Stories from the Fireplace

Tekletsadik Belachew

Description

This book is an interdisciplinary theological exploration of Haile Gerima's cinema, an Ethiopian filmmaker and storyteller who successfully translated African folkloric orality and wove other indigenous art forms into the language of cinema. Gerima's five decades legacy of Pan-African cinema embodies 'symbolic resistance' against Afro-pessimistic and stereotypical mis/disrepresentations, both manifestations of neo-colonialism. In response, he uses "camera as a weapon" to resist exotic otherness and alienation invented by conventional cinema. Through an alternative moving pictures, he depicted dignified images of Africa towards decolonising cinema and liberating the mind. His memory-films achieves archiving the stories of the people of African descent. Gerima, who stands in par with great African film griots such as Ousmane Sembène - 'the father of African cinema' and Med Hondo, deserves further interdisciplinary reflections.

Gerima's 'Triangular cinema' and 'imperfect cinema' are inspired from indigenous values and cultural products such as holy icons and fireplace stories. His works foster asserting identity of the self, maintaining the right to difference and embracing ubuntu-like human personhood. They are essential acts in the 21st century. Like theology, cinema alters a way of life - human experiences, imaginations, and narrative identity. This book engages with the works and thoughts of Gerima towards re-imaging Africa through cinematic narratives in being and becoming an African.

Chapter 1: General Introduction

Chapter 2: Haile Gerima: An African Cinematic Griot

Chapter 3: Theology of Icon and Iconic Cinema

Chapter 4: African Cinema as Memory-History

Chapter 5: Folklores, African Cinematic Storytelling and Theologizing

Chapter 6: Being as Communion and Person as Ubuntu

Sujets

• Cinema of Africa
• Filmmaking
• Performing arts
• Dance

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 22 décembre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 5
• EAN13: 9789956552047
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 7 Mo

Extrait

4UPSJFT GSPN UIF 'JSFQMBDF 5IFPMPHJDBM .FEJUBUJPOT PO )BJMF (FSJNB`T $JOFNB

4UPSJFT GSPN UIF 'JSFQMBDF 5IFPMPHJDBM .FEJUBUJPOT PO )BJMF (FSJNB`T $JOFNB

5&,-&54"%*, #&-"$)&8

5&,-&54"%*, #&-"$)&8

Stories from the Fireplace: Theological Meditations on Haile Gerima’s Cinema Tekletsadik Belachew

Langaa Research & Publishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaa-rpcig.net Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookscollective.com

ISBN-10: 9956-552-75-5

ISBN-13: 978-9956-552-75-7

©Tekletsadik Belachew 2022 Cover art: “We are free” 2021 by artist Tamerat Siltan. Acrylic on Canvas and Mixed Media. 200 cm X 125 cm. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and recording, or be stored in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher

Dedicated to Haile Gerima A Storyteller, a Shield of Culture and a Symbol of Resistance ያልሞተሰውየሚንቀሳቀስሬሳነው ሥዕልግንየማይንቀሳቀስህያውነው። ሰውናሥዕል፡አካልናምስል። ከሰውጉልበትየሥዕልጉልበትይበልጣል ሰውዬውሲጋደምእርሱጠጋብሎይቀመጣል። ሥዕሌሆይ!ከኔዕድሜያንተዕድሜይረዝማል እኔስሞትያንተመሰንበትይገርማል:: ሰላምታዬንአቅርብልኝለመጪውትዉልድ አንተሰንባችነህናእኔአፈርዋናትስኼድ ሊቀመዘምራንሞገስዕቁበጊዮርጊስ አንጋረፈላስፋ(የፈላስፎችአነጋገር) Man is a living corpse But immobile image is corpus alive Man and Image; Person and Symbol The power of image surpasses the power of man When the man asleep; his image emerges Oh my image! Surprisingly you outlived me When I die, you’ll linger longer Surely, you’ll be around, after I went beneath the earth Greet for me the coming generation! Liqe-Mezemeran Moges Eqube-Giorgis (Angare Felasfa – The Speech of Philosophers)

Praise For This Book “Tekletsadik Belachew bridges Ethiopian iconography with social activism through the works of the prolific filmmaker, Haile Gerima. The book creatively combines conversion of the heart with themes of social justice. The author deserves recognition as a rising authority on African Christianity today!” Bradley Nassif Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies, North Park University “This book offers a compelling theological and cultural analysis of the film making and art of Ethiopian scholar and cinematographer Haile Gerima, whose philosophical and artistic engagement has been driven by the simple idea that art should be a “window on African reality.” The author offers compelling theological analysis of Gerima’s work and in doing so, invite readers to think through African stories in order to imagine and engage the lived realities and the dynamics of life asserting values that continue to sustain Africans. This theological probing of African film and the work of Gerima reminds readers that there is a richness to life in Africa that calls for a critical balance of optimism and pessimism.” Elias Kifon Bongmba Harry and Hazel Chavanne Chair in Christian Theology and Professor of Religion, Rice University, Houston Texas. “Tekletsadik Belachew refers to the “Afro-pessimism” that often greets scholarship coming out of Africa. This present volume will elicit some “Afro-optimism.” It presents a true interdisciplinary engagement of theology, cinema, iconography and orality that should challenge Western misperceptions of contemporary African scholarship. Highly recommended.” Joel C. Elowsky Dean of Advanced Studies and Prof. of Historical Theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO; President, Institute for Classical Christian Studies and Fellow, Center for Early African Christianity, New Haven, CT

“Stories from the Fireplacehonestly and provocatively in the stands theological tradition of resistance and recovery. We find here the icon painter, at one moment the Ethiopian film director Haile Gerima, at another the Christian Church, and most powerfully the incarnate Christ, resisting the colonising European dehumanisation of ‘the other’ and recovering, divinely-gifted personhood in film, in icon, in worship and in living. Agency of the self, Belachew maintains is important both for artistic and theological innovation that together build hope for human flourishing.” Canon Mark Oxbrow Director (Guided Research Programme), Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. “Passion. That is what I look for in a book, regardless of the theme. If the author is passionate about his subject, it will bleed through his words onto the pages and compel the reader to read on. Add to passion an ability to layer the multifaceted content, drawing the reader in deeper and you have a book analogous to a mine filled with precious gems. Storying is a powerful art form that attracts listeners and readers, inviting them to learn and be challenged and changed. Tekletsadik has created a breathtakingly broad educational panoramic work that looks beyond many horizons, touching the reader’s soul, and gently raising an awareness of underlying cultural prejudicial ethnocentrism as well as the more subtle cultural colonialism and dehumanising misrepresentation of the misunderstood other. He presents the reader with an invitation to honestly examine his thesis and consequently to redefine their own uninformed presuppositions and miseducation. Throughout the book, the reader is exposed to the intricate depth and kaleidoscopic beauty of the African spirit, intellect, history, and culture and is thereby invited to engage constructively with the positive richness of a refreshing ethical and theological and philosophical and a non-Eurocentric cinematographic approach and thought process. This is a book that can be favourably compared to the architectural genius of the Lalibela sculptors.” The Rev Dr Johannes W H van der Bijl Author, Breakfast on the Beach: The Development of Simon Peter

“This engaging, delightful, and well-researched book explores theological reflections through the prism of the cinematic narrative and storytelling of Haile Gerima - an acclaimed Ethiopian independent filmmaker. The author presents a refreshing perspective full of compelling original information for both neophytes and mature scholars.” Elias Yemane Author of Amharic and Ethiopic Onomastics: A Classic Ethiopian Legacy, Concept and Ingenuity. “Tekle Belachew’s workStories from the Fireplace is a profound achievement! His erudition and excellence as a scholar is conspicuous on every page of this substantial work, which accomplishes his and the great African cinematographer Haile Gerima’s shared aim of decentering and deconstructing alien European/Western notions of the pan-African self that are so harmful towards a holistic and healthy self- understanding and self-representation. Through Sankofa, looking backward to understand forward, Gerima and Belachew forge a fecund path for people of African descent to center and construct their own rich narratives in creative love and communal memory.” Rev. Christopher Chandler, Esq. PhD Candidate in Systematic Theology Concordia Seminary- St. Louis, MO “While theology is deeply immersed in the Eurocentric construction of the spiritual, this book scholarly analyses the Afrocentric and critical works of Haile Gerima to highlight the significance of African ways of being and narrating the world using films. It draws powerful insights from the spiritual and cultural legacy of Africa that challenge western misrepresentations.” Dr. Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes Senior Lecturer, Curtin University, Australia “Tekletsadik Belachew’sStories from the Fireplacebegins by posing a problem – that the portrayal of Africa has largely been pessimistic, negative, and stereotypical. He points out, correctly, that this negative portrayal is present in Western academic writing from anthropology to theology, and in such artistic realms as western cinema, to say nothing

of popular images. Tekle proposes a counter-narrative. Through a study of the work of Ethiopian film-maker Haile Gerima, Tekle opens up new possibilities, not only for conceiving African identity and overcoming ‘Afro-pessimism’, but also for finding hope for divided humanity through communion. This is a unique, thoughtful, and theologically sensitive work which deserves a wide readership.” The Rt Rev Dr Grant LeMarquand Professor of New Testament, Trinity School for Ministry Retired Anglican Bishop of the Horn of Africa “The book advocates the creative appropriation of modern cinematography in the constructs of African identity particularly the critical need of African theology to combat traditional eurocentric misrepresentations of African people through counter-cinematic narratives. Through the cinematic works of Haile Gerima, Tekle interrogates afro-pessimism, and the interdisciplinary negotiations of African identity with the fields of cinematography, theology and politics. Seen from this perspective, Tekle’s work is a trailblazing research which negates the history of past misrepresentation of the African people by asserting an afrocentric agenda expressed in the cinematic quest for a new self-consciousness, and the celebration of African dignity.” Dr. Matthew Michael LUCAS-LAHRI Virtual Research Fellowship, Leeds University, United Kingdom, Research Associate, Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and the Head of Department, Philosophy & Religious Studies, Nasarawa State University, Nigeria “What contributions can a theological approach offer to the study of African cinema? Through a thorough exploration of Haile Gerima’s work,Stories from the Fireplace opens up an original and fertile field of research and debate at the crossroad between film studies, philosophy and theology.” Alessandro Jedlowski Institute of Political Sciences, Bordeaux coeditor of “Cine-Ethiopia: The History and Politics of Film in the Horn of Africa (Michigan State University Press, 2018).

“What do film and theology, filmmakers and theologians, have in common? Apriori, nothing. However, in this insightful and thought- provoking book, Belachew leads us to discover the common mission of the filmmaker and the theologian. It is a vision of an Africa that is rediscovering its ancestral spiritual, cultural and theological values, and recapturing its history. It is the vision of an Africa that refuses to be infantilised, objectified, and exoticized. Throughout the history of cinema as well as theology, Africa and the Africans have been caricatured, misrepresented in Western conventional apparatuses and forums. In doing so, those who confine Africa and Africans in the ghettos of their imagination highlight the otherness of Africans by denying their identity and their humanity while justifying their claim to superiority. The book invites Africans to go back to the past in order to rewrite the script, regain control of the narrative, and recover their soul. Filmmakers trailblazers such as Gerima, Sembene, Hondo, and others have paved the way. Past and contemporary theologians and thinkers such as Mbiti, Magesa, Éla, Mbembe, Tiénou, Katongole, Mugambi, etc. are called upon in this fruitful dialogue where the lived experiences of Africans are at the center of the concerns. Others are called to join in the conversation and to draw from the vast and rich iconographic and folkloric traditions of the continent to de-construct and re-construct the stereotyped misrepresentations of Africans. Tekletsadik Belachew’sStories from the Fireplace gives me hope for Africa, for African theologians must be storytellers too. Like filmmakers, they are watchdogs of conscience for the African youth in search of reliable reference points. This book will stir you up. Yacouba Sanon, PhD Professor of Old Testament, Université de l’Alliance Chrétienne d’Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire President of the Board and General Editor of the Africa Bible

Commentary “In this book Tekletsadik Belachew describes the indispensable role of Media in Religion within the Ethiopian context. Commendably, his book resonates with mine, Critiques of Christianity in African Literature with Particular Reference to the East African Context (Nairobi: EAEP, 1992).”

Jesse N.K. Mugambi, PhD., FKNAS - Sciences, EBS Professor of Philosophy & Religious Studies [RETIRED]