Mammy Water: In Search of the Water Spirits in Nigeria

Produced by Sabine Jell-Bahlsen. 59 min. Color. 1991. Available as: VHS and DVD Captioned: No Catalog #: 0065 Order this title Sale Price: $295.00 Apply for Discount

Mammy Water is a pidgin English name for a local water goddess worshipped by the Ibibio, Ijaw, and Igbo speaking peoples of southeastern Nigeria. The water goddess traditionally gives wealth and children, compensates for hardships, and is sought in times of illness and need, especially by women. Her various cults are led, predominantly, by priestesses.

This acclaimed documentary shows numerous rituals and ceremonies associated with Mammy Water, while devotees provide commentary. This is an important depiction of the strength of traditional religion in contemporary Nigeria and one of the few academically sound investigations of the role of women in an African spiritual movement.

"Mammy Water" was produced by Dr. Sabine Jell-Bahlsen.

Reviews

"The most important ethnographic film on the region to date.... I highly recommend it for courses in African anthropology and religion, art history, and women's studies." -- Prof. Sidney L. Kasfir, Dept. of Art History, Emory Univ.

"Superb and fast-flowing. It's nearly perfect." -- Dr. Robert Farris Thompson, Yale Univ., author of Flash of the Spirit

Awards

• American Anthropological Assn. honoree
• African Studies Assn. honoree
• National Educational Film Festival Award
• Margaret Mead Film Festival honoree
• Bilan du Film Ethnographique, Paris, honoree

Additional Material

A new book authored by the filmmaker, Sabine Jell-Bahlsen, makes an outstanding resource and study guide for anyone using or viewing Mammy Water. The book's title is: The Water Goddess in Igbo Cosmology: Ogbuide of Oguta Lake. Here is a link to it:

http://www.africaworldpressbooks.com/servlet/Detail?no=330