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

Credits

Director

Francis Speed; Raymond Prince

Distribution Formats

Type

Film

Format

16mm

Production Company

Name

University of Ibadan

Distributor

Name

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

Email

sales@concordvideo.co.uk

Web

http://www.concordmedia.org.uk/ External site opens in new window

Phone

01473 726012

Fax

01473 274531

Address

Rosehill Centre
22 Hines Road
Ipswich
IP3 9BG