Minstrel Movies

Baba Suwe-

Nigerian Comedian and Actor, black faced star

In this first clip, Baba Suwe is complaining about how the woman in the scene is not treating him right and that he isn't getting his way. He is crying and whining like a child as though he is playing a 40 year old male in the film. He continues to complain until the woman interrupts him and asks what he wants to eat. He quickly stops crying and forgets these complaints while suddenly instructing the house woman on how to prepare his meal and asking for special ingredients. This comical scene is a perfect example of Baba Suwe utilizing the black face stereotypes to pick and make fun of the African male.

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Clip 1

Clip 2

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In this second clip, Baba Suwe finds a black magic "ritual" bundle consisting of 2 boiled eggs and escargot snails left outside his home and eats it. This troubles his wife because she thinks it is a ritual possibly left by a friend she fell out with, trying to get revenge. Black magic or "Juju" is very strong in the Nigerian Society, even today. To come in contact with it is like inviting demons that the ritual maker has summoned do their work. However, utilizing the Zip Coon stereotypes of the African male thinking they know everything and acting educated when in reality they are not, Baba Suwe tells his wife and their landlord that "Humans overlook the gifts that God sends us..." claiming that the food was part of his prayers in a dream where the Lord is leaving him his requested "daily bread." This clip has subtitles so you can better follow along with the dialogue of the film, however, the translations are not exact because some expressions and words cannot fully translate into English. If you have further questions on understanding Yoruba or the dialogue in this film, feel free to send me an email at the link below.