Moolaadé Story Essay

Seven years ago, a charwoman and a mother refused to overmaster her only daughter to be under the atrocious l close oneself of fe priapic person circumcision. Moolaad is the humbug of this woman, Coll Ardo, a insurgent and strong-minded second wife of Cir in a small secluded African village who single-handedly refused to allow five girls to suffer through the customary Salind ceremony. She was in reverse with the practice of genital mutilation cod to her personal experiences and she didnt want others to suffer like her. Colls Moolaad enraged the Salindana, who were the women who performed civilisation ritual and the male elders who viewed her actions as threats to their values. As a sign of dominance, the men confiscated the womens radios, which devastated the women because it was their source to news and music away of their isolated lives.When the five girls escaped the Salind ceremony and came to Coll, she willingly offered them Moolaad, or protection. Coll was scarred a fter losing devil children during vaginal birth due to her own genital mutilation. She remembers the pain she had to go through and the nurse had to open her up to salve her only surviving daughter, Amasatou. Coll remained firm that she would neer let Amasatou to endure the agony of be cut. Colls prophylactic device with the old tradition caused outrage in the dominating patriarchal society who viewed her actions as disrespect to tradition and Islamic religion. The male elders took away the womens radios because they didnt want women being find outd by radical ideas.Coll was intensely pressured by the Salindana and the male elders, including her husband to swindle the Moolaad. Her refusal forced her husband to whip her publically but she never once uttered the word. Colls actions reflected her bravery and determination which mobilized the other women in the village to support Colls intentions and realize the horrid effects of purification. She was an intelligent woman who en couraged the other women to realize that the men were oppressing them from the honor by taking away their radios, so the women wouldnt ponder over unreasonable ideas. Coll supported her ingrained opposition to genital mutilation with evidence that contradicted the mens inaccurate dictations.While, listening to the radio Coll had learned that Islam didnt tolerate distaff genital mutilation because thousands of Islamic women would go to Mecca for pilgrimage and they werent cut, which shocked many of the male elders who still appe bed to be ignorant. Through this, the women in the village united together and bonded through the pain distributively of them suffered through their genital mutilations. There is a sense of relief and happiness that reflect off these women in the end when they burned the knives used to bring suffering to generations of women who feel under the dreadful practice. As Coll and the village women in their struggles end the practice of female genital cutting, they began their own feminism movement revolutionizing their purpose in society.Both characters having hold backn the world beyond the village and convinced of the take away for adjustment become unlikely ally of Coll and the village women in their struggles to end the practice of female genital cutting. Such unlikely partnerships forged across ethnic, class, gender and generational lines break historically been crucial to the victory of human rights struggles. In the campaign against the practice of female genital cutting, they are essential and Moolad shows us why. caused a sudden sentiency among the other ladened women in the village when her husband whipped her publically but she never once uttered the word. Allegedly eradicationUnlike many recent Hollywood make put downs somewhat Africa, Moolad is a story about Africa made by Africans from a distinctly local anaesthetic emplacement. Yet, it speaks to universal themes of power, oppression and emancipation. In depicti ng one womans struggle to protect others from an oppressive and inhibiting tradition, Sembene brings great sensitivity and refinement to topic that is often discussed from simplistic, wicked and polarizing standpoints. He deftly explores not only the conflict between local traditional values and the influence of modern ideas, but also the gender and generational tensions within a community largely isolated from the outback(a) world.Although the film obviously seeks to challenge the practice of female genital cutting and raise questions about its legitimacy, it does so with sensitivity to underlying affable complexities. It provides a glimpse into the perspective of local African tribesmen who see the practice of female genital cutting as process of purification and older women who see it as a necessary rite of passage for their daughters. However disagreeable their positions may appear, Sembene brings their voices to the story in a way that is neither condescending nor patroniz ing.Beyond its message, Moolad is a cinematic delight. Sembene assembles a group of colourful characters that annex depth to his portrayal of rural African life and make for a more compelling storyline. Although this film is essentially about the local tribulations of an African village, it still mange to engage the outside world through two intriguing characters a local itinerant vendor, nicknamed Mercenaire who previously worked as an helper worker, and a favoured son of the village Chief, Ibrahima, who re loosenesss home from his studies in France to take a bride. Both characters having seen the world beyond the village and convinced of the need for change become unlikely allies of Coll and the village women in their struggles to end the practice of female genital cutting. Such unlikely partnerships forged across ethnic, class, gender and generational lines have historically been crucial to the success of human rights struggles. In the campaign against the practice of female g enital cutting, they are essential and Moolad shows us why.Ultimately, this moving-picture show is not simply about oppression and social turmoil or about progressive citizens and regressive traditions. It is more about the resilience of the human spirit and the tenacity of common people determined to change their destinies. It is an excursion into the dilemmas that confront a society caught in the midst of social and cultural change. For the human rights savant and teacher, it provides a subtle but invaluable resource for raising awareness about the practice of female genital cutting and offers a means of understanding and explaining a moot topic to an audience unfamiliar with(predicate) with the social and cultural intricacies associated with the practice. Set in a remote Muslim village in Burkina Faso, Moolad is the story of Coll, a defiant and strong-willed second wife of an elder in a West African village who refuses to allow four little girls to undergo the traditional ci rcumcision ceremony. later losing two daughters in vaginal birth due to her own circumcision, Coll had refused to allow her surviving daughter, Amasatou, to face the ordeal of being cut. Colles moolaad stirs the anger of the Salidana, a group of women dressed in red gowns who perform the mutilation. She is also forced to stand up to the deterrence of her husband and his brother and the male elders in the village who see her as a threat to their values. As a gesture of control, the men confiscate the womens radios, their main source of news of outside life. stiffly defending their traditions and what they questionably see as a practice sanctioned by Islam, they also turn against an itinerant merchant they call Mercenaire (Dominique Zeida) who comes to the aid of Colle in a shocking scene of public flogging. As the issue becomes crystallized, many women rally to Colles support whose courage in the face of determined opposition is of heroic proportions.She is thrust into an unfolding drama of village politics when she offers Moolad (protection) to the girls who escape the circumcision ceremony. Moolad is the mystical protection which in the local custom can be invoked to provide place of safety. Colls interference draws the fury of her late patriarchal community which sees her action as an affront on its culture and Islamic religion. Coll can lift the Moolad with a single word and comes under the intense pressure of the male elders, her husband and some better half women to do so. Her resolute refusal to lift the Moolad draws other women and girls to her cause and sets the stage for a standoff with the village elders that erupts in the centre of the village and shatters the tranquility of the community.Unlike many recent Hollywood made films about Africa, Moolad is a story about Africa made by Africans from a distinctly local perspective. Yet, it speaks to universal themes of power, oppression and emancipation. In depicting one womans struggle to protect other s from an oppressive and inhibiting tradition, Sembene brings great sensitivity and nuance to topic that is often discussed from simplistic, patronizing and polarizing standpoints.He deftly explores not only the conflict between local traditional values and the influence of modern ideas, but also the gender and generational tensions within a community largely isolated from the outside world. Although the film obviously seeks to challenge the practice of female genital cutting and raise questions about its legitimacy, it does so with sensitivity to underlying social complexities. It provides a glimpse into the perspective of local African tribesmen who see the practice of female genital cutting as process of purification and older women who see it as a necessary rite of passage for their daughters. However disagreeable their positions may appear, Sembene brings their voices to the story in a way that is neither condescending nor patronizing.Beyond its message, Moolad is a cinematic d elight. Sembene assembles a group of colourful characters that add depth to his portrayal of rural African life and make for a more compelling storyline. Although this film is essentially about the local tribulations of an African village, it still mange to engage the outside world through two intriguing characters a local itinerant vendor, nicknamed Mercenaire who previously worked as an aid worker, and a favoured son of the village Chief, Ibrahima, who returns home from his studies in France to take a bride. Both characters having seen the world beyond the village and convinced of the need for change become unlikely allies of Coll and the village women in their struggles to end the practice of female genital cutting. Such unlikely partnerships forged across ethnic, class, gender and generational lines have historically been crucial to the success of human rights struggles. In the campaign against the practice of female genital cutting, they are essential and Moolad shows us why.U ltimately, this movie is not simply about oppression and social turmoil or about progressive citizens and regressive traditions. It is more about the resilience of the human spirit and the tenacity of ordinary people determined to change their destinies. It is an excursion into the dilemmas that confront a society caught in the midst of social and cultural change.For the human rights scholar and teacher, it provides a subtle but invaluable resource for raising awareness about the practice of female genital cutting and offers a means of understanding and explaining a controversial topic to an audience unfamiliar with the social and cultural intricacies associated with the practice. Set in a remote Muslim village in Burkina Faso, Moolad is the story of Coll, a defiant and strong-willed second wife of an elder in a West African village who refuses to allow four little girls to undergo the traditional circumcision ceremony. After losing two daughters in childbirth due to her own circumc ision, Coll had refused to allow her surviving daughter, Amasatou, to face the ordeal of being cut.