God’s Gift
In God's Gift (Wênd Kûuni,1982), director Gaston Kaboré paints a poignant portrait of a Burkinabé village grappling with the pain of a prolonged drought and the unsureness brought by the encroaching influence of modernity. We open (in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio, for the nerds out there) on a woman dolefully sitting in her hut. A man enters, and they argue about whether her husband will come back. The man insists he’s been gone too long and is not returning. The woman lashes out, and the man leaves. In the next scene, a kind traveler finds a young, dehydrated boy lying on the side of the road. He picks the boy up and carries him to the nearest village, where no one recognizes him, but they offer to take him in as he seemingly has nowhere else to go. This young boy, who can’t seem to speak, is Wendkouni. The film follows the young Wendkouni, a boy who becomes deeply connected to the village's traditions and spiritual beliefs, as he witnesses his world being challenged by the harsh realities of the changing times. Through Wendkouni's eyes, we witness the community's struggle to preserve its cultural heritage in adversity.
The film's imagery and performances transport us to the heart of this rural community in the Western African nation of Burkina Faso. We see the villagers' faith in their ancestral customs, beautifully captured in a rainmaking ceremony, where they dance and chant, appealing to the spirits for relief. Yet, the rain fails to come, perhaps a hint from the filmmaker at a growing disconnect between the people and their traditional beliefs, between superstition and reason. The arrival of a transistor radio, a symbol of modernity, further disrupts the village's equilibrium. With its news and sounds from the outside world, the device challenges their habits and established ways of life. Wendkouni refuses to succumb to despair: He clings to his beliefs, seeking guidance from the village elder and drawing strength from the wisdom of his ancestors. One scene symbolizes his resilience in the face of change: he plants a single seed in the parched earth: hope in the face of adversity.
As the film progresses, we witness the village's transformation. The traditions gradually fade as the forces of modernity take hold. Yet, Wendkouni's spirit remains unbroken. He carries the torch of his cultural heritage, a reminder of the enduring power of tradition and the importance of preserving one's roots.
God’s Gift is a masterpiece of African cinema about resilience, cultural identity, and the struggle to maintain one's heritage in the face of change. Its themes resonate with our own lives, particularly in the face of the rapid changes of the past twenty years. The fable-like nature of the film leaves a lasting impression, reminding us of the importance of honoring our roots even as we navigate the complexities of the modern world.
God’s Gift (Wênd Kûuni)
Written and Directed by Gaston Kaboré
1982
71 minutes
Mooré
Recommended way to watch (at time of publication): Available to stream on Kanopy. (Free with a local library card.)