SKULLS OF MY PEOPLE

Credits

Name: SKULLS OF MY PEOPLE

Country: Südafrika, Namibia

Year of publication: 2016

Format: DCP

Color: color

Language : OF m. dt. UT

Duration: 67 Minuten

Direction: Moloi, Vincent

Screenplay: Moloi, Vincent; Matsetela, Lodi; Mamabolo, Makgano

Guest: Moloi, Vincent

Abstract

According to a review of SKULLS OF MY PEOPLE in the “Mail & Guardian” newspaper, it was a “harmless question” that drew South African filmmaker Vincent Moloi’s attention to a hard-fought struggle for land rights and reparation payments in neighbouring Namibia. He saw a photo of a traditional Herero dress and asked himself why it reminded him of European fashions. He then stumbled upon the history of the genocide committed under German colonial rule in the 20th century that wiped out four fifths of all Hereros (100,000 in total) and half of all Namas (10,000). Moloi realised that not one of his friends knew a thing about it. He then knew that “this was a story that had to be told”. He spent eight years documenting the demands of the Herero and Nama people for the German government to recognise their past crimes and to pay reparations, and for the Namibian government to return the land that was stolen from them and is now mostly in possession of white settlers.