'Mimesis: African Soldier’ by John Akomfrah
By Lewis Goode, 3rd Year History
Disenchantment, disillusionment, disappointment, and distress. Focussing on the forgotten experiences of colonial troops during the First World War, 'Mimesis: African Solider' did not need any spoken word to express these feelings from the soldiers on screen. Akomfrah's film features a mix of archival footage of the First World War, an artistic reenactment of colonial soldiers, and a provocative soundscape create a powerful and visually emotive experience of colonial participation in the Great War.
As war broke out, the Imperial powers of Europe called upon their colonies to join them in the fight. Six million men were conscripted into armies on both sides of the war from all over the world. Soldiers from Senegal, Ghana, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, and even closer to home, Ireland, among many other nations, came to France to fight. Miles from home, these soldiers stood in an alien territory, a dangerous alien territory. They were shipped over the seas to foreign ports under the command of unknown faces.
Three hundred fifty thousand of these troops would die due to this war.
Akomfrah does not include any spoken words in the film besides those in traditional music. The cinematography and the emotions displayed on the faces of the soldiers speak on pages. It is the intention of Akomfrah for the imagery to provoke thoughts about these people and their roles. His intention for the film was to be a plea from the dead and that their work, service, disruption and sacrifice have not been in vain. His intentions are evident in the film's last shot, where the soldiers are transported to an exhibition displaying objects of their cultures, representing the legacy and remembrance of their service.
While these individual soldiers represent their whole nations in the modern footage, the archival footage provides the collective experience. From music and dancing, marching and training, railway building and fighting, colonial troops are a fundamental part of the environment and mechanism of the First World War. Their significance and participation cannot be ignored. Akomfrah sought to focus on their racial experience during the First World War, something I feel that past representations have overlooked. It is this lack of representation that prompted Akomfrah to produce this piece. Increased acknowledgement of the participation of non-white soldiers in the First World War has appeared in the award-winning film '1917' in which Indian and Sikh troops play a prominent role.
As part of this view, the colonial experience was highlighted and singled out on both sides of the war. Those who served for the French, British, Belgian, and German armies were all represented. While the archival footage focused on the armies of the Triple Entente, the inclusion of German colonial troops was striking as it is not often that Black troops are associated with the soldiers of the Central Powers. The collective nature of these experiences, portrayed along the lines of race and not ideology, battle lines, or uniform, gives the audience an appreciation of the widespread experience of these troops.
Overall, Akomfrah's film provided a contemplative mood and imagery to reflect on the events and participation of the Empire in the First World War, especially today on Remembrance Day. Reflecting on the film, I believe that Akomfrah has made a poignant statement on the representation of colonial troops in the First World War. The stories of many colonial troops lie untold, while the white troops feature prominently. I applaud recent representations of the First World War in this way, such as those in 1917, and I encourage more to be done, including other wars and events too that are often misrepresented.
The film is showing at the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery from 1st October 2022 to 8th January 2023.
