All language subtitles for Sankofa.1993.10

-[indigenous music playing]
-[man chanting]

[man singing in Akan]

[man]
Spirit of the dead, rise up.

Lingering spirit
of the dead, rise up

and possess
your bird of passage.

Those stolen Africans,

step out of the ocean,

from the wombs of the ships

and claim your story.

Spirit of the dead, rise up.

Lingering spirit of the dead,

rise up and possess
your vessel.

Those Africans shackled

in leg-irons and enslaved,

step out of the acres
of cane fields

and cotton fields,

and tell your story.

Spirit of the dead, rise up!

Lingering spirit of the dead,

rise up and possess
your bird of passage.

Those lynched
in the magnolias,

swinging on the limbs
of the weeping willows,

rotting food for the vultures,

step down

and claim your story.

Spirit of the dead, rise up.

Lingering spirit of the dead,

rise up and possess
your vessel.

Those ties, bound,
and whipped

from Brazil to Mississippi,

step out and tell your story.

Those in Jamaica,
in the fields of Cuba,

in the swamps of Florida,

the rice fields
of South Carolina.

You, waiting Africans,

step out and tell your story.

Spirit of the dead, rise up.

Lingering spirit of the dead,
rise up

and possess
your bird of passage.

From Alabama to Suriname,

up to the caves of Louisiana,

come out, you African spirits!

Step out and claim your stories.

You raped,
slave-bred, castrated,

burned, tarred and feathered,

roasted, chopped, lobotomized,

bound and gagged,
you African spirits.

Spirit of the dead, rise up.

[whispering] Lingering spirit
of the dead,

rise up and possess

your bird of passage.

[drums beating]

Aah!

[in Akan] Listen!

Listen!

[drums continue beating]

[men chanting from a distance]

Aah!

Ghana, listen, ooh!

The Almighty created.

The Almighty created,
created, created, the drum.

What did he create?

What did he create?

[men] The drum!

-[man] What did he create?
-[men] The drum!

[men] The drum!

-[man chanting in Akan]
-[men chant]

[festive music playing]

-[drums beating]
-[chanting]

[camera clicking]

[man 2 in English]
Oh, that's great.

All right, Mona.
Let's keep that up.

-That's perfect, Mona. Yeah, oh.
-[laughing]

[man] Oh, this is
how I like it, Mona.

That is so nice. That's great.

What a woman.
Oh, you're beautiful.

Oh, you're the best.
Perfect, right there.

Oh, yeah. That's great, Mona.
More sex, Mona.

Little more sex.
Yeah! Oh, that's great.

[in Akan] Return to the source!

Return to the source!

[drums beating]

[man 2] That's it,
let the camera do it

to you, Mona.
That's perfect.

-Right there.
-[camera clicking]

Let the camera get you hot.
Let's go.

Come on.
Let's move it along, now.

Keep moving. Beautiful.

Beautiful. Okay.
Hold that right there.

Mmm. Oh, wow. Yeah, Mona.

Oh, yeah!

Mmm! Oh, yeah.

[man 2 moaning] Yeah, Mona.

-Hold it, hold it! Hold it!
-[Mona laughing]

Okay. Now, keep going.
Keep moving.

That's great. Come on.

More sex, Mona.
Let's really heat it up, now.

Let's show 'em
what you're made of, baby.

Oh, Mona. Oh, yeah.
That's great.

Mmm! Yeah, that's good, Mona.

-Oh, yeah! That's real good.
-[Mona giggling]

-[Mona moaning]
-Yeah!

Keep that up.
That's perfect!

[man 2 moaning]

Yeah, Mona. Oh--

[shrieks]

[giggling]

[Mona laughing]

-[man 2] Yeah. Oh. Oh yeah.
-[Mona moaning]

[man 2] Yeah! Oh!
That's it, Mona.

[Mona]
That's good. Mmm, yeah.

Oh, that's good.

-How about left?
-Yeah. Perfect!

-[screams]
-Okay, let's go, now.

-Ooh, la, la!
-Keep going, move.

-[man 2] Little more, move.
-[camera clicking]

Turn. Okay.
Hold it right there.

[guide] Right over here,

a row of ships wait in line.

They were docked,
waiting for the human cargo.

Not only for this castle,

but for several bigger castles
along the coast.

But many of the ships
will be waiting for days

until the holding place
in the dungeons were filled up.

Now, right over there,

all the way to where you see
the fishermen,

and that is Elmina Castle
right over there.

-There, right there.
-[man] Hold it.

Hold it. Hold it right there.

-[in Akan] Go back to your past!
-[shrieks]

Return to your source!

What do you want here?
Where do you come from?

This ground is sacred ground!

Blood has been spilled here.
People have suffered here.

Our people were snatched
and taken by the white man here!

Get away from here!
Get away from here!

And you, you!

This ground is holy ground.

Blood has spilled here before!

It was from here
that we were bought

and sold to America,

to Trinidad,

to Jamaica!

The white man
forcefully snatched our people!

It's here where a genocide
of our race took place!

They treated us with contempt!

This ground is holy!

Blood has been spilled
here before!

If you have to be here,
be aware.

[in Akan]
It's all right.

[in English]
Now, go. Go!

[in Akan] Where do you
come from?

-It's all right. Go, go.
-[speaking in Akan]

-Go.
-[speaking in Akan]

-[in English] Please.
-[woman] Please, don't hurt him.

[in Akan] It's all right.

-Go back to the past!
-[in English] Go!

[in English]
He's called "Sankofa."

He's a self-appointed
guardian of this castle,

and claims to be communicating
with the spirit of the dead

with his drums.

Every morning, very early,

he welcomes the sunrise
with his drum

right at the foot
of the final exit.

Casting his net
across the ocean,

he claims he's lulling
the spirit of the dead

back across the ocean.??

And then,
ushers the sunset again,

facing the west,
beating his drum,

counting the catch of the day.

-Right here.
-[Sankofa in Akan] Get away from me!

-[in English] Come on. Sankofa!
-[Sankofa in Akan] Go, go, go!

-What do you want from here?
-Sankofa!

Get away from here! Go, go!

Go back to your past!

Get away from here!

Go, go!

Get away from here!

[guide] Sankofa!

You! You!

You'll see!

[grunting] Leave me!
Leave me alone.

Leave me alone!

[Sankofa grunting]

[Sankofa ululating]

[guide] Now, the upper level
of the castle

used to be
the Governor's residence.

In fact, we see here the grave

of the British governor
and his wife,

right in the center
of the castle.

Well, now, we go to the dungeon

where the slaves were kept.

Please, watch your step.
It's a bit slippery.

[men chanting from a distance]

[guide] In each
of these holding places,

they used to pack
thousands of people

until they collected enough
to fill the ships.

And this is where
they were kept, right here.

And even at the time
when they are ready

to take them out the docks,

they take them through
this underground long tunnel

that goes
straight to the final exit,

where the canoes
would be waiting for them.

And mind you,

some of them would be here

for over a year.

And most of the time,

this took place at night.

Yes, they were taken
out of here at night.

The shouts,
the cries of desperation,

is still remembered
along this coastline.

Watch your step!

You have the Portuguese,
you have the Swiss, the Dutch,

and, finally, the British
all over the coastline--

[swooshing, clanging]

-[indigenous music playing]
-[men singing]

-[swooshing]
-[fire crackling]

[gasps, shrieks]

[in English] Guard!

[shrieks]

[gasps]

Wake up!

Wake up!

[sobbing, panting]

Please, help.
Hey! Somebody, help!

[whimpering]

[coughing, yelling]

[shrieks]

[pounding on door]
I need help!

Somebody! I'm down here!

I'm here! Aah!

[chains tinkling]

[shrieks]

-Let go!
-Whoa, whoa, wait a minute.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Wait, wait.

You're making a mistake!

Stop! I'm not an African!

Don't you recognize me?
I'm Mona!

I'm an American!

Let me go!
Don't take me back in there!

No! No!

Help! Help!

Let me go!

["Take My Hand,
Precious Lord" playing]

[Mona yelling]

I'm not an African!

No!

[woman vocalizing]

[crying]

I'm not a slave!

I'm not a slave! No!

-[flesh sizzling]
-[screams]

# At the river #

# Alone #

[gasps] Help!

# Ooh, ooh, oh #

# Oh, ooh, ooh, here I stand #

# Guide my #

# Guide my feet #

# Ooh #

# Hold my hand #

-[Mona] Shola!
-# Oh #

# Ooh, ooh #

# Ooh, ooh #

-[Mona] Shola!
-# Precious Lord #

# Take #

-# My #
-[waves crashing]

# Hand, hand #

# And lead me #

# Home #

# Ooh, ooh #

# Home #

[whip snapping]

[jazz music playing]

[whip continues snapping]

[man] Come on,
move it, move it!

[woman] I'm Shola.

I'm a house slave
on the Lafayette plantation.

I was raised in the big house
with Joe and Lucy,

and trained to serve
the Lafayettes.

You know, if you was born
a slave like me,

it was easier to accept things
like they was.

But on the Lafayette plantation,

we had folks like Nunu.

And Shango.

[man]
Come on, let's move!

-Let's work!
-[man 2] Poke them out!

[man] What's going on here?

-[horses whinnying, neighing]
-[man] Come on, get! Hey! Hey!

Come on!

Harder! Harder!

Hey! Come on, let's go!

[Shola] Shango, he had come
from the West Indies,

and he was sold
to the Lafayettes

'cause he was a troublemaker.

And I loved him.

Oh, I loved Shango.

Man. [giggles]
Shango, slow down.

Will you take your time?

You eating like you got a hog
tied up down in your belly.

Mm. Mm-mm.

Shola is a good woman.

Eat some of this food
here right now.

Mm. [giggles]

Mm.

[chuckles] Look, man.
You need to slow down.

Ain't nobody seen me coming.
Nobody at all.

So, you're going to do
what I asked you to do?

I have everything ready,
you know.

I can't. I can't do evil things.

As far as I'm concerned,
killing's wrong,

whatever they done to me.

Evil? You call that evil?

What do you think be going on
here every day and night?

You don't call that evil?

You not kill no one.

All you do is put it
in the food.

Not killing, Shango?

That's what you call
not killing?

Seem to me like you want me
to not kill everybody.

Not just the master,
and all the children, but�

Lucy? Mama?

And Esther?
Shango, she reared me.

Well now, that's the price
you have to pay

for freedom sometime, you know.

'Cause the nearer I get
to the white man,

is the more you're
eating what left.

How you liable for dead?

Don't bother telling them.

You know if you tell them,
no eat it.

them all tell
the white man the same way.

[scoffs] But don't that mean
you too, Shango?

What you think I've been
bringing you all this time?

Ain't nothing throwed away.

[dramatic music playing]

[Shola] And there lived
as part of the memory

of my past, Nunu.

She's all strength,
passion, and tenderness.

Now, Nunu was brought
from Africa.

And even though she's there
with the rest of us,

in spirit, you could see
she's still living

in her birthplace,

latching on to her memory

of her homeland.

And Joe,

her son, is a head slave.

In fact, he's one of the most
trusted head slaves.

[woman] Every morning,
he got the dragon up.

And that morning? [scoffs]

Nunu, she wasn't taking nothing.

She got to mumbling
her country talk.

And nobody, nobody in that yard

had any idea
what she was talking about.

She was a mumbling ninny.

Hmm, now, once somebody

got to mumbling,
and somebody else

got to mumbling,
and 'fore you know it,

everybody in the yard
was mumbling.

They was mumbling
the same thing, honey.

I mean, it was just like a song.

Everybody was just
a mumbling child.

We was a chanting. Ha!

And we didn't have no idea
what we was talking about.

You hear me?
But we was going.

Hmm. I spit with every words
we were saying.

It started to do the job,
'cause, all of a sudden,

that old cracker
got to gasping for air.

[laughs] He got to gasping.

Lord, he couldn't catch
his breath.

Then his eyes
got to rolling back in his head.

His tongue got the--

Just going back
in his mouth, you know.

I mean, foam was just coming
all out of his mouth.

You hear me? Foam was coming out
of the man's mouth.

And right about that time,
Nunu, she gets strong.

She take a notion
to jump back her arm,

and she put her eyes
on that old cracker, honey,

and he got to going 'round.

-Right about that time�
-[giggling]

-What you doing?
-[shushes]

[woman] �old cracker
gasping for air!

[laughing] He was just gasping,
like he had a chicken bone�

Come on, she don't sound right.
We better be going.

-Come on, let's go.
-I don't want to go.

I don't want to go.
I want to hear this.

[woman] All of us,
we get to stare at Nunu.

But she wasn't paying
no attention to us at all,

'cause her eyes were stuck
on that old cracker,

and he was just going 'round.

Lord, child, I mean,

you ain't never seen
nothing like it.

And I tell you, you never want
to see nothing like that

long as you live.

I don't know what got into him,

whether it was God or the devil.

But something sure enough
got into him.

And Nunu? Humph.

She was just staring at him.

And as he sat there
in front of all of us,

his skin,

everything on him
turned to ashy gray.

And that Nunu�

You know, she just stood there

like she was God Himself.

The girl just stood there.

And the man died.

Leaning right there
against that cabin.

He died.

I tell you, for me?

Humph, that was
real Judgment Day.

All of us just stand there,
witnessing as that old cracker

went and died
in front of everybody.

And it took Nunu
and her home tongue

to finally do the job

we all had been praying for.

Folks around here saying,
"It was her mother tongue."

You know,
where our people come from.

Nunu is an Akan.

She always talks
about her peoples.

She always talks about it.

She's an Akan.

That's what she is.

[man, Shola, moaning, panting]

[Shola] Whenever
the master's abusing me

and treating me bad,

Lord, let me be like Nunu.

Just give me
a little of the power she got

right in the center
of my eyes.

Killing an overseer
just by staring at him?

[whip striking]

[whip continues striking]

[Shola] If Joe don't want her
for a mama, I'll take her.

[jazz music playing]

-[whip striking]
-[man yelling]

[Shola] Me and Joe
grew up together.

Both of us was even baptized
on the same day

by Father Raphael.

And Nunu was so young,

it was like her and Joe
was growing up together.

All they had was each other.

Then, after they made Joe
a head slave,

him and Nunu just couldn't set
horses together.

-[men grunting]
-[dog barking]

[man 1] Come on.
We're last up, come on.

[chains tinkling]

[horses neighing]

[man 2] Let's go! Move!

[man 1] Come on, man.
Get him up.

[man 2] Get! Move it!

[country music playing]

Come on! Move!

-[man 2] Hurry! Hurry!
-[horses neighing]

[chains tinkling]

[man] Go ahead, man.

-[dog barks]
-[man] Move!

Move! Come on, man!

James, you know what to do.

[clicks tongue] Yah!

Now, you all belong to me.

I'm fixing
to give you niggas something

to make you
never want to run again.

-[dog barking]
-Move them out, Johnson.

[Shola] Kuta and some
of the other field hands

got caught
running away to the hills.

Kuta wanted to run
'cause she wanted to have

her baby in a free place.

But she got caught
and brought back.

I always ask Shango why
he never ran off for his self.

But he said
he just couldn't leave

his folks behind like that.

[James yelling] Go along!
Go along! Go along!

-Move out!
-[man] Come on, y'all. Move!

[grunting]

[man muttering]

[man] Get to working, boy.

-[grunting]
-You know your job.

Hey, Bible boy.

Looking at that fine lady, eh?

[chuckling]

Ain't she pretty?
Just look at her.

[chuckling]

Won't you mind your own business

and keep doing
what you're out here to do?

Oh. She mad over you, Bible boy.

Stop your Bible for once.

Try to enjoy life
a little bit.

God don't like
all of that book reading.

Now, do he tell you
to forget about life, eh?

No!

[laughing]

Lord, forgive this man

for he know not that his tongue

is possessed by the devil.

[laughing]

Hey, Sister Lucy!

Come on over here!

Please, help this boy.

Give him some life!

Boy, stop acting
like some kind of animal.

One day, you want her, and
another day, you don't want her.

Whatever kind of God you got,

He don't like that neither.

[men laughing]

You think you're too pure
for her, hey, Bible--

-[both grunting]
-Hey, boy. You good? [laughs]

[men laughing]

Joe, Joe!

Joe, I give you this woman.

[laughs]

Now, you be a real man
and you treat her right now.

Lucy, I give you this man.

Take him into your bosom,

and you be a real woman

to him, too. [laughs]

Now, this boy is
as slippery as a snake.

So, just hold on tight to him.

Boy changes colors
faster than a chameleon!

So, just don't let him
out your sight!

[men laughing]

[man hoots, laughs]

[men laughing]

[indigenous music playing]

Nathan, they catch Kuta, we have
to do something about it.

Me? Why me?
I'm minding my own business.

You know? Stop dragging me.

Because I'm in enough trouble
already, you know?

One of them days,
you're going to find out.

Joe! Joe! Come here, boy.

[Joe] Yes, sir, Master James?

Here. Let's have some fun.

Draw me some blood
from them Black hides.

But-But Master James,

I can't be flogging and counting

at the same time, though, sir.

You mean, I got me a nigga
that can't count

and whup at the same time?

All right, smart boy. Noble!

Yes, Sir.

I guess you better go ahead
and do it then.

[scoffs] Master James,
you can't expect me

to do the whipping
all by myself all the time.

I've been on the road two days,

bringing these here runaways
in here.

I'm not going to do
a good job of it.

I'm feeling bad today, I mean�

I mean, I'm feeling real tired.

[chuckles] I got me
a tired nigga?

Yes, sir. [sighs]

[James] I guess
you'd rather count.

Master James,
you know I can't count.

You know what, boy?

You used to race
to tear them Black hides.

What's come over you, boy?

You want to be a field nigga?

No, sir, I-I just don't be
feeling good today.

[James] Boy, I'll tell you what.

From now on, sick or not,

you're going to be
whupping niggas until you die.

And if you don't do as I say,

I'm going to take
the personal pleasure�

of tearing your Black hide.

-[whip striking]
-[Joe] Twenty-six!

-[Joe] Twenty-seven!
-[dog barking]

-[whip continues striking]
-Twenty-eight!

Twenty-nine!

Thirty!

[whip striking]

Thirty-one!

[whip striking]

Thirty-two!

[whip striking]

Thirty-three!

[whip striking]

Thirty-four!

-[whip striking]
-Thirty-five!

[whip striking]

Thirty-six!

Thirty-seven!

Thirty-eight!

-Thirty-nine!
-[dog howling]

-[grunts]
-[Nunu groaning]

[Joe] Forty!

[Shola] Shango, don't!
Stop, Shango!

Don't you--
Don't get involved, Shango!

It's none of your business!
No! Shango, please.

Stop! Please, stop!
Shango, don't!

[indigenous music playing]

-[grunts]
-[whimpers]

-[hawk crying]
-[Joe] Forty-one!

-[whip striking]
-[Joe] Forty-two!

-[whip striking]
-[Joe] Forty-three!

-[whip striking]
-[Joe] Forty-four!

[hawk crying]

[grunting]

[James] Go get that nigga
out of here.

[whip striking]

Stop!

Stop, stop, stop, stop, aah!

It ain't none of your business!
Shango, don't!

Shango, you will get
yourself killed!

Please. No, Shango!

Please, Shango. Stop.

You stay right there. Stay!

Don't you go no further!
Get out of here!

-[dog barking]
-[Joe] You stubborn�

-Okay, hit me. Hit me!
-Get out of here!

Hit me! Naughty boy!
Naughty boy!

[Joe] Please, get out of here!

Please stop. Stop! Stop it!

Joe, stop. She's your mama.
Have you no respect?

-She's your mama!
-Get out!

-[arguing in Akan]
-[whip striking]

[arguing continues]

[Nunu speaking in English]
I am your mother! I birthed you!

I birthed you! I'm your mother!

[in Akan] You're useless!

I should have
a long walking stick!

[Nunu speaking in English]
This whole place must burn down!

[woman shushes]
We'll be in trouble.

[Nunu] What trouble?
What trouble?

They can never do nothing
to my soul. They can never!

You can't even do nothing
to my soul!

Ooh!

[speaking in Akan]

[in English] The only trouble

is only to this flesh.

This flesh, that's all!

It's now because of this flesh.

And you know, this is
the only chain they have on us.

Only because of this flesh,
this meat,

we could fly in the air.

We could swim in the river!
Walk under the sea!

And soon, we'll be home!

We'll be home! [sobs]
This will be home!

Huh? We will be home. [sobbing]

Oh, Jumma. My own son.

[wailing] They take my son!

Nine months. Nine months.

Why? Why me?

[crying] No! No!

[Shola] Shango!
Shango, stop, please!

Shango, they're going
to kill you, Shango!

Mussa! Mussa, stop him!

Let me go! Let me go!

-[gun fires]
-[Shola shrieks] No!

No, no, no! No!

Oh, God! [Shola gasping]

Oh, God. They're killing him!

[James] Get up, you nigga.
Get up, you bastard nigga.

-Stop! Stop!
-You'll get yourself in more trouble.

No, they're killing him!

-Hold still, boy!
-[Joe grunts] Get up!

-Get that nigga out of here.
-[groaning]

You need to stop
acting like this.

Oh, Lord. Oh, Lord.

-Stop it.
-Oh, sweet Jesus.

-Oh, sweet Jesus.
-Stop it.

[clanging]

[cries]

[both whimpering]

[in Akan] # Oh, mother #

# Mother with child #

# Warriors, saviors of nations #

# The lonely is suffering #

# Let's go
Let's go and see Akyemfo #

# Whom we consult
In time of need #

# Now is the time
Rise up in arms #

# A mother is about
To take a child #

# Cobra, cobra
We are not afraid of the witch #

# We are not afraid
Of the witch #

# Cobra, cobra
We are not afraid of the devil #

# A day will come
When all men #

# Will be made women #

# Mother, generous mother
Hold on #

[in Akan] People,

do not let her
take the child away.

Warriors,

stand firmly behind me!

[speaking in Akan]

[indigenous music playing]

Almighty, lead me,
what I'm doing,

I have not done before,
but it has happened so.

Mother, a mother cannot take
a child away like this.

Oh, mother, generous mother.

[baby wailing]

Oh, Almighty Spirit,
I thank you!

Nana Akonadi,
Good Mother, thank you!

You delivered this child
safely unto me.

I name him "Kwame," the witness.

[Mona wailing]

Oh, Shola!

[jazz music playing]

[Shola in English]
Some nights, I'll be sneaking

out of the big house
to run to Nunu,

just like one of the children,

to listen to the tales

from her homeland.

The stories about the porcupines

and the little porcupine girl

that Nunu called "Afriye."

[people chanting]

[Nunu] It means,
"Oh, great hunter,

we love you for your soup.

Your soup is always full

of thick chunks of meat
from the bush.

But we don't like
to see you in your red dress,

always stained with blood."

In this village�

lived a very young,

beautiful Kokoto girl.

Her name was "Afriye."

They were all porcupines.

Afriye.

She loved her brother
and her family so much.

But most especially her brother.

Their mother, Abnehru,
was a powerful medicine woman.

She prepared strong medicine

from roots,

plants, tree bugs.

You know, leaves, herbs.

Of course, she was powerful

and she saved many lives
in the village.

Anybody who was sick,

whether it was your head,

your leg, your stomach,

Abnehru was there,
she had medicine for you.

The father, too.

They said that,
hey, he was a great warrior.

Very strong man.

-Anytime there was war�
-[coughs]

�he would always go
to the warfront

and come back alive.

He saw that when
Afriye was born,

he could see
that this small girl

would one day grow up
to be somebody special.

So, he named her Afriye.

You know,
Afriye means "special".

Someone who is born to see.

Because of this,
she was called Afriye.

And the whole family loved her

and protected her.

[waves crashing]

[pensive music playing]

[dog barking]

[Nunu singing in Akan]

# Whose baby #

# Is this? #

# My Mother Abenaa's baby #

# My Mother
Abenaa's baby #

# Put him #

# Under a silk tree #

# The silk will fall #

# On my baby #

# Whose baby #

# Is this? #

# My Mother Abenaa's baby #

# My Mother
Abenaa's baby #

# Put him #

# Under a silk tree #

# The silk-- #

[dog barking]

[dog howling]

[in English]
How's the child?

He's a strong,
small man.

He's pulling through.
Everybody's pulling through.

Lots of babies are mad at him

for sharing
their mama's breast milk.

Nunu, I truly admire you
for what you done.

No. I haven't done nothing.

But this here place
will make you do anything.

I sure was scared and nervous.

-It is true.
-[baby cooing]

I have helped many mamas
bring their babies here,

but this one was something.

Anyhow�

you are something special.

Nunu, I-I don't know
what to do.

I know you heard me
say this before.

And if I say I wish I was dead,

I knew you ain't gonna
believe me.

But, Nunu, I'm telling you,

I'm feeling very bad
about Kuta.

This baby reminds me
of when they went

and sold my own mama.

I said to myself then,
out loud, it's all right.

'Cause, one day,
I'm gonna be free

and I'm gonna find
her wherever she at.

I got fixed, didn't I?

Instead of finding my own mama,

I done turned around and took

somebody else's mama.

Now, Kuta's gone forever.

[waves crashing]

And of course�

here, we see Him crucified.

Nailed to the cross.

For you and me, Joe.

For our sins.

[sighs] Joe, the strong.

If you can turn
this miserable situation

into some good,

believe me,

you've got to do
something about it.

You can't go on being
a headman for the white man

and expect not to do
awful things to people.

I know, Nunu.

I'm telling you,
they driving me mad

in this place.

I don't think I can go
through it any longer.

Don't you think I'm tired
of being a brute,

downright mean and evil?

Don't you think I'm tired

of being a headman
for the white man

and all the burden
that goes along with it?

I almost went mad,
I couldn't control my head.

The fact I couldn't say no
is what's killing me.

It never used to bother me.

Now, all them eyes
are staring at me.

Eyes everywhere,
just staring at me,

waiting on me to do
some evil thing to somebody.

My own people
just beating me down.

All them field niggas
beating me down with their eyes,

staring at me,
torturing me day and night.

I'm telling you, Nunu,
they're driving me mad

in this place.

You can do something about that.

You can pull yourself up
and say no.

The choice is either to be
a true man

or a beast.

-[wolf howling]
-[crickets chirping]

[pensive music playing]

One of these days,
you're going to end up dead.

You know that, don't you?

Shango�

why don't you just act right?

It don't take that much.

You�

You know�

You know, the way you carry on
worries me to death.

You done lost so much blood.

Shango, you got to�

Please.

Why you do this to me?

It ain't none of your business.

Getting shot
over some runaway, Shango.

It ain't none of your business.

You can't run around
fighting for everybody.

You're just one man.

Shango, you're just one man,
and you're going to end up dead.

You ever think about me?

You ever think about taking me
away from here, Shango?

Take you and go
which part, hmm?

Which part you want me
take you go?

You not see how I stayed?
[clicks tongue]

Shola, why can't you be
like one of we, hmm?

Why can't you crawl
on your belly like a snake,

through the trees,
through the grass.

One of these days,
we're only going to eat frogs.

Yeah, that is all we will get
of freedom we're on at.

All we have to go and eat frog.

You know, the snake will eat
whatever is in the frog's belly?

Why don't you make sense?

-I'm a man.
-Oh.

Everybody knows you're a man.

Now, they're going to know
you are a tender man.

Don't be afraid
to be a little tender.

Besides, this is a special baby.

Everybody knows why he's here,

and everybody's going to help
to take care of him.

That was Kuta's last wish, hmm?

This baby wasn't born
the natural way.

He is going to grow�

to tell about this place.

[chuckles]

He will testify more
than any other grown-ups here.

[both chuckling]

I still wish I can have
my own baby with you.

Noble Ali, you know
I can't sleep with you.

You are a headman.

All my life�

the headman has been,
and continues to be,

my tormentor.

I was snatched away
and sold from my birthplace

by my own people
acting like a headman.

And till today,
the headman is my tormentor.

But you might as well
give up on me,

because I'm never going to lie
next to your body

so long as you remain
the headman for the white man.

And I mean that.

[Shola] Living in a big house,
you could feel it.

The way the white folks
will be getting all excited,

expecting some kind of trouble
from the field folks.

But you know what?

It's always
when they least expect it.

On the nights they feel
everything is all right

that out of nowhere,
the field folks would rise up

and burn down everything.

I believe Shango, Nunu,
Jumma, and even Mussa,

belonged to the secret society.

I even think
they was the leaders.

Some nights, they be
sneaking away to the caves

to meet up with the field hands

from the
neighboring plantations,

and even the free folks

from up in the hills.

They done runaway
up in the hills,

and they live like free people.

Of course, nobody ever told this
to the house servants.

They didn't trust us.

They didn't even trust
some of their own kinds

in the fields.

But it wasn't only field hands,

some of the head slaves
was part of it, too.

Like, if you take Mussa
in the day time,

he's with the master,
cracking his whip.

But at night, he's all mixed up
with the field hands

in the caves,
plotting rebellion.

But just special ones know
what was going on,

and they take off
when the others be out there,

dancing and cutting the food.

[indigenous music playing]

[Shola] You could always feel
the tension in the big house.

The more the whispering be going
on with the field folks,

the more the master
don't be sleeping.

And the more he don't sleep,

the more I catch hell
'cause he be taking

his frustration out on me.

[Shola grunts, shrieks]

[owl hooting]

[Shola grunting]

[yelling] Sir, please.

-[James panting]
-[Shola whimpering]

-[grunts, shrieks]
-[dog barking]

[indigenous music playing]

[people ululating]

[chattering]

[woman] You made it!
Woo-hoo! You made it.

[Nunu speaking in Akan] Hug me!

Hug me, hug me, hug me.

Well done, well done.

Come, hug me, my child.

Brave men are scarce.

Hey! You've done very well.

[man in English]
Good news from the hills.

Since we met,

we celebrate the birth�

of 17 children.

-[woman] Seventeen?
-[man 2] Huh, 17?

-[all clapping]
-Yes, 17.

Ten girls, seven boys.

[all clapping]

We have 10 machetes�

eight forks�

seven pickax.

All we need is seeds.

Seeds.

We come to talk with you,
get you together�

to take you away
to the hills one by one.

We know that you are suffering
down here

'cause we serve own God�

in the hills.

You people down here
serve the white man God.

[all murmuring]

[man laughs, claps]

[all clapping]

[man] This thing
is not to be known�

'cause we are one people.

We'll take you one by one

until we all get together

on the hills where you are free.

Everybody free.

[people clapping]

[people chanting in Akan]

Warriors, rise up!
Let's rise up, warriors!

The snake will have

whatever is in the belly
of the frog.

[chattering]

[Shola] That time,
the soldiers came

to help put down the rebellion

and armed overseers

from neighboring plantations.

And the sky stayed red hot.

Smoke was everywhere.

Acres of cane lain in ashes.

Then, they started
gathering the field hands,

and I was praying
for Nunu and Shango.

But they couldn't find out
who was and who wasn't involved.

Of course the field hands
was quiet.

They just picked
a handful of field hands

and some of the drummers
to make an example out of them.

Then, right in front
of everybody, they took them

and put them
in these little wooden cages,

and raised them up
to the top of the trees

for the vultures to feed on.

It still echoes in my brain.

And they hung up there for days
until they died

one by one.

But Shango was lucky.

That night, just so happened
he was in leg irons

in the oxbow.

But Nunu, she wasn't so lucky.

[Nunu] I'm not going! Leave me!

Big boy,
where are you taking Nunu?

Hey! You're not selling her,
I said.

Nobody's selling her!
It'll kill her!

You better get out of here.

Noble, there's nothing!

Nobody's selling her!

[men arguing]

[grunts] Get back.

Come on! Stand back! Come on!

Nobody's taking Nunu.
Nobody's taking her out of here.

-Noble, Noble, Noble.
-You hear me?

-No, Mussa.
-Calm down.

Nobody's taking Nunu
out of here.

-Do you hear me? Nobody!
-Noble.

-Nobody's taking you out!
-Noble, don't do no foolishness!

Don't do no foolishness.

They can kill you.

Just be wise.

Noble, I'm coming back.

I am coming back.

Just be wise.

You know what to do.

You know what to do.

I care for you.

Oh, leave me, ah!

-Leave me!
-[Noble grunts]

What's going on here, boy?

I'm talking to you, boy.

[breathing heavily]

Everything all right,
Master James.

Everything all right.

Just a woman. [laughs]

Nothing to it at all.
Everything all right.

There's plenty of them
around here.

Everything all right.

It's all right.

-It better be.
-It's all right.

[Shola] I guess the time
finally came for Noble Ali.

"He just became ripe,"
as Nunu would say,

especially the day
they took Nunu away to sell.

I guess that's when
they finally done it to him.

In the day time,
he was laughing and pretending

to be with the master.

But at night, just like Mussa,

he was out there
with the rest of them.

-Nunu!
-[James] Come on, move them out!

[James] Move them out!

Nunu! Where are you taking Nunu?

[James] Come on, let's move out!
Move them, boys! Move!

-Nunu!
-[James grunts] Come on!

[James] Move it! Move it!
We don't have all day. Come on!

You can't sell Nunu!

-Nunu!
-[James] Come on!

[James] Move 'em up here!
Come on!

[man 1] Go further. Move up.

-[James] Push!
-[man 2] Come on!

[man 2] Keep up! Keep up, man!

-No! [grunts]
-[man 2] Keep up!

-[Shola] Nunu!
-[James] Keep watch!

-[Shola] Nunu!
-Get that woman out of here!

[Shola] Nunu! Please!

[man 1] Keep up! Come on!

[Shola] Nunu!

-[James] Get her out of here!
-[Shola] Nunu!

[man 2] Get her out.

[Shola] Nunu!

Nunu!

Keep going, keep going.

-[James] Get her out of here.
-[Shola] No!

-Come on!
-[Shola grunts]

[Shola] Nunu! Nunu!

[crying] Nunu!

[sobbing]

Joe!

Joe!

Joe, they're selling
your mama, Joe!

Joe, they're taking Nunu!

Joe, come help me! You coward!

I know you're in there!

Joe! You coward!

They're taking you mama, Joe!

They're taking Nunu!
Come help me!

Joe!

[indigenous music playing]

[sobbing]

Nunu�

[James] Keep going!
Come on, move! Move!

-[James] Move it!
-[man] Keep going!

[horses galloping]

Come on, move it. Get to work.

[indigenous music playing]

Tonight, in the cave.

-Tonight.
-In the cave.

Tonight, in the cave.

Tonight, in the cave.

Tonight, in the cave.

[horse neighing, whinnying]

Come on, move it!
Get back to work!

Come on! Let's move it!

Work! Come on!

-Work time!
-[dogs barking]

[crickets chirping]

[Raphael] She was raised
from the dead.

Exalted to glory.

Raised up above the choirs
of the angels of heaven!

Later, she was enshrined

and proclaimed
the Queen of Heaven.

You see, Joe,

our Holy Queen, Virgin Mary,

was taken up
to the heavenly bridal chamber,

where the king of kings
was seated on His throne�

["You Don't Know
How It Feels" playing]

# I been crying
All these years #

# And my man can't dry #

# My tears #

# You don't know
how it feels #

Hey. Nunu!

[Nunu, Noble laughing]

-Come here.
-[Nunu shrieks]

-Oh!
-[laughing]

-What--
-They couldn't sell me.

-Who--
-They couldn't buy me.

Finally, I'm too old
for the white man.

-Ooh--
-[both laughing]

I'm so happy to see you, Nunu.
I'm so glad you're back.

The-the big white man
in the market place,

they just stood there,
look at me.

"She ain't even fit to be sold."

[both laughing]

So, now, I'm too old to be sold,

too old to be bought.

-Too old!
-[both laughing]

-Thank you, God.
-I'm so happy to see you.

-Oh! [laughs]
-Oh, Nunu.

I told you I was coming back.

You didn't believe me, did you?

-Mm-mm.
-I'm back now.

[Shola] Father Raphael
kept telling me to pray.

Kept telling me
about the punishment

and the massa
kept on taking advantage of me.

It didn't make no sense to me.

It seemed like the more I pray,
the meaner the massa get.

Praying wasn't working.

So, I just
stopped it altogether.

I felt responsible

even though deep down
in my heart,

I knew that wasn't true.

After that, I just fell out
of favor altogether.

[pensive music playing]

Father.

[Raphael] Joe the strong,
what can I do for you?

It's Nunu, Father.

Don't mention
that heathen ginny woman's name

in my church.

She just don't like our God.

I know it because I feel
and I see it in her, Father.

I even got a feeling
she's going to try

and poison me with something

just by the way
she always be looking at me.

I just don't know
what I'm to do.

Do you fight back?

I be fighting hard too, Father.

Real hard.

Well, that's it.

That's it, my son.

That's the devil, my son.

Fight her all the way.

Father, you know
I'm always to myself.

I don't go near none of them.

Most of the time, I be reading
the Bible, you know that.

Everybody knows
that I'm different.

Well, you are different.

[crickets chirping]

Joe, we can make
a pretty Brown baby.

Not here. Not here.

[door creaks]

But Father,

did all mean "don't"?

Whose son am I?

[people chanting, clapping]

[Raphael] We-we all are
His sons, my son.

We all have one Father.

The Almighty.

[people chanting, clapping]

[Joe grunts]

And don't you come barging in
to my house like that no more,

you heathen!

I'm the fool, Joe.

Fooling myself all over you.

I'm the crazy one,

showing out over a dead man.

You ain't no man, Joe.

You ain't nothing!

You ain't nothing, Joe.

What's missing?
Ain't I woman enough, huh?

Ain't I woman enough?
Is it my breast you need?

Or is that
damn Virgin Mary Herself?

-You think you--
-[grunts]

Lucy, Lucy,
what's wrong with Joe,

throwing you in the dirt
like this?

Shola, what's missing, huh?

-Ain't I good enough?
-[shushes]

Am I not good enough?
Huh, Shola?

It's not-- It ain't you, Lucy.

It was Joe
who done lost his mind, Lucy.

I told you leave him be!
Lost his mind.

You think you good
'cause you half breed?

You think you're God-sent, huh?

Forgive me
for I have sinned. [panting]

[Shola] Go on, Lucy. Tell him.

[Lucy] Shango,
if I can't get his hair,

there ain't no way
I can get his nails.

Anything, Shango.

Anything, Shango, just make
that man come around to me.

Make him love me
like I love him.

What you want me to do?

You can find
somebody else to love.

You have to love a headman?

I can't eat and I can't sleep.

I can't keep food on my stomach.

Anything, Shango.

Just make that man
come around to me.

Anything.

[clicks tongue]
Why, if it wasn't for Shola?

[indigenous music playing]

Shola, me, I do this
for still, you know.

'Cause them headmen, they don't
even love their mothers.

I want you to give him this.

He's going to throw up
when you give him,

but he's true and wicked.

He has so much wickedness
in him.

Same time,
when you give him this,

make sure you give him
at the day.

Don't give him
at night, you know?

He's going to go down to sleep
and don't wake up.

Remember what I say,
give him a little,

don't give him at night.

Well, I can't understand
how a woman like you

will love a man like that.

Look how much men
are about the place.

Remember, you know,
give him little, little.

[Lucy] Thank you, Shango.

Thank you.

[Nunu] Huh, see,
that's what they did to Afriye.

When they separated
the men one side

and the women one side
on-on the ship.

Poor Afriye.

She could not tell

whether she was on land

or on water.

[sighs] That's how�

her rotten fruit was conceived.

[crying]

Well, that's how
her rotten fruit

was conceived.

Why do you think I spit him
out of my life?

I didn't raise him
to be no headman

for no white man to mistreat--

Mistreat his own people!

It's painful and wrong.

[Nunu sobbing]

[Shola] Afriye is Nunu.

In the story
of the little porcupine,

Afriye was raped
inside the slave ship.

And that's how Joe was born.

[crickets chirping]

[in Akan] O, Almighty God.
Mother Earth.

The spirits of Asona ancestors.

Come, here's your drink.

I thank you
for guiding my brothers

and sisters here safely.

You deserve the Obirikisi Birim
and Okrikraku

that we sacrificed for you.

That's why we got them back.

Whatever we pledge,
whatever we aim at,

help us to achieve.

Only peace, we thank you.

The spirits of Asona,
we thank you.

The spirits of Ekouona clan,
I thank you, too.

We thank you, we thank you.

# The spirit of Prempeh #

# Ani Abena #

# Come and eat with us #

# Come and eat with us #

[in English] What you have seen,
you haven't heard.

What you have heard,
you haven't seen.

[in Akan]
# The spirit of Prempeh #

# Ani Abena #

[Shola] That night, I don't know
what froze me,

but I couldn't get myself
to be initiated.

I guess it was just the years
of the church in me,

but I was so happy anyway

to just have made it
all the way to the cave.

Anyhow, after that,
I just got up,

no clothes, no food, no nothing,
and just started running.

Running away
from that evil place.

I didn't know where I was going,

I just set out running

in the direction of the hills.

And I still can't tell you
how far I got,

or where I was going,
but I remember

being dragged back
in the middle of the night

by the overseers and the dogs.

[bells tolling]

[Shola] The master,
the mistress, Father Raphael,

they all said
I was possessed by the devil

for associating
with those heathen Africans.

Look. Look, Father. See?

Look. Look, see?

This is a heathen's work.

She's gone and mixed herself up
with them heathen niggas.

The configurations
are very similar.

-Look at that.
-Certainly heathen work.

African.

[sighs]

Lift her up. Get up.

-No.
-Get up!

No! Ow!

[murmuring]

[Shola groaning]

[murmuring continues]

-[whip striking]
-[Shola shrieking]

[dog barking]

-[Shola shrieking] No! Please!
-[whip striking]

[Shola shrieking, crying]

[Raphael] Repeat after me.

-Repeat after the father!
-Ow!

-Repeat after me!
-[groaning]

I belong to God.

[shrieking] I belong--

I am His and His alone.

[sobbing]

-I am His and His alone!
-I am His and His�

-I am possessed by Him.
-I am possessed by Him.

-I am His slave!
-I am His slave!

-[Raphael] Get away, devil!
-[Shola] Get away, devil!

I will never again
worship another God.

I will never again
worship another God.

I will not associate

with those who worship
another God.

[groaning, panting]

[Shola] I will not associate
with those who worship�

-[Raphael] A living God!
-[Shola] A living God.

-African God.
-An African God!

-Never.
-Never!

-Never! Never!
-Never! Never!

Never! Never! Never!

You wench, if I hear or find you

associating with them
heathen niggas,

by God, you'll find yourself
in much trouble.

I won't be so easy
on you next time.

Let's get out of here, Father.

[wailing]

[screaming]

[heavy breathing]

-[crickets chirping]
-[dog barking]

My feet.

My legs, I can't stop my legs.

-Don't stop, don't stop.
-[pants] I'm still running.

My feet, they just still
running on.

[panting]

Just go on, run, Shola.
Go on, run.

Don't stop now, go on run.

We're not going
to slave no more,

just go on running.

Shango.

Are you ever afraid of dying?

Speak the truth, no.

You got medicine.

[giggles] Never. Huh?

First time, I used to be
afraid for dead,

but no, not now.

[coughing]

You got medicine to protect you.

That's what they say
about you, Shango.

You know, Shola,
I did have a little sister

who ate mud and dead.

And up to this day,
I could not understand

which part she go.

I could only see
her body, you know.

Then, long after
my father were dead,

and that is the time
I get more confused.

I couldn't really understand.

What did really go on?

You know, my sister, dead.
My father, dead.

And all I could see
was their body.

[stammering] You know,
whenever they bring me�

[clicks tongue]

I realized that this was a kind
of different thing, you know.

I had a friend named, Jake.

My�

I remember my Jake.
You know, I love him.

Jake was the first man�

The first man
who really put me down

and told me
about people like me and you,

who live up in the hills, who
live like normal human beings.

Yeah, me and him used
to sit down and plan out escape.

You know, one morning,
I wake up, and�

I see Jake hang from a tree.

That was the time
that I realized that�

maybe it's better
if I be dead, you know.

Yeah, because if I'm dead,

I would only go
to the people who I love.

My father, my sister, and Jake.

Yeah.

[Shola] Shango trusted me
for the first time.

He gave me this handmade bird
that he had carved out of wood.

He called it a Sankofa bird,
and he put it 'round my neck.

Shango said this Sankofa

was passed on to him
by his papa.

But I tell you,

whatever that bird
was all about,

after he put that bird
on my neck,

I became a rebel.

No more was I scared
of being flogged, burned.

Even death didn't scare me.

And when they got the notion
to throw me out in the field,

suit me just fine.

[birds twittering]

[leaves rustling]

[dog barking]

[horse neighing]

[Noble] Come on! Come on!
Move it! Get to working!

Hi, Joe.

Aunt Rose sent some food for you
from the kitchen.

I'll leave it here by you.

[coughing]

[gasping]

[coughing, gasping]

Joe.

[Noble] Come on!
What's going on here?

Get busy! Work, work! Come on!

I want you. [grunting]

Joe, man!

-Joe! What's got into you, man?
-[Joe] Get off me!

[Nunu speaking in Akan]
Leave him, he's not well!

-Leave him!
-[in English] You!

[in Akan]
Hey, leave him! He's sick!

[Nunu yelling] Oh, my God.
Leave him! Leave him!

Stop, stop, stop it!
Don't you see he's sick?

[in English] He's not well.
Leave him, leave him!

He's not well. Leave him.
He's not well, leave him!

-[murmuring]
-[Nunu] No, he's not well.

-Leave him.
-Water! Water, water, water.

[Joe] Help! Water!

Oh, no! What am I to do?

-Water, water, water!
-[Nunu] No! Tumi!

-[Nunu] Tumi!
-Water! I need some water!

-[Joe] Water!
-Tumi, come back!

-[Joe] I need some water! Water!
-Tumi.

-Tumi! Tumi!
-[Joe] Water!

-[Joe] Ineed water!
-[Nunu] Tumi!

-[water running]
-[monkey gibbering]

[in Akan] I'm fed up with you.
Go ahead, die.

-[Joe gasping] Aah!
-Aah!

Ah! My God!

I'm hurting.

My womb.

The pain of birth.

[sighs]

My God! My God. Oh, my God.

Oh, the pain, the pain of it.

My womb, my womb.

It's miserable, it's miserable.

It's miserable.

[panting]

-[coughing]
-Tumi. Tumi.

Tumi, now, it's over.

[in English]
Hold on, hold on. Look at me.

Tumi. Tumi.

-[Nunu panting]
-[coughing, gasping]

Come on.

My son, it's all right.
Throw up.

-[retches]
-Throw up. Throw up.

-[spits, grunts]
-Throw up, throw up.

-[Nunu murmuring]
-[coughing]

[Nunu] Come on. Do it again.
Let it all come.

You won't die.

[in Akan] # Oh #

# My grandfathers of Asono #

[cries]

# My grandmothers of Ekoona #

# I don't have anybody #

# But my only fruit, my son #

My backbone.

-Don't die! [cries]
-[gasping]

# Whose baby is this? #

# My mother Abenaa's baby #

# Put him
Under the palm tree #

# Thorns are abound
Under the palm tree #

# Put him
Under the silk tree #

# The silk tree will fall
On my baby #

# Whose child� #

[pensive music playing]

She is possessed by a devil.

-You!
-[in Akan] What did I do?

-What did I do?
-You!

Tumi! What's the matter?

-[in English] You must do!
-[in Akan] What did I do?

[in English]
Y-You stay away from me!

-You devil!
-[in Akan] Maybe it's you.

What have I done?

[in English] You stay away!

You try to kill me like you go
around killing everybody else!

I was raped,

but I carried you here
for nine months.

Nine months, I carried you here.

I raised you
with these breasts!

Shut up! Shut up!

Till they snatched you
away from me!

You're trying to destroy me
like you go around

destroying everybody else.

The devil
is trying to get to you

through your mother.

Do not let her come
between you and the Lord.

You have to be
a strong Christian.

You stay away from me, devil!

[in Akan] # The spirit
of my ancestors #

My only child!

-Accusing me of being a witch?
-[in English] You devil!

[in Akan] I swear the oath
of my great grandfathers�

[in English]
Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!

[both grunting]

-[Nunu groaning]
-Shut up! You shut up!

I'll shut you up forever!

-[Nunu screaming]
-Shut up!

Shut up! Shut up!

You shut up! Shut up! Shut up�

[thunder crashing]

S-S-Shola, help me. [panting]

I need you to help me.

-Please help me.
-Joe�

What you finally do, Joe?

Shola�

You's a miserable man.

-Oh, Joe�
-[sobbing]

Shola, help me.
I didn't mean to kill her!

-Joe�
-[crying]

I didn't mean to kill her!

[shushes]

[clicking tongue]

Where is your-- Where's
your loving father at, Joe?

-What?
-Where's your loving father at?

Raped, Joe.

-Raped!
-[thunder rumbling]

When she was 14 years old, Joe!

Raped. Yes. Oh!

Joe, which one of them white men
who raped your mama?

-It's your father!
-That's not true!

-It is!
-It ain't!

-It is!
-[sobbing]

-He's one of them, Joe!
-That ain't true!

Which one is your father?

Which one of them white men

who raped your mama
is your father?

-That ain't true!
-It is!

That happened to Afriye,
the porcupine woman!

Oh, Joe.

Afriye is Nunu!

-No, Joe, no.
-She made it.

You got no future.

-Shola, don't leave me.
-[thunder crashing]

-Please, don't leave me.
-You got no future!

-You're doomed!
-No!

-Shola!
-I hate you!

["Rising Sun" playing]

# He let me grow #

# Oh, oh, oh #

# Oh, oh #

# Mm-hm-mmm #

# He let me grow #

[bells tolling]

# He let #

# How can I beg? #

# Oh, in #

# Love #

-# In #
-[thunder rumbling]

# Love #

[voices whispering, echoing]

# The truth #

# Can't hide #

What in Christ's name
is going on here?

# And I #

# And I heard� #

Take that heathen woman
out of this sanctuary.

# Yeah, yeah #

# He #

# Is #

# Jesus who is the Lord #

# Have mercy, have mercy #

# When I fall #

[thunder crashing]

# On my knees #

# With my face #

# With my face
To the rising sun #

What is going on here, Joe?

I order you.

Take this heathen creature

and your heathen behavior
out of here.

But just like the rest
of these niggas,

you have no soul, it's hopeless.

[thunder rumbling]

[Raphael] I'll have you
removed. [grunts]

This woman you call heathen
is my mother!

And you are going to have
to stop disrespecting her!

Her name is Afriye!

And she's a saint.

Ain't she now, Father?

All her life,
she's been abused and betrayed,

even by her own son!

Now, ain't she a saint?

Wasn't she even dragged
through the desert of cruelty,

to suffer for everybody
and for you!

Now, tell me.

Ain't she a saint?

Joe, Joe�

No, I-I raised you
since you were a little boy.

I gave you everything
that-that was good.

Joe. Joe, please.

Take yourself in hand, Joe.

Joe�

You are a good Christian.

Hey, Joe--

[Raphael choking]
Stop, stop, stop.

Joe. Joe.

[thunder rumbling]

[Raphael gasping]

No, Joe--

[voices whispering, shushing]

[indigenous music playing]

[birds twittering]

[Shola] Joe was locked
in that church

for days.

They tried to smoke him out,

but finally, they just burned

the whole church down.

Father Raphael, Joe, the church,

nothing but ashes.

And Nunu?
Nunu was nowhere to be found.

They never did find
a trace of her.

Some folks believe to this day
that she never died.

They say they saw
this big buzzard

come swoop down and fly
her back to her Africa.

[birds chirping]

[dramatic music playing]

[water running]

[dog barking]

[drums beating]

Just spotted James
up on the hill,

all by hisself.

Be a good time, Shango.

All right,
I'm going to tell Jumma.

Noble Ali said James
up on the hill all by himself.

-Now's the right time.
-Thank you.

[Sankofa ululating]

[indigenous music playing]

[horse neighing]

[man thuds, grunts]

[horse neighing, galloping]

Get up.

[drums beating]

[Sankofa yelling]

[voices shouting, clamoring]

Kuffa!

-[grunts]
-[people cheering]

[drums beating]

[Sankofa ululating]

[shrieks] Ow!

Give me that gun, now.

You're going to get yourself
in trouble, give it here.

[people clamoring]

[James]
Get that nigga off of me.

[chuckles] This one's Shango.

Judgment Day, Shango.

The snake's going to eat
whatever is in the belly

of the frog.

[Noble] Yes!

[drums beating]

[Sankofa chanting]

[breathing heavily]

[shrieks]

[shrieks]

[Shola] Guns. Horses.

Head slaves.
I can still hear it all now.

And I heard the gun
go off again.

And the dogs, I heard them

as they scrunched
to one of us.

I heard his voice.

"Keep on running, sister.
Keep on running!"

The horses hooves
got closer and closer,

right on our heels,
and suddenly,

I heard another one go down.

They were right on our heels,

and I knew I was next.

One cried out for me to go on

as the dogs feasted on him.

"Keep on running, sister.

Run, run, run!"

My head started getting hot,

and I wasn't tired no more.

Then I had this feeling,
this light feeling,

and there wasn't no more pains
in my feet.

This big buzzard
was flying next to me,

and he spread his wings,
and he scooped me up,

and up, and up!

Just like what Shango said.

Next thing I know,
I'm in the air,

going up, and up, and up.

And this miserable Earth
is getting smaller,

and smaller,
turning into something small.

Dogs, and overseers,
head slaves, horses,

getting smaller, and smaller.

Just like what Shango said.

Buzzard brought me.

[shrieking]

No!

[wailing]

Help!

Oh! Ow!

Aah!

[woman yelling]

Somebody help!

[woman continues yelling]

-[woman speaking in Akan]
-Mama!

-Oh, Mama! [crying]
-[speaking in Akan]

Mama!

[shrieks]

[crying]

-[woman speaking in Akan]
-[crying]

-[drums beating]
-[birds twittering]

[Sankofa chanting in Akan]

[man] Hey, Mona! Mona!

Mona!

Hey, where were you?

Hey, you're about to make me
lose my magic hour, Mona!

[Sankofa chanting in Akan]

[speaking in Akan]

[buzzard cawing]

[Sankofa chanting in Akan]

[buzzard cawing]

[buzzard cawing]

[man in English]
Spirit of the dead, rise up.

Lingering spirit of the dead,

rise up and possess

your bird of passage.

Those stolen Africans,

step out of the ocean,

from the wounds of ships,

and claim your story.

Spirit of the dead, rise up.

Lingering spirit�

[indigenous music playing]

[man] Spirit of the dead�

-[birds squawking]
-[voices whispering, echoing]