Le Roi ne meurt jamais

After many years in Addis Ababa, Gezagn Kala has returned to his native land, Konso, to become the 20th “poqalla”. His clan is preparing the ceremony marking the end of mourning for his father, Woldedawit Kala, and the pledge of allegiance to the future poqalla. Tension rises when Mangoursha — the “ganshalo”, hired by the Kala family to beat the drum at the opening and close of the mourning — flees to the lowlands, unhappy with his treatment. Everyone in Konso knows that without him the ritual cannot take place: his refusal to play his part in the final act threatens the peace of the deceased’s soul and his family’s harmony as much as the vitality of the whole society.