Were Ni!: He is a Madman

Synopsis: An ethnopsychiatric film of the management of psychiatric disorders by the Yoruba of Western Nigeria. Among the Yoruba, psychiatric disorder is widespread and a set of institutions has been developed to deal with it. There are two basic types of such institutions: firstly, treatment centres managed by herbalists and diviners with specialist knowledge of traditional psychiatric therapy, and secondly, cult groups such as the Gelede masquerade cult for men and the Egun possession cult for women, which provide a setting for the expression of what is otherwise socially unacceptable behaviour. The film shows a number of aspects of both types of institution.
Language: English
Country: Nigeria
Medium: Film; Film. 16mm. sd. col. 30 min.
Technical information: Black-and-white / Sound
Year of production: 1963
Availability: Hire
Uses: Introductory courses. Final courses.*
Subjects: Anthropology
Keywords: mental illness; Nigeria; Yoruba

Name: Royal Anthropological Institute Film & Video Library, c/o Concord Media
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