Idea Lineage: Sankofa
“The Nyam documentary meditation started while I was working on my thesis film, Sankofa, at MICA. Sankofa is about how an interracial couple’s journey to start an African children’s museum becomes a journey of self discovery for me about my longing for my African roots. I learned a lot about different ethnic groups and their practices through making the film and being around the artwork in the museum, but there were many ethnic groups, like the one I belong to, that I didn’t learn about because of how deep our underrepresentation goes.” - Retji Dakum, Film Director
Sankofa was an official selection for the DC Black Film Festival 2020 & the Baltimore International Black Film Festival 2020
NYAM TRAILER
Screening at Mees palace cinemas, JOS NIGERIA
Got a chance to screen the Final Cut of @nyamdocumentary for the people that played a part in bringing this film to life at @meespalacecinemas in Jos 🛖 it was amazing ! I can’t thank you all enough for the support and love, i am eternally grateful and excited for what the future holds ✨✨✨ thank you God , my family, the university of Jos, the Jos museum, Nigerian tourism corporation, Sankofa , Blakwater, TASCK , Navajo multimedia , HashtagtvAfrica and so much more ! Also very happy that some students from @shinyglovesclub could attend 🙏🏾🏆
West African Film Festival, Houston Texas
Out of africa international film festival, nyeri KENYA
Nyam (formerly known as ‘tribe’) got accepted into the Out of Africa International Film Festival in Kenya and I got the opportunity to travel there to represent our film! I enjoyed every bit of it and although this vlog doesn't do full justice to my experience there, I encourage you all to visit Kenya!!
Good news!! 🎉🥰🥳 @nyamdocumentary has been accepted into the #WestAfricanFilmFestival in #houstontx !!! 🥳🎬🎉🎥
Filled with gratitude for how God has been guiding each step of this journey… @nyamdocumentary got its first award for #BestDocumentary 🏆 at the West African Film Festival hosted at Texas A&M University , so happy I got the opportunity to attend and represent our film !! 🥳🎊🏆🛖🛖 #blackhistorymonth
SPOTLIGHT DOCUMENTARY AWARDS
African Film Festival, Atlanta USA
So excited and honored that @nyamdocumentary won another award. This time it’s from the #spotlightdocumentaryfilmawards 🏆🏆
Good news! 🎉 our award winning film @nyamdocumentary was an official selection for the 3rd annual African Film Festival in Atlanta ! - so happy and grateful that we are able to share a glimpse of our culture and story with the world, through this film — follow @africanfilmfestatl for the screening schedule & updates!! 🎥🎞️🏆🍿🎉 #nyam #jostotheworld
Prince George Film Festival, Maryland USA
Retro Avant Garde Film Festival, Cairo Egypt
Excited to share that @nyamdocumentary was selected to be a part of this years Prince George’s Film Festival ! @pgfilmfestival 🎥🎬🎞️ from September 28th - October 1st.
Presented in partnership with Bowie State University, the PGFF's goal is to bolster filmmakers, provide a platform to showcase their films, and network with industry representatives and local creatives. I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity of our film being featured on this platform 🎬🕺🏽❤️🔥🙏🏾🛖
Good news!! @nyamdocumentary was selected as an award winner at the @retroavantgardefilmfestival in Cairo, Egypt 🌍🛖 •• I would really love to make it out to this 🤩🥹••
Continuous gratitude to the supportive community around me that contributed to the success of this project, so happy our story and culture is being shared around the world🖤
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ALSO , IF YOU’RE IN THE DC MD VA AREA IM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WILL BE HAVING A SPECIAL SCREENING AT @creativealliancebaltimore JAN 26th 2024, CLICK THE LINK IN MY BIO FOR TICKETS 🍿🎬🎞️📽️
#nyam #mupun #middlebeltnigeria
SCREENING AT SANKOFA CHILDRENS MUSEUM OF AFRICAN CULTURES, BALTIMORE
SCREENING AT CREATIVE ALLIANCE BALTIMORE
Honored to have screened "Nyam" at the Sankofa Children's Museum of African Cultures, Baltimore on Friday May 17, 2024 at 6:30pm. The event included a tasting of finger foods from west Africa and a Q&A afterwards with Dr Catherine John , Dr. Teisha Dupree-Wilson & Jim Clemmer.
January 26th 2024 was the Baltimore premiere of the Nyam documentary. It was screened at the Creative Alliance theater, followed by a Q&A session moderated by Dr. LaShay Harvey, the Principal + Founder of Black Girl Saturday School. Present for the Q&A was Retji Dakum, Film Director of Nyam, Kariz Marcel and 7G Bumin of Blakwater Studios Baltimore.
Thank you to Ainsley Burrows and Laurielle Noel for hosting this months edition of the Art Soiree at Creative Alliance in partnership with the screening of this documentary.
https://nyamdocumentary.com/ -- Visit this website to learn more about the documentary and sign up for the newsletter to stay updated on future screenings !
Please support and follow:
https://www.blackgirlsaturdayschool.com/
THE MUSICAL FILM
This is a short musical film that is based on the NYAM Documentary, which is a film that follows my journey to rediscover the cultures of my ethnic group, Mupun, from Plateau state Nigeria. This journey turned into a meditation on self discovery, where I found the essence of my identity as a melanated person, from the middle belt region of Nigeria, sojourning the world and understanding history.
The NYAM album is now available on all music streaming platforms: https://www.retji.com/nyamep
Social Impact
Education is the bedrock of any community. The knowledge of our history affects how we look at our present culture, which in turn builds our future. The more one goes into history, the clearer they begin to shape their true identity and decide who they want to become. As urbanization and technology take effect, the cultures and history of descendants of Africa face the barrier of underrepresentation and in turn extinction.
The African continent alone, is home to over 3500 ethnic groups and as the world advances, preserving the vast diversity of cultures in the continent, and telling our own stories, is important.
Following Retji’s journey, talking to historians and elders around him, this feature length documentary explores the lineage and ancestry of the Mupun people, in Plateau State, Nigeria, focusing on their cultures and traditions.
We hope through your support, we can take this educational resource to different platforms and spaces. Our goal is to Inspire change to educational systems and curriculums concerning black history.
