The Netherlands 2023, 25 min, HDA DOXY Films Production
by Festus Toll
The Ten Commandments: The Story of Ne Kuko
In a vitrine at the Africa Museum in Belgium stands the nkisi of Ne Kuko, far away from his Congolese home in the mountains of Boma. This mysterious power statue was looted from its community and has been on display and trapped behind glass for more than 100 years.In The Story of Ne Kuko, the voice of an ancestor brings the nkisi's past to life. He describes how the land of Boma, ruled by nine chiefs until the 19th century, changed radically in a short time with the arrival of the first Europeans.
The film shows the mission of present-day restitution activist Mwazulu Diyabanza to get African objects held in European museums returned to their homeland. He believes that change should not have to wait any longer and hopes his actions will spark discussion on the restitution of colonial heritage. Ne Kuko's story takes Mwazulu to the highlands of Boma. The true meaning of Ne Kuko's statue unfolds.
THE STORY OF NE KUKO is part of a documentary series on the Ten Commandments, produced by DOXY Films and EOdocs, in which ten filmmakers each give their take on one of the Commandments. Festus Toll ventured into the tenth commandment: ‘Thou shalt not covet.'
The Ten Commandments - Complete Series
IDFA (World Premiere, International Competition for Shorts), Hot Docs, DOXA