Ichi: Marks in Time
Synopsis
In 1911, the anthropologist Northcote Thomas made a study of the Igbo-speaking people of Nigeria. Among thousands of photographs he made are many portraits of men whose faces are covered with scarification marks known as ichi. These images of deeply-scarred faces appear to confirm colonial-era imaginaries of African customs. Returning the 110-year-old photographs to the communities whose heritage they depict, however, occasions a cultural revival as the traditional custodians of ichi tell their story and re-enact their lost art. Rather than marks of tribalism, ichi signified nobility, and protected people from being enslaved. Ichi cutting was brought to an end in the 1930s by missionaries who regarded it as barbaric. In the film, the few surviving men who bear the scarification marks recall their harrowing childhood experiences having their faces cut and undergoing this transformative rite-of-passage. Spirited despite their advanced years, they talk with a mixture of pride and regret at the loss of traditional Igbo culture. Made collaboratively with the Umudioka community of Neni, the film is filled with song, dance and masquerade, and offers a profound reflection on continuity and change.
Details
- Year
- 2023
- Type of project
- Features
- Running time
- 71 min
- Format
- HD Digital Video 2k (1920 x 1080)
- Director
-
Paul Basu, Christopher Thomas Allen
- Producer
- Paul Basu, Christopher Thomas Allen
- Executive Producer
- Chiedozie Udeze
- Editor
- Paul Basu, Christopher Thomas Allen
- Director of Photography
- Christopher Thomas Allen
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
Paul Basu
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