Fambul Tok
Building Peace from the Inside Out
Victims and perpetrators of Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war come together for the first time in an unprecedented program of tradition-based truth-telling and forgiveness ceremonies. Filled with lessons for the West, Fambul Tok, a multiple-award-winning documentary film by Libby Hoffman, explores the depths of a culture that believes that true justice lies in redemption and healing for individuals – and that forgiveness is the surest path to restoring dignity and building strong communities.
Summary
Imagine living next door to a person who murdered your father, raped your sister, or killed your child. This was the case for many Sierra Leonians who endured an 11-year brutal civil war in the 1990s: the majority of the 50,000 who died were killed by their own neighbors.
Fambul tok (or “family talk”) is an ancient tradition in Sierra Leone where disputes are solved through community-wide conversation around a bonfire. In this post-war context, peacebuilder, filmmaker and author Libby Hoffman and her team facilitated the revival of this practice for Sierra Leonians. While filming ritual reconciliation processes in Sierra Leone, Hoffman learned that justice for Sierra Leonians isn’t about punishing or ousting a perpetrator; rather justice comes from making the community whole again. “When you hurt somebody, you don’t just hurt them; you hurt the community as well,” says Hoffman.
Watch the Trailer
Listen to an Interview with the Filmmaker
While filming ritual reconciliation processes in Sierra Leone, peacebuilder and philanthropist Libby Hoffman learned that justice for Sierra Leonians isn't about punishing or ousting a perpetrator. Rather, justice comes through making the community whole again.
