Sankofa
Sankofa (Amharic: ሳንኮፋ) is a 1993 Ethiopian-produced drama film written and directed by Haile Gerima that is centered on the Atlantic slave trade. The storyline features Oyafunmike Ogunlano, Kofi Ghanaba, Mutabaruka, Alexandra Duah, and Afemo Omilami. The word Sankofa is derived from the Akan language of Ghana and means to "go back, look for, and gain wisdom, power and hope," according to Dr. Anna Julia Cooper. The word 'Sankofa' stresses the importance of one not drifting too far away from one's past in order to progress in the future.
Plot
The film opens with an elderly Divine Drummer, Sankofa (played by Kofi Ghanaba), playing Fontomfrom drums and chanting the phrase, "Lingering spirit of the dead, rise up." That is his form of communication with the ancestors of the African lands, specifically Ghana. His drumming is essential in drawing forth the spirit of his ancestors, who died during the Maafa back home. The story proceeds to show Mona (Oyafunmike Ogunlano), a contemporary African-American model, in a photo session on the coast of Ghana.