Tarbiyya Tatali

African Apocalypse

Marie-Françoise — 2025-07-26T07:48:25Z

Rob Lemkin

Rob Lemkin is the director of over fifty documentaries, including African Apocalypse (2020), which he co-wrote with Femi Nylander and Matt McConaghy and filmed with Claude Garnier. Rob's other films include Enemies of the People (2009), about the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, which won the Jury Prize at Sundance.

Synopsis

British-Nigerian poet and activist Femi Nylander travels to West Africa to discover the contemporary impact on its populations of the atrocities committed over a century ago by the Central Africa Mission (Colonne Voulet and Chanoine).

Femi follows in the footsteps of the French officer, Paul Voulet, who blazed a trail of unspeakable barbarity through Niger. Voulet's actions faithfully reflect the colonial horror depicted in Joseph Conrad's famous novel, Heart of Darkness, written at the very time Voulet unleashed his murderous rampage in 1899.

In Niger, with the words and images of Conrad's time still fresh in his mind, Femi rediscovers painful memories and communities (including those of Lougou, Dioundiou, and Birni'n Konni) still living with the traumatic consequences of the violence committed over a century ago.

But at the heart of this terrible story, Femi also discovers the beauty of Niger and a breath of hope: young people working together to harness the power of its most precious resource: sunlight, as part of the National Solar Energy Agency (ANERSOL).

Film Screening

African Apocalypse premiered at the 64^th BFI London Film Festival on October 16, 2020. It was broadcast by the BBC.

In Niger, it was screened in Niamey and other cities. In 2024, a thousand people attended its screening in Konni Prefecture, Niger – the site of the largest French colonial massacre in 1899.

It was not screened in France.

Reparations Demands

African Apocalypse served as a catalyst for the mobilization of local Nigerien communities, which led to demands for reparations submitted to the UN.

Three Ceremonies in Lougou (1984)

2024-06-10T11:51:48Z

In Lougou, women pound millet every day. This ritual sets the rhythm for three important ceremonies throughout the day.

Becoming Saraouniya

Saraouniya is the queen. In 1983, a woman named Aljimma was designated by the body of the deceased Saraouniya Gado. Until then, she was like any other woman, a wife and a mother. Once chosen, Aljimma ceased to be an ordinary woman and became the vessel of transcendence. For the Azna people, she embodies fertility and represents a link in a lineage that ensures the alliance between the earth,… spirits, and men.

The three ceremonies mark the end of her year of apprenticeship and the beginning of her reign: she becomes the new queen, Saraouniya Aljimma.

Available here. The mobile version here.

Dakan tururuwa: Pounding for the Anthill

The women prepare gumba, an uncooked millet porridge. Outside the village, Saraouniya sprinkles the anthill with gumba, to ask for good rains and an abundant harvest. Once the alliance with nature is reaffirmed, the children can enjoy the gumba.

Dakan dabi: pounding for sacrifice

The Dakan dabi, or pounding for sacrifice, always follows the Dakan tururuwa. The community gathers around Saraouniya, who spins the gumba. Everyone recalls traditions, honors their ancestors, and shares wishes for peace and health for all. The priests also issue warnings for potential enemies. Saraouniya then leaves the assembly, as the sacrifice is being prepared and she cannot see the blood. A goat is killed, this sacrifice honors the dead.

Dakan Saraouniya: pounding for Saraouniya

This ceremony takes place a year after the death of the previous Saraouniya, in front of what used to be her hut. It marks the end of Godo's cycle by closing his funeral and thus beginning of Aljimma's.
The spirits that inhabited the late Saraouniya's hut leave to join the new queen. Saraouniya now resides in her large hut where she will remain cloistered, guaranteeing peace and prosperity for all groups from Lougou.

Saraouniya Mangou

2024-05-28T08:30:40Z

History

Saraouniya (queen in Hausa) Mangou is especially known for the resistance her community in Lougou showed against the Voulet-Chanoine mission. At a time when many West African kingdoms surrendered to the French without a fight, the community of Lougou, under the leadership of Saraouniya Mangou, battled the colonial troops commanded by Captains Voulet and Chanoine in April 1899.

Saraouniya is described by Lieutenant Joalland as an “old witch” who deliberately defied the French as they approached her village, sending them an insulting message promising to block their path and boasting about the invincibility of her warriors. On April 16, 1899, the French troops arrived at Lougou, where the Azna warriors confronted them. The battle, pitting bows against cannons, was uneven. Due to the resistance of Lougou's warriors, the encounter proved costly for the colonial troops, resulting in four deaths, six injuries, and the loss of about 7,000 cartridges.

The Aznas retreated into the forest but reclaimed Lougou after the French left, having burned and ruined the village. Saraouniya was reportedly taken away by her warriors during the battle and was later buried in the Saraouniya cemetery in Lougou.

Myth and Fame

The memory of Saraouniya Mangou has been preserved for decades in local oral tradition.

Her fame spread widely from 1980 onwards, thanks to Abdoulaye Mamani's book, “Sarraounia: The Drama of the Magic Queen,” a novel that highlights her resistance to the colonial troops. The book portrayed her as a young warrior, even though Lougou tradition holds that a Saraouniya is always an elderly woman who does not partake in battles and whose only weapon is her distaff.

The book had a tremendous media impact, turning Saraouniya Mangou into an icon of resistance against colonization, widely known in Niger, Africa, and beyond. Films, ballets, plays, children's books, school textbooks, songs, documentaries, and more have been dedicated to her. Schools, radio stations, TV channels, hotels, and restaurants bear her name.

On May 23, 2024, the “Saraouniya Mangou” Sovereignty Medal was established to honor individuals or organizations “who have particularly distinguished themselves through acts of patriotism, commitment, and/or sacrifice for the cause of national sovereignty.”

Saraouniya Mangou is highly celebrated, but few people know that the tradition of the Saraouniya continues in Lougou today, and Saraouniya does not receive appropriate recognition within the traditional chieftaincy.

Alichina Allakaye

Marie-Françoise — 2023-07-29T17:26:06Z

Alichina Allakaye Alichina Allakaye (in the center in the photo above, taken during the Bagagi Parade in 2021) is co-founder of the theater company Les Tréteaux du Niger and the plastic art collective Gamouart. He is a complete artist: painter, draftsman, actor, director, he followed several training courses: from 1982 to 1985, training in drawing and painting at the Oumarou Ganda Cultural Center (CCOG) in Niamey in Niger under the aegis of the peace corps. He returned to this same institution as a trainer in drawing and painting from 1986 to 1993. From 1994 to 1997, he trained at the CCFN Jean Rouch in Niamey with famous French actors, directors and directors. Today he has become a key player in the cultural scene of Niger, thanks to his passion for art and culture, but also and above all to his passage in 1982, in the workshops of master Rissa Ixa (Nigerian painter), at the ceramic workshop of Seydou Moumouni Maïga in Niamey, in 1993. Alichina Allakaye has exhibited her works in Africa, Europe and the USA. He participated in several residences of artistic creations: Toulouse (Saint Henri), Creil, Avignon (France), Tahoua, Zinder, Agadez, Niamey and in Youri (Niger), collaborated and acted in several plays and films.

Alichina was one of the organizers of the Bagagi Parade at the end of August 2021 (see our Magazine number 15). He is one of the authors of the film sketches “Akwai Magana! Let us talk about it.”

Tarkama

Marie-Françoise — 2023-07-29T16:26:12Z

Tarkama The Tarkama is the rite by which the body of the deceased Saraouniya de Lougou designates her successor. Saraouniya Aljimma, appointed by the Tarkama of Saraouniya Gado in 1983, died on January 7, 2023 after nearly forty years of rule.

The Tarkama of Saraouniya Aljimma was organized very quickly, on Monday, January 9^th. The rite requires the participation of nationals of several of the many villages from Lougou. The body of the deceased is prepared in its large hut, which will be destroyed soon after. The new Saraouniya will have its new large square, the location of which will be chosen by the Tarkama.

The body is wrapped in a mat placed on a platform carried by four carriers, one at each corner. The four porters are from Darei, a village in Dankassari commune and Bagagi, a village in Matankari commune. The man who holds the ax and who strikes the ground when he questions the Tarkama came from Guilme, in the commune of Dogonkiria, he is accompanied by a woman who regularly strikes an overturned calabash on another calabash which contains water as well as a musician with his drum.

Outside a whole crowd is present, the women and girls watch rather from afar, the men and boys come closer. Officials are seated in armchairs, including the Kona of Dogondoutchi, the Prefect of the department, the Mayors of Dankassari and Dogondoutchi, representatives of Sarkin Arewa and the canton chief of Tibiri as well as members of RAEDD. The gendarmerie is present to ensure the maintenance of order. Azna priests are seated on the ground, they can be recognized by their costumes and their white cotton caps. More than ten women were gathered, those who live close to Lougou and meet the criteria to be designated.

Once the preparations are complete, the Tarkama leaves the large box. The whole rite now takes place in public. She first goes to the bush around the village, her task is to find a needle that has been hidden there. This step verifies that the Tarkama fulfills its function. Back in the village, she greets the officials and then the Azna priests.

The man with the ax strikes the ground and names one by one the women gathered. If the Tarkama chooses one, she must manifest it by coming over her head. This is how Aljimma was chosen in 1983, to her surprise. But this time she does not designate any of these women.

After greeting the Azna priests, the Tarkama leaves for the village to identify the claim of the future queen. Once the house is found, she is questioned to designate the woman from this family, who will now reign. She chooses Kambari who, born in Lougou, lives in Toudoun-Barewa, where her now deceased husband was. She is not present in Lougou. We warn her sons because they have to say goodbye to her, they will no longer have the opportunity to see her. We pick her up by car, she arrives in Lougou and now lives in the village (see more details in the Portrait of Saraouniya Kambari at the end of the Magazine).
Lougou has a new queen, Saraouniya Kambari.
The Tarkama has finished its work. Encouraged by musicians, young people dig the tomb of Aljimma, at the place that the Tarkama has identified. His body will be buried surrounded by the skin of an ox. She will now rest in Lougou in the Saraouniya cemetery.

Tarkama was photographed and filmed by Aziz Soumaïla whom Tarbiyya Tatali sent to Lougou as soon as we knew he would be welcome to document the rite. A short film was then edited by Culture Plus in collaboration with AECIN. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a Tarkama has been filmed in Lougou. Many thanks to the population of Lougou for their welcome and to the municipal authorities of Dankassari for their support.

Exhibition of Abdoul Aziz Soumalaîa's Inter-school Olympiads in Dogondoutchi Dankassari (Niger)

Marie-Françoise — 2021-07-10T17:12:24Z

On March 23^th 2020, teams of equal numbers of boy and girl delegates from Dogondoutchi and Dankassari schools, met in sports competitions: soccer, cross-country.

The project, financed by the French Embassy in Niger within ‘Citizen Expression', and by the Orsay twin committee and AESCD , benefits from RAEDD and RAIL support in carrying out Dogondoutchi and Dankassari decentralized cooperation, and primary schools COGES.
Abdoul Aziz Soumaïla's photography project on Dogondoutchi and Dankassari inter-school Olympiads has been supported by AESCD's own resources.

Grand Opening of the exhibition, at the Jean Rouch Franco-Nigerien Cultural Center, on June 5^th and 12^th 2021, funded by the French Embassy, within the ‘Citizen Expression' project.

Muryar Mata Exhibition

Marie-Françoise — 2021-06-21T15:57:31Z

The thirteen winners of the Muryar Mata Project exhibited their works in Dosso from February 2^nd to 5^th. Owing to the COVID restrictions, the attendance wasn't as large as expected.
The young photographers stood next to their three photos on exhibit, and showed their book of ten photos.

Their work was to be exhibited within the Rennes International Center in March 2021. Unfortunately the exhibition was only virtual on the web side.
The exhibition was hosted at the Center Culturel Franco Nigérien Jean Rouch in Niamey in May 2021, as well as in Garankedey, in the Dosso region, on the occasion of Nigerien Women's Day. In March 2022, it is exhibited in Marestaing in Occitanie, as well as in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. From August 5 to 7, 2022 it is exhibited in Foix as part of the Festival Ingénieuse Afrique. From March 13 to March 26, 2023 it was finally exhibited at the Maison Internationale de Rennes as part of the In(di)visibles campaign of Rennes Métrople around the International Day of Women's Rights

The diaporama below includes the three photos exhibited in Dosso by each of the 13 laureates. The first 9 photos are from the three laureates awarded after the exhibition: : Zeinaba Zezi, Nafissa Marou et Hassanatou Hamadou.

Légendes

Exhibition Trees for a better life in Dankassari - Abdoul Aziz Soumaïla

Marie-Françoise — 2020-10-30T11:06:47Z

The exhibition is focused on tree planting in Dankassari within the Cesson-Dankassari decentralised cooperation since 2009. 40000 trees have been planted in the district (town hall, market place, secondary and primary schools, health centers), or given to the inhabitants.
AESCD production on own funds.
Dates and places of exhibition initially planned : from November 6 to December 2, 2020 at the Médiathèque du Pont des Arts, Cesson-Sévigné.The exhibition has been postponed to March (...) - French and Nigerien photographers / Decentralized cooperation, Culture, RAEDD, Dankassari, Cesson-Sévigné, AESCD, Actions in France

Tunguma

Marie-Françoise — 2020-10-30T11:02:08Z

It was after a clash with her brothers that, guided by the Tunguma stone, Saraouniya Yar Kasa, the queen who had come from Daura, north of the present day Niger, settled in a region then inhabited, now called Arewa or Maouri country, founded her village, Lougou. The date is unknown, it was in the XVIth or XVIIth century.

Tunguma's role

Tunguma, famous all over Niger and beyond, is often called justice stone and regularly consulted. It would be fairer to call it divination stone, as it is probable that official tribunals limited the stone's traditional role to the field of justice proper.
Tunguma is not considered as a stone, but as a spirit and it belongs to Saraouniya of Lougou. Tunguma is linked to the baobab, as it was found under a baobab, and laid down under another. The tree is the abode of spirits and a sign of fertility, owing to its bountiful fruit, all over West Africa. Lately, there wasn't a baobab to shelter Tunguma. All the baobabs, which abounded in the region, were gradually disappearing owing to drought. In the recent Tunguma rites, a sapling is substituted to the original baobab.

The rite of Tunguma

This section describes the rite that we have witnessed over and over again in Lougou between 1983 and 2010.
The stone is to be found three or four kilometers east from Lougou, on the plateau. The yan Tunguma, those who come to consult it, but also nomads, hunters or interested visitors wait around the stone for the arrival of people from Lougou.
Maitunguma, the dignitary in charge of the ceremony, alone, pours water on Tunguma three times, reciting ritual words, while the attendance greet each other and settle down. “Tunguma, doucin Tounguma na Katsina na Bornu, a zo da dariya, a koma da hushi”. Which means : ‘Tunguma, stone of Daura, of Katsina and of Burnu, we come laughing, we leave, heart-broken (because the culprit has been found).” The officiant deposits the gourd next to the stone. He drops a thin net next to the stone, then lifts the stone three times before putting it down, three times again in the net, then leaves it there. Two bearers arrive who are called the stone horses. The bearers are boys from Lougou, diya maza (men's children), coming from the village on the men's side.
Like the officiant, the bearers wear white clothes, they are barefoot. The stone is in a net, tied to a stick. The bearers lift it. They carefully balance the stone, which is always held in the same way, facing east. That face is called the nose. After lifting and depositing the stone three times, they carry it on their shoulders.

Meanwhile someone brings a heap of sand near the officiant, some 8 meters from the stone, the audience staying behind him. He sprays the sand. Maitunguna starts greeting: « Ina gaisuwa Tunguma, ina gaisuwa. Hail Tunguma, three times, while the celebrant sprays his head four times with sand laid in front of him. The bearers are drawn backward by the stone. The stone must answer the greetings, meaning they are accepted, returning three times toward the celebrant : Greetings carry on in an unbroken chain, to the beat of sprays of sand thrown, until Tunguma moves ahead. Then Maitunguma three times “I have seen and I thank you”. Then three times : “Diya maza mou na Lugu, kwana lahiya, tashi lahiyaè” “Mougou men's children have slept well, they woke up in good health.” And four times: "Diya matan mu na Lugu ; kwana lahiya, tashi lahiya : The Lougou woman's children have slept well, they woke up in good health.''
“Where are the applicants ?... Give me kola (a few nuts of the bitter fruit, but sometimes money too), lay it down for them”. The applicant deposits money. He states his problem to the celebrant, who says: “Well, Tunguma, is that (he states the problem) a matter for Allah ?“, three times. If Tunguma says yes, one must be patient, as it means nothing can be done, which is seldom. Otherwise, the matter is checked :”There is something? – Yes". Then it is asked if man caused the problem, if it is a spirit… etc. The matter is treated by a process of elimination, followed by search for a remedy. Tunguma says yes by moving forward three times, and says no by staying still. For each question asked, the celebrant throws a fitful of sand toward Tunguma. He puts his word in the sand then wipes it out by taking the sand again.
The closing phrase will always be repeated four times to a female entity and three times to a male entity. “Kasa Saraunya, kwana lahiya, tashi lahiya” : land of Saraounia, sleep well, wake well. “Kasa Magaji, kwana lahiya, tashi lahiya” : “Magagi land, sleep well, wake up well”, then, “Tougouna land, sleep well, wake”. After several greetings of that sort, the conclusion is: "Your front horse, sleep well, wake well. Your back horse, sleep well wake well', for the bearers.
In 1984, in two meetings, the questions bore on the unexplained death of an animal, the loss of an object, the choice of a spot to build one's cabin, or premature delivery, for which the stone advises the choice of a healer, or a forgotten promise to a spirit, for which a rook (request, prayer) to Saraouniya is prescribed, a wife's illness, due to a missing sacrifice to a spirit. It is also asked :“Is a field under a spell ?” And also : pain, illness, lack of news from family, child's fear.
In 2005, two wives came to consult, one accusing the other, through witchcraft, to cause her miscarriages. The accused vehemently asks Tunguma to disculp her. Tunguma literally leaps ahead, jostling on his way those who came to hear the verdict, to assert the accused's innocence.
Tunguma is open to any question. The style of the consultation is not at all formal, it isn't stiff. Everyone can talk as they like. The celebrant who always seems to be accompanied of a double : if he is tired or doesn't manage to ask the right question himself, he can hand it to his double. But in that case, the audience also can voice their ideas on the possible cause, or ask questions so as to clear up the situation. Some will ask questions themselves, throwing a handful of sand. It is allowed particularly to the people of Lougou. Others try to whisper to Tunguma. But given the stone's silence, they are reminded loudly that they must speak up.

Tunguma can't be found

Early in 2020, X who lives close to Lougou, boasted of destroying Tunguma with an iron bar. Photos of the debris were shown. X was arrested and charged for “destruction of cultural and religious property”. After six months'imprisonment on suspicion, X was granted conditional discharge, in October 2020 the sentence had not been passed. He has admitted the facts, and stated that he had been motivated by evidence shared by many concerning faulty judgments and corruption, and also prompted by a spirit.
For the azna of Lougou and Bagaji, the photo of the debris doesn't fit the destroyed Tunguma. Tunguma is a spirit who dwelt in the stone only when consulted, it can't be destroyed because of the destruction of the stone used by the spirit to appear. For them, Tunguma isn't there because it has gone away to join other spirits who inhabited the seven stones of Daoura. A further proof of Tunguna's departure, in their opinion, is that Makera who officiated for consultations has recently died.

Tunguma is said to have chosen to go away for fear of accepting a growing wrong management because Saraouniya was very old, as well as Baoura and Magagi, some people dared help themselves without respecting the spirit of the rite.
For others, Tunguma was no longer necessary as Niger is now a lawful state with modern justice.
Tunguma wasn't the only of her kind, but she was said to be the only still active one of the seven stones of Daoura. Anuway, the rite no longer exists, a page is turned.

In Lougou and Bagagi, Tunguma is said not to be found.

Bawa Kadade Riba

Marie-Françoise — 2020-08-17T14:49:19Z

Since the early 2010s, Bawa Kadade Riba has been involved in documentary filma. He participated in several training courses and film meetings before obtaining his master 2 in film production in Senegal (Saint Louis) in 2016. He directed a school film (short film) “The Horse, Malick andI”, co-directed a collective feature film “Hostages'School'” still within the framework of the training.

“[Étincelles- (Sparkles)>http://www.docmonde.org/etincelles/]”, dating from 2019, is his first documentary feature. It takes place in Mailo, one of the villages of Dankassari. “Zara's garage”, visible on arte.tv is a documentary dating from 2022 , as part of Generation Africa - Plural stories about the youth of a continent

Bawa chairs the Association Culture+ Niger. He is at the origin of the project Muryar Mata. He is one of the authors of the filmed sketches “[Akwai Magana! Let us talk about it” season 1, season 2.

Bawa is the president of Nouvel Espoir, a member of the Tarbiyya Tatali collective since August 2022.