The Chairman and the Lions

The Maasai leader of a Tanzanian village battles many lions that threaten his community-'bush' lawyers, land grabbers, migration and lack of education. Chairman Frank Ikoyo provides a glimpse into the current world of Maasai-burdened with problems that the community is ill equipped to overcome. He advocates education as a key to village self-determination, despite the fact that it can produce educated criminals. The film depicts Ikoyo's duties as Chairman-persuading women to send daughters to school, interrogating spies in a lawsuit, and eliciting help of a renowned elder to train young warriors in the art of lion hunting.

Directed by Peter Biella

Produced by Kelly Askew, Frank Ikoyo, Juma Muriga and Howard Stein

46 min. ©2012 Peter Biella and Kelly Askew