The Snake Will Eat Whatever is in the Belly of the Frog

In the film, “Sankofa” by Haile Gerima (1993), the viewer observes a multi-faceted perspective of the past and present. In the movie, the protagonist Mona, a woman of African descent, is exposed to American culture in such a way that she forgets her roots. Mona’s exposure to modern American forces her to deal with the situation by having to check her black consciousness. The protagonist is taken through Maafa, the African Holocaust, to get her to recant of her current state of denial and understand the origin of her roots.

Throughout the film, the viewer encounters, what I consider to be an interesting metaphor and essential to the understanding of the movie. One of the character says, "the snake will eat whatever is in the belly of the frog." The metaphor translates or has a very similar meaning as the cliche, "Tell me who you walk with, and I'll tell you who you are." As human beings, we often preoccupied and looked for conformity in someone who could understand us and our problems. We seek to advise and better yet, someone that would be willing to enjoy different and memorable moments. However, one must alway have in mind that not everyone has our best interest at heart. A simple encounter between two people might turn the wrong way as one of the parties might have ulterior motives in the relationship. One must always be cautious any possible danger that might come from the relationships we have with other people. When referencing the movie, the snake is us, individuals. The frog represents the relationships that we might form. The result of that relationship or what brings that union over time that could be positive or negative, which is represented by what is inside the frog’s belly.