"Congratulations, Malo." "What?" "I didn't even know you knew my name." "Everyone knows brilliant students." "And you're going to my home." "Lebamzip is my village." "I'm very pleased." "Sit down." "I sit on the bench." "I stand up." "I sit on the bench." "I cross my arms and look at the headmaster." "Good..." "I've had a letter from the School Inspector announcing the arrival of your teacher." "Meanwhile, we'll carry on with our lesson." "He can start where I leave off." "We'll begin this morning with a poem:" ""Winter Days"." "Who's first?" "Four times fifteen?" "Stop." "Stop, I said." "Stay there till home time, lazybones." "What have you got for brains?" "Peanut butter?" "Dammit, no visits are allowed during class." " Sir, I..." " Headmaster!" " Headmaster, I..." " Well?" "Headmaster, I'm the new teacher." "Why didn't you say so?" "How was the trip?" "And your family?" "Not too tired, I hope?" "You can rest now, the village isn't big, we lead a quiet life." "Come, we'll talk in my office." "What about the pupils?" "That position...?" "They're being punished." " Married?" " No." " Why not?" " I haven't wanted to yet." " Can you cook?" " I can manage." "You're welcome to eat with us." "Thank you." "You're very kind, but I don't want to impose." "Here's your new home." "I don't know how you'll manage." "A bachelor at your age!" "He's not married." " If you need anything..." " Thank you, I'll be fine." " That's a good sign." " What is?" "This young man's stubborn and proud." "I like that." "Perhaps because you were like him at that age." " Do you remember?" " You still are, Sango." "Good evening, Bernard Malo Malo." "You know my name?" "They call me "Big Eyes"." ""The man with eyes everywhere"." "I see everything, hear everything, know everything." "Boss... that's the new teacher." "I've heard about him." "Welcome to our village." "Open an account for him." "An account?" "To get things on tick." "They ruin you quicker that way." "Can I see you, Malo?" "Can't it wait till break?" "I make appointments here, not the teachers." "Especially one who can't keep order." "There'll be no anarchy here." "First rule: iron discipline." "The cane is your constant companion." "Pupils line up at classrooms fifteen minutes before class starts." "First three infringements:" "simple punishment." "Fourth one: a day's suspension." "Fifth one: a week's suspension and name on file." "The teacher's coming." " Good morning, children." " Good morning, sir." "Good, you're all sitting down." "As you already know, I'm your new teacher." "I hope we'll be good friends." "Shall I tell you my name?" "I'm talking to you." "Don't you want to know my name?" " We want to." " Louder!" "We want to." "Very good." "Now you're going to say "We would like to"." "My name is Malo Malo, Bernard." "But you can call me Malo." "We're going to spend the morning outside." "Put your things away." " Too tired this morning?" " No." "We only have one break-time." "We're having an open-air class." "And what's an "open-air class"?" " A training college novelty?" " Perhaps." "What will parents say when their children roam around?" "I'm interested in the children, not the parents." "I hope there won't be a second time." "Looks like skiving off to me." "Turn it down, it's too loud." "Samson!" "Who's that?" "The new teacher, he came yesterday." "He passes my house without introducing himself." "Call him!" "I sent for you." "I hear you arrived yesterday." " Yes." " Yes, Chief." "I'm the local Chief." "Why didn't you come to see me?" "What for?" " Don't you have a Chief at home?" " I don't know." "I see..." "I see." "My pupils are waiting." " What insolence!" " He's brave and handsome." "Whore!" "Samson, get rid of that." "Bring my palm wine." "Excellent idea, Malo" "When you've finished, send some boys to get wood for the Chief." " For the Chief?" " You heard me." "It's an order." "Matches, please." "A box." "Hey, a box costs 35 francs." "It should be only 25 francs." "It's 25 francs in heaven." "You cheat us because there's only one shop." "Here." "You're a miserable thief." "You dare insult me!" "Take your money and get out, you wretch." "God will give us a second shop." "Hear that?" "She insulted me." "A co-operative with fifty members gets two million francs from the sale of cocoa." "How much should each member get when it's divided up equally?" "How much should each member get when it's divided up equally?" " Good morning to you." " And you." "I've been looking for you." " What for?" " Come down and I'll tell you." " What about the girl?" " She's not willing." " What did I tell you?" " It's not my fault." "You recognize me as Chief yet you give your land away without telling me." "I have a right to give my land to whomever I please." "Have you paid your tax?" "I always do." "I assessed you favourably." "Next year, you'll pay more." "Whatever it is, I always pay on time." " We'll see about that." "I'm off to town to get rich." "When I get back, I'll marry you." " I'm still very young." " Age doesn't matter." "Here's your teacher, I need to see him." "Don't be nervous." "I need your help." "I want to go to town." "And you want me to carry you?" "No, I want you to give me money for the bus and find me some lodgings." "It's a mug's game." "Stay here and work on the land." "No, I can't be a peasant now, I've been to school." "Peasants don't go to school" "Who can tell us what politics is?" "From the very beginning, he's made trouble." "Make him respect you." "Don't let the brat trample on you." "You've seen plenty like him." "I'll bring him to heel, cut him down to size." "Do it." "Control him..." "do what you need to." "I've come to say goodbye." "I'm saying goodbye to everybody." " Where are you going?" " I don't know." "I had a letter from my cousin Teli who works for an airline." "Next time he comes, we'll leave." "For France?" "For America?" "I don't know yet." "What is certain is that we'll go far away." "What would you suggest?" "I don't know." " Will you invite me in?" " Come in." "It's a scandal." "The prices in Honba's shop." "If you complain his employee insults you." "Well, what can we do?" "It's our only shop." "You put up with it." "We're totally helpless, son." "Stop buying." "Force him to sell at reasonable prices." "Forcing mosquitoes to keep quiet is easier than that." "Sango, your teacher is passing." "Are you pleased with him?" "He's young, intelligent and loves his work" "I'd have like a son like him except that he's arrogant and a know-all." "Forgive me, Sango." "There's nothing to forgive, Mata." "You gave me children, and we brought them up well." "They went astray, it's not your fault or mine." "Let's hope our grandchildren save our line." "Monsieur Malo." "It is clear you are irresponsible and prepared to sacrifice children to new educational techniques." "My theories are based on a practical use of education." "Exactly." "Let's discuss that." "Your colleagues have complained." "The parents demand action." "I've decided to use my authority as head of this school." "Laugh as much as you want." "Salad and flowers?" "That's fine by me." "Physical education?" "I welcome it." "But whole days of forced labour...?" "I'm not prepared to discuss it." "I'm ordering you to stop corrupting our youth" "It's something new, education adapted to local conditions." "You talk like Sekou Touré in 1958." "In order to develop, we need educated masses masses which both think and use their hands." "Scientists, engineers, doctors, is what we need." "No, we need a people with tools." "You know nothing, you're pretentious." "As if nobody ever thought before, as if you invented ideas." "I hope I've made myself clear." "And remember, pupils must take exams at the end of the year." "Huh, diplomas..." "Yes, diplomas are important." "So turn thy face from those who tempt thee... ..and those who would lead thee into error." "Evil is there... evil is watching thee." "But trust in the Lord thy God." "Honour Him, and thou shalt have eternal life." "In the name of His son, Jesus Christ." "Amen." "We will ask St. David's choir to sing." "Unfortunately, I haven't presents for everyone... next time." "Give that to Etienne." "Teli, your job's fascinating." "It's got problems like all jobs, but... there are lots of perks." "Between France and the United States, which is the most beautiful." "If you like noise, hamburgers, and pop music, go to the States." "I prefer France because of its cheese and wine." " Palm wine?" " No, good table wine." " Do you drive the plane too?" " Not exactly." "But as a steward, the pilots obey my orders." "When they invented the plane, the whites left us years behind." "I never understood how a huge mass flies." "Teli, are you afraid on the plane?" "'Course not." "A motorbike or car is more dangerous than a plane." "Really?" "For a ticket to Paris, how many bags of cocoa must I sell?" "You could fly in this country to get rid of your curiosity." "No, I want to see Paris." "Do planes have seats reserved for Chiefs?" "Ngo Bakang, what are you doing here?" " When did you arrive?" " This morning, with Cousin Teli." " Teli, the pilot." " He's just a steward." "He came in his care, alone." "So I grabbed a lift." "I was coming to see you tonight." "And this year?" "I can't wait for it to end." " I want to be out in the field." " In the field?" "I want you to know how much." "I like your teaching methods." "Well, Monsieur Yanou opened my eyes." " Do you have him this year?" " Of course." "They threatened to retire him early." "He's going at the end of next year." "He seems so tired already." " Does he have lots of followers?" " A lot?" "No." " And you?" " Well..." "I understand." "When I've finished I want an exercise book." " Joyeux or Université?" " Université." "Three francs fifty." "That's too much, you're thieves." "Our teacher is right, you exploit us." "Send your father or mother." "Shut up, big fat pig!" "She was very cross." "Boss...it's ruined." "We're ruined." "My shop..." "Who wants to speak?" "La Fontaine." "This won't take long." "I waited six months before coming to see you because he was young and inexperienced." "I must remind you..." "Who asked you to speak?" "Who asked you to judge me?" "I'm the authority in this village." "We all have authority." "Young man..." "I think you've let go of your senses." "Talking like that to me?" "Let him speak." "Let's see what makes him tick." "My pupils aren't like others." "Mine love the land the pleasure of work and effort, life as it should be lived." "Work, land." "That's pretty clever." "You want our children to be peasants like us." "I want them to be men." "Real men!" "Who insult honest citizens trying to make a living?" "Honest citizen, you?" "You cause chaos at school." "I make school a training ground of life... for life." "How do you teach kids about life without God?" "Against God, in fact." "La Fontaine, he wants your job." "His job?" "Yes, the job of headmaster." "It's a job he holds, it's not his job." "You made an experiment, it may be your right." "But I've a duty too, I can only allow authorized experiments." "And I want to keep my job." "So does the headmaster." "So does the priest, and the shopkeeper." "You will stop this immediately." "You'll behave like everyone else, and obey the headmaster." "You may leave." "Sawing needs intelligence, not strength." "Hold it carefully, and you start gently." "What good music." "Come on, bring something to drink." " How many bottles?" " Three." "Who's going to pay?" "Because my boss..." "Not another word." "Gentlemen, leaders of Lebamzip." "You must redouble your efforts." "Your cocoa plantations must be well cultivated." "In the next campaign I want our department to be the nation's biggest producer of cocoa." "What is it, Monsieur?" "I haven't finished." "I can't let you finish." "Even if you are from the government." "How can you promote cocoa when you know nobody buys it now?" "Recommend they plant foodstuffs." "Organise a co-operative." "What about his co-operative?" "I don't trust that young man." "They're all alike, they want to go into politics." " He seems honest." " No, he wants to exploit us." "The Chief must tell us what he thinks of the project." "Off with you, lazybones." "We've come to talk to you about the co-operative." "Tell us how you feel about the idea, so we can decide." "Forget it, it is politics." "I don't want politics here." "Why do you say all new ideas are politics?" " I've spoken, that's enough." " But..." "Father, this idea of a co-operative." "Is it good or bad?" "It's Communism..." "Communism denies God." "It's a calamity." "Protest marches, illegal meetings, strikes in factories..." "Ah, Mbog, come in." "Everywhere in Africa, the people are demanding democracy." "They're willing to pay the price of protest." "All the demands made so far have been met by the use of force." "That was today's political bulletin." "Things are happening." "And what's new with you?" "I came to tell you your idea of a co-operative is good." "You're educated so you must help the others." "I'll be relying on your knowledge." "Quiet!" "We'll take a vote." "All in favour of the co-operative?" "22, and us three, makes 25." "All against?" "In a democracy, the majority wins." "Haven't you gone yet?" "I thought you'd be far away." " The other side of the ocean." " Very soon now." "Your Cousin Teli's kidding you." "No, he's so serious he wants me to go in a really full plane and it's low season now." "He just has to fill the plane with people like you." "It'd be great." "We're dealing with a real revolutionary, Monsieur." " A revolutionary?" " Absolutely." "That's serious." " I'll report it to the Governor." " Thank you, Sir." "Hey... you here again?" "How are you?" "And you family?" "Fine." "Except my mother suddenly fell ill." " I hope she gets well soon." " Me too." "This is wonderful." "The earth smells beautiful." "I have to go home." "Wait for me." "We'll go together." "That's my eldest daughter, she's at college." "A college for training teachers." "Hello, father." "How do you do, father." "For a baby to be born a man and a woman must have sexual relations." "But that's not all." "The man and the woman musn't be sterile." "Adn the woman must be in her fertile period." "Young ladies and gentlemen, today I am going to give you a test of knowledge." "So, take you sheet of paper and write this." "Dictation." ""The port of Marseilles"" ""Marseilles is one the biggest ports in France." "Full stop"" ""Many Africans work there as dockers." "Full stop"" "Zero." "Dictation." "Zero." "History." "Nought." "In an official exam, none would have passed." "How terrible for the parents." "How terrible for the village." "Examine them on agriculture, carpentering, bricklaying." "Go and see our fields, and our chicken run and the boarding school we're building." "Your feet are in the air, and your head's in the ground." "What happens when you've finished building your school?" "Who will finance it?" "Who needs finance?" "The food will come from our fields, chickes, cows." "We'll make bed from the wood in the jungle." "Stop this nonsense." "I am ordering you." "Abandon this stupid experiment." "I'll continue my work." "For this village, and others it will inspire." "I won't change for one man, or several men." "Erna!" " How are you?" " Let go." " Still a rebel?" " Buzz off, big belly." "You don't know what you're missing." "I could make you a happy girl." "You'd have jewellery, money, servants..." "It won't bring my parents back." "Look, the only thing that'll make me happy is to travel, take a plane, go to France, or America." "Got that?" " Get back to work!" " Right away, boss." "Banana." "Macabo." "Potato." "Now check it." "Hello, young man." "How are you?" "And your family?" "Not very well really." "I'll have a tin of milk." "The big tin is 300 francs." "And that box of biscuits." " Which one?" " Give me the smaller one." "Things are serious." "That new shop, it'll bury us." " What's wrong?" " Have seen the prices?" "It's that little teacher." "I'll give him what for." "They've got lots of customers." "What've I done now?" "Well, here we are." "Welcome to Lebamzip." "That's hot, man." "Just look at that." "Is that the bar?" "Isn't there a nightclub?" "That's too much money." "There's an economic crisis on." "Let the girl work." "You have no money anyway." "Hey, Big Eyes." "Get out of here." "Throw him out, we don't want sand in our tapioca." "Leave him alone." "If I catch sight of any of those prostitutes..." "No husbands at their age!" "We'll sort them out of we have to." "It's a scandal." "Encouraging prostitution is scandalous." "The Church condemns that sort of behavior, Honba." "Just let my business recover, then I'll send the girls away." "But what a way to do it!" "By the way, tell your wife to come and get some sugar." "It's petrol we're short of at the moment." "Father, my shop is your shop." "I can't see why these girls bother you." "People have to let off steam." "While they do, they escape the sad reality of life." "I thought we were trying to escape this sad reality." "Get rid of it, not escape it." "And you can catch diseases." "D'you take us for children?" "Listen Mbog, there's a limit to my patience." "We can ban you from the co-op." "Go on then, ban me, dammit." "All right." "Why are you complaining?" "You knew it was Communism, and you accepted it." "And what is Communism?" "An end to pleasure." "Communism's dying everywhere, and you want to start it here." "You know this isn't Communism." "But you've started complaining." " I'm waiting." " Right away." "Just a minute, Mbog." "Be right back." "A poem. 'Independence'." ""We cried all night, The journey was long"" ""The partridge sang timidly On a misty morning"" ""Songs alight with waterfalls..."" "Song alight With Waterfalls of hope" "Hope of a love In the teeth of night" "And the bell was silent" "And the partride laughed no more In the green forest" "We sang all night The journey was long" "And the partridge sang On the prow of the canoe" "Independence!" "I asked to see you because I've had a letter from the inspector." "Or rather, the communication of a decision." "Following a report that I sent him recently it has been decided to recall you to head office." "As from the date on which this letter is signed you are assigned to the mail room at the head office." "You'll be replaced, until the end of the year, by a student teacher." "The mail room?" "What the hell will I do?" " What were you doing here?" " Serving the people." "Fine words, young man." "Words to the very last." "We all serve a state." "We all serve a government." "I don't want to serve a state, even less a government." "I want to serve people, society, humanity." "People..." "Society..." "Humanity..." "Only country and citizens count." "You probably regret your behaviour now." "I regret nothing, Monsieur." "Monsieur le Directeur." "I'm thinking of my poor children." "I can't regret trying to make men grow." "The soil was fertile, believe me." "Only the atmosphere was poisonous." "But our day will come!" "I was you a long life, Malo Malo, Bernard." "One day you may see the difference between fantasy and reality." "They are two different things..." "quite different." "I won't got to the head office." "I'll settle in this village." "I'll resign from teaching." "Tell that to your superiors." "Ah, have you heard?" "They almost got rid of me." "I'm replacing you." "I'm the new teacher." "Wel... student teacher." "I heard you're staying in the village." "I'm glad." "I was sad to think of you leaving." "Why?" "I don't know." "I'm staying to finish a job which is far from complete." "And who knows, I might even start a family here." "I might find a woman who'll live with a pain in the neck." "Don't torment me." "Isn't it normal to think of marriage, of a family?" "You torment me." "Get out your dictation books." "'The Equatorial Forest'" " I told you." " Told us what?" "In four years' time, we'll win the World Cup we'll colonise the whites and me I'll be a big noise in Paris." "Brilliant!" "Brilliant." "What about me?" "Get something to drink." " How many bottles?" " Three?" "Who's going to pay?" " Him." " Because my boss..." "I went to your house, but you weren't there." "I'm tired of living alone in that house." "It's very sad." "Come and live with me." "When will you come and live with me?" "When you're ready." "Ready?" "To pay my family, for the festivities, and other things." "There'll be none of that, no feasting, dowry, nothing." "I'm against those practices." "But... what will people think?" "What will my father say?" "I'm only interested in what I think, not others." "Papa Antoine!" "I speak for my brother." "He wants to be your son-in-law." " Who is he?" " Here he is." " And the girl?" " That one." " He's too old." " We want the goat..." "I decide..." "I'm head of the family." "OK, stop." "Very good, but be a bit angrier." "My boss will sack me, you've owed him for much too long." " Calm down." " He can't do it." "Anyway, we'll talk to him." " We must think about that." " Yes, you're right." "Some more to drink." " How many bottles?" " Three." " But who is going to pay?" " Same as usual." "Monsieur Malo Malo, Bernard." "Mademoiselle Ngo Bakang, Edwige." "I join you in the name of the law, for better or for worse." "Follow me." "My daughter got married without a dowry." "I can't talke like a man any more." "Me, Bakang, ridiculed!" " No dowry!" " Have pity." "No dowry, and no feasting for my brothers." "Forgive me and my daughter." " Come here." " Help me!" " You're her accomplice." " Have pity." "Se's just a child." "They're both children." "Alright, hit me if you like." "Who wants to talk about taxes?" "Not you." "Only men can speak here." "He was a fine man." "Take him down." "I'll get some good palm wine, and drink it all day." "Then nobody will bother me." "Your behaviour is humiliating." "What?" "Drinking wine the Good Lord gives us isn't humiliating." "You could have been useful." "Hey, is that a joke?" "Aren't I useful now?" "It's true what they say about you." "What do they say?" "You don't like others being happy, but you..." " It's not important." " Is nothing important to you?" "Of course it is." "Society... the future..." "I used to talk like you before my misfortune." "What misfortune?" "The one which showed me nothing is important apart from wine." "If you'd have seen them." "Four lovely children." "Two strong lads, and two beautiful girls." "If you'd have seen them on their deathbed, beside their mother you'd have said they were asleep but no, they were dead." "All of them, the same day the same hour, same moment." "Why did the wind blow?" "Why did the tree behind the house choose to break?" "Why was my family there?" "Why?" "Why?" "The more questions we ask, the more we know there's no explanation." "But if we have a beer, then two, then three." "Ideas fall into place." "The world is less confused." "We see life better." "Some people want to join the co-op." "Absolutely impossible." "Now it works, they want to profit." "Where were they at the start?" "You must forget the past." "If they were against it before, and want to join now we should welcome them." "OK, you form a co-operative and let them join yours." "Why should we do what you want?" "Our voices must count too." "You can't be a co-operative alone, so you can't decide alone." "I've brought you all here to tell you that our collective plantation will be right here." "It's our sacred forest." "Rubbish, what's a sacred forest?" "Our ancestors lived here, our forefathers." "Your forefathers lived here?" "Of all the fields in the village, why choose this one?" "It's the only one no one owns." "That's the kind I need." "Not what you need." "What we need." "And we don't agree." "Nobody would work here anyway." "Because of this forest?" "Well, I'll work here myself." "You here?" "Come and see it closer up." "Get a pineapple for the headmaster." "It's one of your fruits." "To attach to a report on my wife?" "No, to taste it." "Listen... if one child eats two bananas." "Two children eat four." "Right, so each child only eats two bananas." "How many will seven eat?" "Goodbye." "Tomorrow I'm off on the plane." " She's gone." " She was right, she did go." "I told her that her parents would understand." "Parents?" "Dead." "Murdered." "Just after Independence." "Her father was a trade unionist." "He was thrown out of town." "He came back and set up a co-operative." "He and his wife were killed." "They left an only child." "La Fontaine, get ready." "We're going to see the Governor." " Put your jacket on." " What's wrong." "That viper Malo has gone too far." "He's subversive." "Maybe we haven't tried to understand him." "He's impulsive... but he isn't stupid." "Shut up!" "Chief..." "let's go." "The world's become too complicated for you." "You're lost." "I think I'll retire." "I wanted to tell you I love you." "And that I admire you." "Thank you." "But..." "I know I haven't always been fair to you." "I'm coming with you to the sacred forest." "Thank you." "That's brave." "I've also decided to join the co-operative." "Come on, let's go." " I hate this cocoa plantation." " Destroy it then." "The others won't agree." "Don't ask others if you know you're right." "You taught me that." "We welcomed him." "We thought he was a serious young man." "But then he showed his claws." "There he is." "You are under arrest." "Sergeant, put the handcuffs on." "You don't understand?" "Sergeant..." " Sir?" " He doesn't understand." "Tomorrow we'll work the collective field." "I offer land to the co-operative for this field." "All who wish to join  will find the co-operative's doors open." "But who'll be the head of the co-operative now?" "Mbog." "There will be no head in this co-operative again." "At least let me wet my whistle." "What I've seen has made me thirsty." "Have you seen the teacher?" "He's thinking of you all." "He was sad." "But I told him "Don't be sad." "Have a rest in prison"." ""By the time you come out"- because he will come out " ""...those scoundrels will be dead and your son will be big"." "What son?" "You mean...your eyes can't see for themselves." "No, don't go." "He suggested a name for the baby." " What did the police do?" " Ah, you won't believe me." "No one will believe the terrible fight these muscles fought." "I got out of the paddy wagon, they took off the handcuffs." "Then they wanted to take me to the cell." "But I fought them off." "They called reinforcements... .. and I found myself facing thirty, forty, fifty police." "So then I get angry..."