Ceddo - A synergy of questions essays

Ceddo - A synergy of questions essays At first glance, the film Ceddo by Ousmane Sembene, seems to be simply put; a story of how the Muslim faith has forced an African villages hierarchical system out of order. There is a story behind the scenes however. The setup of the film is quick and to the point. There isnt much emphasis on the existing culture of this village before the Muslim movements began. The hierarchical system is set in place in the first few scenes just to create a sense of the culture already existing in the village. The film is a demonstration of the need for what will later be called the separation of church (religion) and state (politics). It shows how religion is capable of interfering with political rule. It also shows how they work against each other striving to be the supreme deciding factors for the village. The infiltration of the Muslim faith has broken down the honest, disciplined system of King and village people that seemed to carry through many generations of the village. The system still remains living through the elders of the village. In many works, elders seem to take on this wise, all-knowing role. In Ceddo, the elders of the ceddo, or people, also have had a great deal of input in how the village operates prior to the Muslim conversion. The elders speak of the old ways and how the King has become corrupt with the Muslim teachings. The elders accuse the King of being walked over by the Muslims and warn him of their bad intentions. The voice of the ceddo is carried through the one elder who speaks directly to the counsel in the opening scenes. He is the liaison and the expression of all ceddo. The elders are exemplary of the old ways and the determination of the ceddo for getting back to their root culture, which is surrounded in principles. Immediately in the beginning of the film, it is evident that one of those underlying principles is how everything that is spoken is honest. The words are all the ...