So, I finally got the chance to watch the much awaited Amina movie on Netflix. I must say that although the director has tried in his attempt to portray the warrior queen I was afraid that he would not do the movie justice when I saw these words on the screen before the movie even began, “At A TIme When Women Were Subjugated”. Come on! We are talking about a queen who ruled men and led them to war!
Other historical inaccuracies and mistakes:
- When the Madaki said, “No woman has ever sat on the throne of Zazzau”. But Amina’s mother Bakwa Turunku was also queen before Amina, so Amina was not the first.
- The Igala regent addresses Madakin Zazzau as “My friend from the desert!” Zazzau a desert? Haba! Even Maiduguri is not desert!
- The kusugu well situated in a bush, when even in the Bayajidda legend it was the only well in Daura. It should be in town.
- Blood water from kusugu well. Though that can be excused as it involves magic.
- The sarki holds a staff of office. It was the British that introduced that so it didn’t exist during that period.
- The choice of Danjuma, a purely Hausa name for an Igala prince.
- The chief priestess of Zazzau pronouncing it as Zowzow.
- The Igala regent is said to be Danjuma’s uncle at the beginning but is later referred to as his brother.
- Do Igala burn their dead?
But I was impressed by some of the costume, architecture, makeup and decorations in the palace, especially the sarki’s quarters.
I was also pleasantly surprised by Kabarkai’s song when he got drunk and was attacked, “Rana rana bude bude, in yanka maki ragon Baba, ki sha jini shar- shar- shar” which was one of the evidences given by late Danmasanin Kano in a 1974 lecture he delivered at BUK’s Hausa Week, that Hausa people were originally from Ethiopia and were also sun worshipers.
It’s also interesting that the creators brought the Igala connection, for some historians believe that Amina eventually died and was buried in Igala land.
It’s altogether a nice movie with a good storyline despite the flaws.
I wish Kannywood could attempt even something close
