Zarma - Songhay culture:
Hippopotamus hunt
(part 3)
Baŋawi, Hippopotamus hunt, part 3
After their first
success, it takes several months before the
sorko start the next baŋawi.
On 27 April the sorkey gather at Tambabaro and again
a flotilla of eight dug-outs sails out together with the
great pirogue. They succeed to harpoon a hippopotamus, a
young animal, that is pulled onto a beach and killed. The
hunt continues upriver to Tamoulés. The next day at Tibo
they start the chase of a big male 'the bearded one' of
Tamoulés. One of the sorko manage to harpoon this
big animal. It charges the hunters and smashes one of the
dug-outs, seven are left. The battle continuous with the
great pirogue. Special preparations are made to protect
themselves with magic. Without success. The hippo strikes
first and and smashes the prow of the boat. It sinks and all
have to abandon ship. The next day with the help of others
they repair the great pirogue. Thereafter they continue
their hunt.
Background information
This video is part 3 of
Jean Rouch and
Roger Rosfelder film titled "Bataille
sur le Grand Fleuve" (literally Battle on the Big
River) made in 1952. The other parts can be viewed as well. The film was shot on a mission of the
French Institute of Black Africa (L'
Institute Français d'Afrique Noire) near Ayorou
in 1950-1951. The length of the original film is 33
minutes, the video shows the third part of 6:38 minutes.
|
Bataille sur le
Grand Fleuve (part 1 to 4) |
|
Baŋawi, part 1 |
Baŋawi, part 2 |
Baŋawi, part 3 |
Hippo hunt, part 4 |