Illiterate people, especially African tribes, are usually stereotyped as incompetent. A White man, Larry Whitman (played by Kris Marshall), goes from New Jersey to live among the Bayaka pygmies, who in turn treat him well despite the fact that he does not know how to dance, explore the jungle, build a house, or hunt. What he does know is that Bayaka musical talents are extraordinary, and his mission is to tape record them. Of particular note is the molimo instrument, used in a 64-beat cycle, which accompanies the elephant hunt, a practice that Whitman opposes, prompting the Bayaka to exclaim playfully that Whitman thinks he is the ruler of the jungle. Directed by Lavinia Currier, Oka! (which means "Listen!" in the local language) is a biopic of an ethnomusicologist among the Bayaka, a 25-year adventure in the Central African Republic that will captivate filmviewers, primarily because the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking. An important subplot involves Bantu Mayor Bassoun (played by Isaach De Bankolé), who greedily signs over the Bayaka's invaluable forest resources to a rich Chinese man (played by Will Yun Lee). The more numerous and "civilized" Bantu, in other words, want to make a fast buck by destroying the habitat of the Bayaka. "Whitman," however, is the stage name for ethnomusicologist Louis Sarno, who wrote part of the screenplay. Although the political conflict is downplayed, Oka! still merits a nomination for best film on human rights of 2011. MH
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