

Harking back to hip-hop's once prevalent era of political/conscious rap - a time hip-hop and activism went hand in hand - is Senegalese rapper, singer, and activist practice of female genital cutting (FGC) she set up the grassroots campaign Education Sans Excision that's fighting to get communities move away from female genital cutting - that takes place in parts of Africa and elsewhere in which girls’ external genitals are removed either completely or partially. She also uses her hip-hop music to spread the good word. So engaging was Sister Fa's story that others took notice including some indie filmmakers she crossed paths with. The result was the activist artist became the subject of the critically acclaimed 201 documentary Sarabah that was made by Maria Luisa Gambale, Steve Lawrence and Gloria Bremer, produced by Yerosha Productions. Filmmaker Maria Luisa Gambale recalled the chance meeting with Sister Fa - now six years ago - that would blossom into an ongoing collaborative work in fighting for human rights through music and film. "Steve [Lawrence] and I met her in the Fall of 2009 at the United Nations," she said adding that, "The second we met her we knew it was a big project." Now four years old the film is still in demand and both its makers and subject are still touring with a US screening of the documentary taking place last Friday in New York City for the United Nation's International Day against genital cutting. Last week's screening, which took place at the Tribeca Screening Room, was hosted by the NGO Orchid Project. Earlier that same day I caught up via telephone with the artist to talk about the film, her hip-hop, and her activist work. Harking back to hip-hop's once prevalent era of political/conscious rap - a time hip-hop and activism went hand in hand - is Senegalese rapper, singer, and activist Sister Fa who in 2005 won the first ever Senegalese Hip-Hop award and who uses her music as a tool to spread her message. {Note many US music fans first heard her work in the recent Rough Guide To Senegal compilation} A childhood victim of the culturalpractice of female genital cutting (FGC) she set up the grassroots campaignthat's fighting to get communities move away from female genital cutting - that takes place in parts of Africa and elsewhere in which girls’ external genitals are removed either completely or partially. She also uses her hip-hop music to spread the good word. So engaging was Sister Fa's story that others took notice including some indie filmmakers she crossed paths with. The result was the activist artist became the subject of the critically acclaimed 201 documentarythat was made byand, produced by Link TV and. Filmmaker Maria Luisa Gambale recalled the chance meeting with Sister Fa - now six years ago - that would blossom into an ongoing collaborative work in fighting for human rights through music and film. "Steve [Lawrence] and I met her in the Fall of 2009 at the," she said adding that, "The second we met her we knew it was a big project." Now four years old the film is still in demand and both its makers and subject are still touring with a US screening of the documentary taking place last Friday in New York City for the United Nation's International Day against genital cutting. Last week's screening, which took place at the, was hosted by the. Earlier that same day I caught up via telephone with the artist to talk about the film, her hip-hop, and her activist work.



Sarabah trailer

Sister Fa

Sarabah



Sister Fa "Milyamba"

"We show the movie in places and are keeping the project going showing it in different communities in Guinea, Gambia, and Senegal. We usually show the movie and show artists how they can be using their art to promote human rights and I can see that the impact [of the film] is still going on and I can see that it isreally positive," said the Senegal artist/activist bornnoting how the documentary has become a very central part of her activist work over the past few years. As for why the practice of female genital cutting (FGC) even exists she replied, "Each community will tell you different reasons" - from religious to cultural and that it is so ingrained in communities that it is" referring to FGC as, "like a social norm. It is like they are cutting hair." The stigma attached to communities where cutting is practiced runs deep, she said. "If I am living in that community then my child has to be cut. If she is not she will be outcast. No one will like her. She will be treated worse than as an animal in her own community because they will say that she is 'dirty' and that she is 'impure' and she will bring bad luck to the family of the man who will marry her."In her uphill battle against acceptance of the practice of FGC she goes around schools in communities to talk to young girls and boys to educate them. "For me everyday is the 6th of February," she said in reference to date set aside for the United Nation's International Day against genital cutting. As an buddingemcee when she first got in to hip-hop Sister Fa said foremost it was female artists who were her role models citing such artists as Missy Elliot . "I'm 32," she said jokingly calling herself "like an old lady" and describing herself as a fan of a lot of older US hip-hop: artists like KRS-One Common , and M.O.P. "I built a bridge between my music and my activism….I am doing more with my activism than with my music," she said when asked which takes more of her time adding that she is trying to balance the two out more.Although she now calls Berlin home Sister Fa, who currently is juggling work between her second album and her activism work, went to Senegal to spend most of this month. There she is currently working on her Education sans Excision campaign. She is also developing a program in Germany, talking about FGC in various immigrant communities via a program called Assobul. As for relocating to Berlin from Senegal she said, "Germany has given me a lot more opportunity than Senegal could ever do" in both her career as well as her personality, she said. This week the film Sarabah, which continues to be invited all over the world for screenings, was broadcast in South Africa on, organized by, an organization that promotes documentaries for social change. Next month on March 8th in Geneva the film will be in the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights Followon Twitter and Facebook and the documentaryon Twitter and Facebook