Photo of the film Damanda. © Voice4Thought Academy
Goldmining is an important theme in research in the Bougouni region. The data collected in the qualitative research is not only presented in blogs and academic publications, but also forms the basis for artistic expression within the Academy. The transfer of knowledge and the creation of a dialogue through artistic expression is an important pillar of the Voice4Thought Academy. Based on the research on gold panning, the play ‘Damanda’ was created.
This play is a dramatic account of a young student who is forced by his father to abandon his studies in favour of gold mining. Indeed, his father, blinded by greed, does not see the importance of his studies because he notices that his peers bring money into their family. Desperate, the child finally obeys his father and embarks on this dangerous adventure. He meets a gentleman who tells him the rules of the job, which include the use of drugs. Vieux got used to it and even frequented bars at his young age. He meets a prostitute who also tells him her story. Vieux, who was a noisy young pupil, ends up in the middle of a world that was totally foreign to him, as he becomes a thief before succumbing to a floor collapse.
The film can be found in the archive’s public collection, the Resource Centre. Click here. The film is spoken in Bambara.
The gallery was not found! The gallery was not found!Behind-the-scenes images. Voice4Thought Academy
