Film

Black Samurai

2006 · 52m · Documentary

The Surmas live in the Kibish River Valley, in southern Ethiopia, where modern man was born 195,000 years ago. They hold up the mirror to us of a past in which we can recognize ourselves, despite the geographical and cultural distance. This semi-nomadic people who depend on livestock is not well known. Traditional donga fighting, a duel with sticks, earned them a reputation for brutality which keeps outsiders at a distance. In fact, the donga is a martial art that celebrates values necessary for survival in a region torn by tribal warfare. This nation of 28,000 souls possesses nothing other than its livestock. Its impoverished condition is an art of extreme living that commands respect.

• Jean QueyratDirector
• Bernard MathieuWriter
• Françoise GarnaultEditor

Release date

July 13, 2006

Status

Released

Original language

English

Runtime

52m

Genres

Documentary