Most films made about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi have the similar storytelling style. However, Bazigaga is one film that differs when it comes to recounting victims’ experiences.
Directed by Jo Ingabire Moys, the 2020 short film is inspired by the true story of Zura Karuhimbi, a Rwandan traditional healer who pretended to be a witch doctor to save lives during the genocide, which claimed close to one million people.
Starring Eliane Umuhire, Ery Nzaramba, Roger Noël Ineza and Maély Mahavande as the lead cast, the 27-minute Kinyarwanda film with English subtitles produced by Boris Mendza follows mind griping incidents that happened during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Raging times
The film’s opening scenes introduce us to the raging times in the countryside, during the genocide, amidst the brutal killings where Karembe, a pastor together with her little daughter are fleeing from angry, blood-thirsty Hutu militias.
They end up in the house of Bazigaga, the female traditional healer, who lets them in and hides them.
It isn’t long before the militias storm the house, and as she steps out, they seem frightened of her status, because traditional healers are feared for their sacred might and influence.
As Bazigaga is confronted about the Inyenzis (‘cockroaches’ a term used by militias to refer to Tutsi), she scares them off, with threats which they fear.
What is strange is why the militias camp outside the house as they wait to strike.
The film switches scenes to show inside the Bazigaga’s house, and her interactions with Karembe.
After a closer look at odd items like animal skulls, tree roots, leaves and gourds, Karembe trembles.
We also learn that he had lost his wife to the genocidaires.
Bazigaga attends to Karembe’s ailing daughter and dresses her wounds. Amidst this, Karembe is initially hesitant but in a conversation, Bazigaga inquires why the holy man, being hunted for death would be desperately seeking refuge away from the same people he used to preach to on Sundays.
And as she puts Karembe’s daughter to sleep, they discuss how they weren’t different.
For instance, Bazigaga, a traditional healer, who by society is deemed evil reveals how the same Christians and staunch followers of the pastor used to visit her for spiritual consultation and ‘medicine’ in the evenings.
Karembe is further shocked to learn how Bazigaga who he had deemed evil was also friends with his late wife, “She could occasionally visit, with her small black Bible, and preach to me,” she says.
The film is an additional to many narratives that have existed about genocide. It’s just that Rwanda owns this particular one.
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