Daughters of the Dust: The Making of an African American Woman's Film

by Julie Dash, bell hooks, Toni Cade Bambara

In the winter of 1992, nearly one hundred years after motion pictures were invented, the first nationally distributed feature by an African American woman was released in the United States. The film tells the story of an African American sea-island family preparing to come to the mainland at the turn of the century. In her richly textured, highly visual, lyrical portrayal of the day of the departure, Julie Dash evokes the details of a persisting African culture and the tensions between tradition and assimilation. Daughters of the Dust: The Making of an African American Woman’s Film, which includes Dash’s complete screenplay, describes the story of her extraordinary sixteen-year struggle to complete the project.

Genres: Nonfiction, African American, Film, History

173 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1992

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book chosen by Charleston County Library for the One Book program. Read about it here. I have another copy but a librarian friend passed several more on to me to put out on our BookCrossing shelves for people to find and hopefully participate in the program in September. I'd not heard of it prior to the selection.

The history of South Carolina fascinates me. I've lived here over half my life (33 years and counting, though not in one stretch) and I continue to love learning about the cultures of Carolina. The Gullah world, in particular is a lesson in survivor-ship and courage. I stand in awe of what these people, torn from their world, created through generations when transplanted so violently to the Carolina coast.

This story provided a portal back into the 1920's, capturing the life of sea island folks and a young woman who has returned to the island of her heritage from Harlem for anthropological study of the culture she came from. The characters are all richly drawn, and I've been told that there is interplay between the film (released 1991) and the book, though the book certainly stands alone quite successfully. I have not yet seen Dash's film, but intend to. (I've heard a local author said after seeing the film years ago that had he moved away from Carolina, seeing this film would have made him homesick and wish to return.) The richness of the characters and story, interwoven with the telling of the lies (stories) which give back-history created a fabulous tapestry. One other element, which completely captured me, was the sprinkling of potions and recipes for charms through the book. (The first one, on page 23, I told my friend Mary about, since she makes soaps and aromatherapy scents. I'm going to try it, too: "Mix 75 drops of peppermint oil with 35 drops of eucalyptus oil, 10 drops of clove, and 1/2 cup of spring water. Shake the mixture around the four corners of the room to bring the nature inside. As the mixture ages, the scent will become stronger."

I usually don't give a synopsis of a story in my reviews, and will carry on that tradition. However, I will say, this is a marvelous "lie" told by Julie Dash.

[Darrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

watched the film once - when i was too young to get a fraction of it - tho' i was quite excited to see that many black folks on screen and there not be guns, drugs or a plantation in evidence

there is an introductory essay

an interview of the filmmaker by bell hooks which is quite enlightening

and

the full script is included -

masterful stuff

[Milan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all-time favorite books. Period.

[Paris Chanel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughters of the Dust is one of the most mesmerizing, poetic films I've ever seen. Initially envisioned to be a silent short film, Julie Dash expanded it into a nonlinear feature film project after her ten years of intensive research on the history, customs, and folklore of the Gullah nation, their preservation of West African traditions, and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. There are scenes in Daughtersthat are permanently etched into my brain and lines that I will never forget from its rich story, like the history behind Eula's powerful monologue unveiling the Ibo Landing story about Africans walking on water away from captivity and chattel slavery:

"Ibo captives, African captives of the Ibo tribe, when they were brought to the New World, they refused to live in slavery. There are accounts of them having walked into the water, and then on top of the water all the way back to Africa, you know, rather than in slavery in chains. There are also myths of them having flown from the water, flown all the way back to Africa. And then there is the story—the truth or the myth—of them walking into the water and drowning themselves in front of the captors. I was able, in my research, to read some of the accounts from the sailors who were on the ship when supposedly it happened, and a lot of the shipmates, the sailors or other crew members, they had nervous breakdowns watching this. Watching the Ibo men and women and children in shackles, walking into the water and holding themselves under the water until they in fact drowned."

Plus, there is a slew of scenes that were unfortunately cut or remained a potential idea that didn't make the cut due to film's budget.

"Another scene that we didn't get a chance to shoot with the family hair braider braiding the map of their journey north, in the hair design, on a woman's head."

I learn new things about this film every time I search for a Dash interview, but this book peels back every layer.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a great book...if you're into Black independent filmmakers. The film Daughters of the Dust is compelling, and available on Netflix (fun fact: Beyonce's Lemonade is inspired by the film--the character of Trula could've walked into the "Formation" video and fit right in). But this is poorly-edited, which proved distracting, and half of it is the screenplay, which is a little redundant if you've seen the film.

The significance of the film, though, is that is is the first feature-length film by a Black woman filmmaker, and one doesn't need this book to know the struggles Julie Dash went through to get this made. While the film subverts many stereotypes we're accustomed to seeing, and focuses on the Gullah language and people, this book gives a great deal of context and background for us in understanding why Dash made those choices. Overall, skip unless you're really fascinated by trivia, film, and/or filmmaking.

[Matt Sautman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read the novel first, which Dash crafted as a sequel to the film that this screenplay was written for, I found myself lost in Dash's work. Unlike the novel, which is written in Gullah, no dialect is used in the screenplay, although an appendix does contain some of the introduction written to reflect the Gullah dialect. (I prefer the Gullah version, but I think that Dash's decision not to publish this in that voice gives this text a wider audience.) The preface materials are interesting, but it is the mythic tone of the screenplay itself that gives this yet power. Whereas the sequel is a story of a return, Daughters of the Dust's screenplay is a story of leaving. Together they form a cycle that Dash uses to comment on the dual nature of diaspora. Either text may be read in isolation, but they do enrich each other as black feminist critiques of American identity.

[Ayanna Dozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains the script of Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust, along with an introduction by Dash and conversation between Dash and feminist bell hooks. For anyone who wishes to know more about the film’s production and themes, this book offers a bridge between vision and interpretation of the film for readers.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazingly insightful book that details Julie Dash's process in getting this ground-breaking film made, the difficulties she encountered, as well as the reception. There is also a fascinating interview here conducted by bell hooks, which made this book a fascinating reading experience. The latter half is dedicated to the screenplay.

[M. Hakikah Shamsideen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing.

[Jann Cather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could read this book, over and over. Has to be accompanied with Julie Dash's 1991 films, "Daughters of the Dust."

[K✨]

don't feel can appropriately rate this because i was solely reading to use in a paper, but would definitely recommend to anyone working with or simply a fan of this film

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. Dash never judges and her characters never judge. They can be angry or selfish or unhappy but always they are people with real feelings. The way events and "lies" and ritual are combined is very moving. And the book ultimately ends with happiness for everyone without seeming false.

[Lynda M]

One of the most breathtaking and thought provoking films I have ever seen. This book adds another dimension to the visual odyssey.

[Justin Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, interesting to go through the thought process of an independent filmmaker, then reading the script that was the center of attention.

[Doris Raines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great. Book. It. Will. Soon be. In. My. Libary.

[reading woman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece of drama and cinema!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great compliment to her beautiful film with the same name.