTITLE:

If there’s any dancing anywhere,

I don’t want you there.

 

10:22:37:23

SUBTITLE:

This applies to both of you,

understood?

 

 

10:22:45:19

SUBTITLE:

Ok, welcome home.

 

 

10:22:53:09

NARRATOR

undeterred by the prospect of living under virtual house arrest, alima goes to her husband’s compound. 

 

 

10:22:59:15

Villagers

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:23:17:09

Villager

[FOREIGN DIALOGUE]

 

 

10:23:29:07

NARRATOR

now that she’s home, agruba faces daunting challenges.  how is she going to adjust to her new life?  will her relatives really accept her or will she end up like others before her, back at the witches’ camp? 

 

 

10:24:29:05

 

10:25:51:12

CAPTION

Accra

Yaba Badoe

In case you think witchcraft belief is just a problem in Northern Ghana, you’re wrong.  Witchcraft belief permeates Ghanaian culture.  It’s part of the ether we breathe here.  Here’s an addition of the Daily Guide newspaper of 30th September.  There’s a story about Ghana’s very popular finance minister, the honourable Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu who died suddenly in South Africa.  Members of his family, thinking that the guy who contested the parliamentary primary against him was responsible for his death, had started organising groups of young men to lynch him.  Thankfully, the chief of the area called the family to his palace and asked them to stop making such inflammatory statements.  And here’s another article.  “Ritual murder hits Accra.” Inside, there’s a very gruesome photograph of young boy of around nine, who was found murdered.  The way he’s killed, the way his body has been dismembered and his genitalia removed, suggests that he was killed for ritual purposes.  So, if people believe in witchcraft it’s very likely that there are others who will use that belief for their own purposes. 

 

13.

10:23:47:12

Music In

 

 

13.

10:24:35:14

Music Out

 

14.

10:25:46:07

Music In

 

10:25:55:05

NARRATOR

ghana was the first country in black africa to gain independence from britain.  i imagine that our leaders back then hoped that development and christianity would change our thinking but countless economic upheavals seem to have reinforced traditional religious beliefs in which THE SPIRIT WORLD is EVERY bit as important as the world of the LIVING. 

 

 

14.

10:26:08:15

Music Out

 

10:26:19:14

 

10:26:22:15

CAPTION

Yao Graham

 

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