Students unpack the legacy of colonialism through the lens of an Italian Ethiopian community

The students of the Italian Black Writers in Translation course presented "Asmarina" on Monday, December 5 at the Language House. Asmarina is a documentary film about the Habesha (Eritrean and Ethiopian) community in Milan, Italy.

The students of the newly launched course, Italian Black Writers in Translation, presented Asmarina on Monday, December 5 at the Language House. Asmarina is a documentary film about the Habesha (Eritrean and Ethiopian) community in Milan, Italy, that bridges the present life of this community to the historical legacies of Italian colonialism in the Horn of Africa. The film makers’ approach to the Habesha life is not as outsiders but rather, as involved and invested members of this community. Starting from the collective memories of the community, on the ground of photo documents, the film gathers together the legacy of personal stories, exploring the different shades of identity, migration and the aspirations of the people.

As part of the semester-long analysis of new voices in the Italian contemporary literary landscape, that narrate the experiences of Italians of African descent, and of second generation Italians, the students unpacked historical and contemporary accounts of the lives of Eritreans and Ethiopians in Milan. They led a post-screening discussion that reflected on the relationship between the interrelated role of this community in today's Italy with the more recent historical and political events in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Marcella Finella '23,  Alexis Jackson '23, and Hilina Molla '23, accompanied their peers through an exploration of the intricate stories of the Eritreans and Ethiopians diaspora, and talked about history, culture, music, traditions and more, encouraged by the questions of the audience.

To learn more about the Asmarina project, visit their website.