COME, I’LL SHOW YOU

THE WORLD OF SECRET SOCIETIES

The powerful “secret societies” of Sierra Leone act covertly, preparing young women for their role as wife and mother. But they do more than that: they also perform genital cutting on their initiates. This documentary explores what it’s like for those forced to undergo the painful process, and it also gives the women who defend the secret societies a chance to speak. A unique look into a tradition widely regarded as taboo.

COME, I’LL SHOW YOU

THE WORLD OF SECRET SOCIETIES

The powerful “secret societies” of Sierra Leone act covertly, preparing young women for their role as wife and mother. But they do more than that: they also perform genital cutting on their initiates. This documentary explores what it’s like for those forced to undergo the painful process, and it also gives the women who defend the secret societies a chance to speak. A unique look into a tradition widely regarded as taboo.

COME, I’LL SHOW YOU THE

FILMMAKERS

Director  Salamatu Kuyateh
Director of Photography Stephen Kai James
Editor Emmanuel Sahr Pessima & Salamatu Kuyateh
Sound Emmanuel Sahr Pessima

COME, I’LL SHOW YOU THE

FILMMAKERS

Director 

Salamatu Kuyateh

Director of Photography

Stephen Kai James

Editor

Emmanuel Sahr Pessima & Salamatu Kuyateh

Sound

Emmanuel Sahr Pessima

COME, I’LL SHOW YOU THE

FILM INFORMATION

Type Documentary
Length 11:17 min.
Sprache Krio / Temne with English or German subtitles
Country of origin Sierra Leone
Year 2016

COME, I’LL SHOW YOU THE

FILM INFORMATION

Type

Documentary

Length

11:17 min.

Sprache

Krio / Temne with English or German subtitles

Country of origin

Sierra Leone

Year

2016

COME, I’LL SHOW YOU THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

SIERRA LEONE

Sierra Leone (officially the Republic of Sierra Leone) borders Guinea in the north and Liberia in the southeast. Freetown is the country’s capital and economic centre. English is the official language of this former British colony, but most people speak Krio.
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Over a thousand schools were destroyed during the civil war that lasted from 1991 to 2002. Following the Ebola epidemic (2014-2016), the country is now working to rebuild state and social infrastructure. Both Sierra Leone’s constitution and the 2004 Education Act mandate nine years of compulsory basic education, but full compliance is not possible due to a lack of schools and teachers. The literacy rate of the adult population in 2015 was 48.1% (women: 37.7%, men: 58.7%).
>/br>
Sierra Leone has a great variety of media. After a long debate, 2013 saw the passing of a freedom of information law. Sierra Leone ranked 85th out of 180 countries on the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters without Borders.

COME, I’LL SHOW YOU THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

SIERRA LEONE

Sierra Leone (officially the Republic of Sierra Leone) borders Guinea in the north and Liberia in the southeast. Freetown is the country’s capital and economic centre. English is the official language of this former British colony, but most people speak Krio.
>/br>
Over a thousand schools were destroyed during the civil war that lasted from 1991 to 2002. Following the Ebola epidemic (2014-2016), the country is now working to rebuild state and social infrastructure. Both Sierra Leone’s constitution and the 2004 Education Act mandate nine years of compulsory basic education, but full compliance is not possible due to a lack of schools and teachers. The literacy rate of the adult population in 2015 was 48.1% (women: 37.7%, men: 58.7%).
>/br>
Sierra Leone has a great variety of media. After a long debate, 2013 saw the passing of a freedom of information law. Sierra Leone ranked 85th out of 180 countries on the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters without Borders.