This untitled, silent color travelog dates to the mid-to-late 1950s and was taken by a Christian missionary traveling around Africa – likely working on healing leper colonies in Kenya and perhaps Gambia. The film begins in Egypt before going on to depict rural areas of Nigeria, South Sudan, the wild animals in the African Savanna, and perhaps tribes in Gambia and the Congo. Please note, the film contains graphic footage of the deformities and injuries of local people suffering from leprosy that some people might find disturbing.
Propeller blades of plane (0:05). Aerial view farmlands (0:21). Great Sphinx of Giza, limestone Pyramids (0:35). View of Cairo skyline from perhaps minaret of Citadel Mosque, Sultan Hasan Mosque seen in foreground (1:26). Mosque of Muhammad Ali: exterior and interior courtyard (1:48). Daily life of village perhaps Southern Sudan; Ox-drawn water wheel along Nile River (2:28) Aerial view Central Mosque Kano, Nigeria (4:02). More aerial shots of dry, arid agricultural lands (4:10). Perhaps Hausa Muslims wearing white robes and Hausa caps in crowded outdoor gathering space (4:27). Guest house or hotel (4:45). Men and women carrying goods in baskets on their heads wait to board ferry along perhaps Jakara River (5:12). Views along the river, passing another ferry before pulling up to another dock (5:33). Various views of perhaps the Obudu Holy Mountain in Cross River State, Southern Nigeria – lush greenery, river/ lake runs between valley of tall hills (5:52). African Savanna (Kenya): Elephants roam through trees and wild grass (6:52). Gazelle roams through tall grass (7:44). Small monkey climbs through overgrown tree (8:09). Family of common warthogs (8:36). Lioness brushes up against male lion (8:59). Stampede of gazelles – perhaps chased by predator (9:26). Giraffe towers above trees (10:03). European/ white hunter/poacher shows off hunted baboon (10:17). Flock of zebras (10:28). Great white pelicans flock in marsh water (11:16). Herd of African buffalo (11:25). Perhaps trip to orphanage: Packed room with dirt floor filled with young boys gathered to listen to speech by white missionary or educator or doctor (11:47). White woman in “safari” garb organizes women and girls for photo outside of building; Based on women’s dress likely Maasai Tribe (12:44). Small children line up for porridge from communal bowl (14:04). Perhaps orphans of different ages, in this case teenagers, march to entrance of orphanage compound and wave bye to visitors who leave in a black Chevrolet Deluxe (c. 1953) (15:44). Visit to perhaps Alupe or Itesio Leper Colony: women in Maasai shuck cloth, man sit on ground and display deformities to feet, faces; Demonstrate using tools, getting around on their own by dragging themselves along dirt floor (17:22). Group of white doctors, missionaries gather for photo (19:19). POV from passenger seat of vehicle driving through wild, unkempt grass (19:42). Woman stands topless along corn stalks with child strapped to back, facial scarring, mouth plate (20:30). Kids stand with baby goat for camera, scenes around village of women fixing straw huts; man smokes from pipe (20:52). Men and boys in celebratory robes on horseback and on foot gather in large field for perhaps Eid al-Adha ritual slaughter; Men slit neck of goat, sheep and suck blood from animal; Other men gather to perform prayer (22:14). Close-up woman with black decorative face paint (23:38). Perhaps Mbuti Pygmy people of the Congo; Blue body paint and grass skirts (24:02). Men and children line up to receive some sort of medicine from village doctor (25:36). White clay huts, straw roofs – scenes from daily life village in perhaps Gambia (26:05). Daily life around leper colony: man scrubs facade of house, women spin thread, another man sits at desk with Singer sewing machine (26:46). Young men at school for blind read braille books (28:38). Close-up deformations, injuries, deep wounds caused by leprosy; subjects unravel bandages to reveal deep wounds (29:14). Foreign female doctor performs inoculations, medical exams for local villagers; Topless women wearing small cloth around loin area (30:19). Film ends: Bible verse Luke 10:2 (33:50).
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
