Zarma - Songhay culture:
Hippopotamus hunt
(part 4)
Baŋawi, Hippopotamus hunt, part 4
After their
failure, the damaged great pirogues is repaired and the
sorko sail out again. In the search of the 'the
bearded one', the big male hippopotamus, they encounter an
ayu (manatee). The animal is harpooned and killed. On 2 May
they succeed to find the big male hippo. The sorko
attack it. Although the hippo is hit by several harpoons it
manages to get away and hide in the marches. The men find a
few days old beast they name Harikambe (water
hand). It is entrusted to one of the men, who takes care of
it. The others continue the pursuit the
next day. They follow the 'the bearded one' to the rapids of
Labbezenga. The battle begins once again in the marches near
the rapids. Although the animal is hit many times, it
succeeds to break loose again and to severely damaged
the great pirogue. The sorko are left with a damaged great
pirogue, a broken yaji (big spear) and a few
harpoons. The have to accept their defeat.
Background information
This video is part 4 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 fourth and last part of 9:57 minutes.
|
Bataille sur le
Grand Fleuve (part 1 to 4) |
|
Baŋawi, part 1 |
Baŋawi, part 2 |
Baŋawi, part 3 |
Baŋawi, part 4 |