Emitaï

I DEDICATE THIS FILM

TO ALL THE MILITANTS OF THE AFRICAN CAUSE

O Ajuroé, don't be scared

The elders say that the day has come

O Ajuroé, don't be scared

The elders say that the day has come

Come on!

Get going!

Your son has escaped.

Until he appears, you will be kept like this.

Until his son appears, he will be kept in the sun.

If your son doesn't appear, you'll be sent to prison in Ziguinchor.

Have the soldiers left?

This war isn't ours. It's the white man's war.

Me, I refuse to go.

Maybe you will not be killed.

What do our elders say?

Our father is there. If you don't go, he will be sent to prison.

Our father?

-Our father? -Yes.

You think you're smart? I'll castrate you myself! Come on!

Follow me, men!

The whites have taken all our sons and our rice with their war.

-This is a moment of sorrow. -Yes, indeed!

Greetings to all.

Greetings to you.

Don't say anything, Kabebe. Listen.

We all witnessed your loss and humiliation.

Before, the son used to inherit from his father.

Nowadays, the father inherits from his son.

The elders ask...

what we should do.

What didn't we try?

-Where are they? -I haven't seen anything.

We Diola people...

cannot tolerate the loss

of a son or our rice.

Better all of us die.

The white man has forced our children to fight their war.

Our children carried off to war -

-For what war? -The war in the white man's country.

It's not our war. We will not fight this war.

And I wonder,

do our gods see our sorrow?

Of course they do.

What do they think about all this?

Kabebe, pour yourself a drink. Let's drink a bit of palm wine.

Djimeko.

Kabebe.

Our sons are embarked in the war against the Germans.

The white man is a witch.

It's the least that can be said.

Will that war end one day?

I don't know.

It has lasted

for years and years.

Soon, the village will be empty.

When will our strong arms have time to regenerate our race?

We don't even know.

Platoon, attention!

At ease.

-Sergeant. -Yes, sir.

-Translate for me. -Yes, sir.

You've volunteered.

You'll go to Dakar, then to France.

Marshal Pétain, who you see here, is the chief of France.

He's father to all of us, to yourself and myself alike.

You must be aware that France is at war with Germany.

France does you a great honor.

I know you will conduct yourselves like your fathers did in World War I.

On your return,

you'll have grand stories to tell your children and grandchildren.

I wish you a fair journey.

As your commanding officer, I'm proud of you.

If my duties did not require me to remain here,

I would be leading your company myself.

May God protect you.

Round up the recruits.

-Sergeant. -Yes, sir.

Give the roster to the colonel in Ziguinchor.

-Yes, sir. -Have a good trip.

Right face!

Shoulder arms!

Recruits, up!

Forward, march!

Marshal, here we are

You have given us all renewed hope

Our homeland will rise again

Marshal, Marshal, here we are

A sacred flame

Rises from our native soil

And all of France, overjoyed

Hails you, Marshal

Marshal, here we are

We stand before you, savior of France

And all the boys swear today

To serve you and follow your steps

Marshal, here we are

You have given us all renewed hope

Our homeland will rise again

Marshal, Marshal, here we are

A sacred flame

Rises from our native soil

And all of France, overjoyed

Hails you, Marshal

Marshal, here we are

We stand before you, savior of France

TO THE FOUNDERS OF FRENCH WEST AFRICA

AND THE GLORY OF THE BLACK ARMY

ONE YEAR LATER

Come in.

-Colonel. -Have a seat.

Lieutenant, how did the Diolas learn the news in the bush?

I don't know, sir. The Blacks don't have access to our secret code.

-It's not Dakar! -It's impossible.

It's incredible!

Very well. We'll discuss this matter later.

Dakar's decided to convert taxes into goods.

As you see, this year's rice crop is good and plentiful.

Your orders:

Take a machine-gun platoon.

Your mission will be twofold.

Firstly, bring back all of the rice for the Dakar troops.

Secondly, maintain law and order out there.

The people have rebelled against the local commander.

They're even getting ready for you, by the way. Be firm.

But remember that the colonial troops don't much like the Legion.

The subdivision chief is the acting commander.

He knows the natives well.

I suggest Badji as your noncom.

He's from the area, and he's our best auxiliary man.

That will be all.

By the way -

Lieutenant, issue Sergeant Badji a revolver.

Yes, sir.

The women are going to hide the rice.

We cannot leave the rice for the whites.

-They are right. -Better to die.

Marshal, here we are

You have given us all renewed hope

Our homeland will rise again

Marshal, Marshal, here we are

A sacred flame

Rises from our native soil

And all of France, overjoyed

Hails you, Marshal

Marshal, here we are

We stand before you, savior of France

And all the boys swear today...

Listen to me.

Let's make this clear.

The white man's soldiers are at our gates.

First, the white men wanted our sons.

Now...

our rice.

You, Kabebe.

What do you think?

The issue is beyond our control. We must consult the gods.

Let us give a sacrifice to get their protection

before any action.

Kalukum, do you follow?

I do.

We Diola are not afraid of war.

But let's consult our gods and seek their protection.

Truly, let us consult our gods.

Listen, I believe in our gods.

I truly believe in them.

But we have no time to do anything.

Djimeko.

You don't believe in our gods anymore?

Do you want to cast doubts on our gods?

No, Kabebe.

I don't say that.

Truly, I don't dare doubt them.

But where were our gods

when the whites razed the village?

When the whites took our sons for their war?

Where were our gods?

Remember,

Kabebe.

You remained all day long...

tied up in the sun.

Where were our gods?

We all suffered...

the same humiliation.

Where were our gods?

Where are they now?

We Diola will never abandon beliefs in our customs.

But let us make a decision.

The enemy is at our gates.

Do you hear the call?

Do you hear the call of Kabis?

These are our horns.

Death doesn't scare me.

Rather, give sacrifice to our gods...

and almighty Baliba will be with us.

Rice is...

a woman's sweat.

It has been

sanctified by Salignan.