The premiering of The Witches of Gambaga could not have been timelier. This documentary came at the back of a gruesome awakening in Ghana when on November 26 last year, a 72-year-old grandmother, Madam Hemmah, suffered a most barbaric death – she was burnt alive by a mob after being accused of witchcraft.

Before then, many played dead to the occurrence of such practices in certain parts of the country. Not anymore.

The Witches of Gambaga forced Ghanaians and Africans everywhere to rethink and join the fight against the ignoble practice, which is prevalent in parts of the continent. As such, the coordinated response of Ghanaians as a result of the enormity and brutality of the crime against Madam Hemmah, could not have been swifter.

The Witches of Gambaga follows the extraordinary story of a community of women condemned to live as witches in Gambaga, Northern Ghana. Made over the course of 5 years, this disturbing exposé is the product of a collaboration between members of the 100 strong community of ‘witches’ and women’s movement activists determined to end abusive practices and improve women’s lives in Africa.

Painful experience and insight come together to create an intimate portrait of the lives of women ostracized by their communities. Told largely by the women themselves, their incredible stories and struggles are conveyed to a wide range of audiences by the director’s narration.

Read more about it HERE.

Genre: Documentary
Director: Yaba Badoe
Producers: Yaba Badoe and Amina Mama

Winner: Best Documentary – Black International Film Festival, 2010
Second Prize: for Best Documentary FESPACO, 2011

Watch YouTube video.

8 COMMENTS

  1. This looks like it could be interesting. It seems extreme to determine life or death for somebody based on how a chicken dies. They definitely need a better system. We learned about the Salem “witches” in school and how they were persecuted but I didn’t know this was going on all over the world. smh

    • You are right D. Brooks. It’s a shame that on such a lovely continent that gave birth to civilization we fall short of making any meaningful contributions to life now. We ostracize our mothers for being witches? I don’t know where that mentality came from?

  2. I don’t think this is that strange at all. This kind of thing was happening here in the USA just a few years ago. People were torturing and burning ‘witches’. Even when we think about it, people still hang and burn black people just because they have dark skin. So Lumumba, it’s not strange. It’s bad. I agree and it’s uncivilized but we shouldn’t think Africans are the only culprits.

  3. I think what is happening in Ghana is exactly what is happening in Kenya, Rwanda and even Burundi. For example, people kill albinos for juju and stuff. It’s insane. I wonder where this kind of mentality comes from? It’s crazy and disheartening when you keep hearing stories of this nature.

  4. Personally I think the documentary was a little too harsh on African culture and society. Ms. Badoe made it seem as if the punishment of witches happens everywhere in Africa. It doesn’t. Even in Ghana, Gambaga is a very isolated case. We should be careful when we make generalization because when they become the status quo, they lead into stereotypes. I think Ms. Badoe should have stressed that there are many parts of Ghana where this practice would be as alien as it is to people here in America. A lot of good things happen in Ghana and the rest of Africa but I wonder why people including Africans keeping making documentaries about the worse, the bad and the ugly? Can we start making positive documentaries? Something a little progressive?

  5. Ben, I think Ms.Badoe is trying to call attention to the situation so they can end it. it’s one of those things that has to stop. And it should stop immediately. Don’t you agree? I think she’s just using documentary to amass support for ending the practice.

  6. I think you she could do that without making it look like this sort of thing is what they all do in Africa. I am always wary of Africans who live abroad going back to only criticize. I want to ask them, where have you been? All of a sudden they think because they have lived in Europe or America, they know better and they can change everything. Sometimes they can. I agree this has to change immediately. It’s bad! But the approach is often condescending.

    • I agree. Well said. I think we have to keep accommodating one another if there’s gonna be a meaningful progress.

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