Gone to the Village

Wednesday, October 2 at the Michigan. Free and open to the public.
Gone to the Village is a unique and powerful documentary, beautifully filmed, of the elaborate funerary rites for the Queen Mother of the Asante in Ghana. Leading Asante scholar Kwasi Ampene directs and narrates with the authority, gaze and sensitivity of a true insider, with stunning footage of the rich cultural traditions of the Asante people. Filmed on location in Kumase during the funeral, we witness traditions that have stubbornly and proudly resisted the onslaught of colonial rule and globalization. Through the film, we learn about the history of the Asante as well as the central role of women in this matriarchal society. The scenes of dance, song, drumming, proverbs, and dress code are of exceptional and exquisite beauty, unprecedented in the African continent.
- Lucy Durán Professor of Music with special reference to West Africa and Cuba, SOAS, University of London
Director Kwasi Ampene