AN ASSESSMENT OF INTERPELLATION IN SELECTED HAUSA HOME VIDEO MOVIES

Project Abstract

<p> </p><p>The Hausa culture just like many has been infiltrated by foreign ideologies. Hausa home video movies as a veritable tool for projecting and preservation of the Hausa culture have been perceived to be promoting and depicting foreign ideologies which are at variance with the tenets of the Hausa value system. These home videos movies have effectively become a platform for Hausa filmmakers at promoting the Euro-American and Indian ideologies which influence the target audience through a process known as Interpellation. Althusser describes Interpellation as a process through which people encounter their cultural values and internalize them. It basically explains the ways in which ideas get into people‟s heads and have an effect on their lives so much so that the people believe in the ideas. Interpellation happens through ideological and repressive means. Therefore, the study will apply the theory of interpellation on a select Hausa home video movies which are fictional but mirrors reality and the society, then examine the interpellative functions of Hausa home video movies, and the likely influence of the ideologies depicted in Hausa home videos on the target audience laying credence to the fact that home videos are a powerful ideological weapon. This study will establish how the interpellative functions of Hausa home video movies undermine the essentials of Hausa value system in aspects of marriage, mannerism, morality, dressing etc. the methodology adopted will be issuing out questionnaires to sample opinion of various strata of respondents and subsequent analysis of the content and main thrust of five different Hausa home videos namely <em>Basaja</em>&nbsp;(2012), <em>Mata</em>&nbsp;<em>da</em>&nbsp;<em>KuÉ—i</em>&nbsp;(2014) <em>Zee-Zee</em>&nbsp;(2014), „<em>Yar</em>&nbsp;<em>Mace</em>&nbsp;(2014) and <em>Mulkin</em>&nbsp;<em>Mallaka</em>&nbsp;(2014).</p><br> <br><p></p>

Project Overview

<p> </p><div><p><strong><br>Ge</strong><strong>neral</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Introduction</strong></p><p><strong>1.1</strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; <strong>Introduction</strong></p><p>Literature is often influenced by the culture and society in which it is produced and as</p><p>the imitation of life, it creates not only serious, and substantial literary pieces but also composes</p><p>conventional and melodious works of art which more often is expected to influence, convince</p><p>or persuade the people (Kabir, 2013). It is against this backdrop that scholars like Agyekum</p><p>(2013), Chapman (1992:619), Hogins (1984), Ladyina (1976) to mention but a few have</p><p>described literature from different perspectives but all have underscored the strong relationship</p><p>that exists between literature and society. Literature deals with experience which may feature</p><p>philosophical ideas that could be presented in terms of personal experiences which normally</p><p>reflect the experience of the entire society over a certain period of time.</p><p>The term interpellation as a noun, has its root from Latin as <em>interpellare,-atum</em>&nbsp;which</p><p>means to disturb by speaking. Interpellation according to the French Marxist Philosopher, Louis</p><p>Althusser (1972) is the process by which ideology embodied in major social and political</p><p>institutions, constitutes the nature of individual subjects‟ identities through the very process of</p><p>institution and discourse of praising them in social interactions. It basically explains the ways in</p><p>which ideas get into peoples‟ heads and have an effect on their lives, so much so that they</p><p>believe they are their own. Interpellation is a process which people encounter their cultural</p><p>values and internalise them.</p><p>Hausa home videos according to Dakata (2004) are audio visual tapes or discs relaying</p><p>plays and dramas that are recorded for commercial purpose. They are purchased and viewed at</p><p>1</p></div><p><br></p><div><p>home with the sole intent of acquiring the required entertainment and education where possible</p><p>by the viewers. These home videos bring people into contact with their culture while they are</p><p>being entertained, even though interpellation could acculturate the audience with a culture other</p><p>than theirs.</p><p>Since literature mirrors the cultural and societal life of a people as opined by Ladyina</p><p>(1976), a conscious effort will be made in this study to examine the processes in which people</p><p>subject to various ideologies as depicted in some Hausa home video movies like <em>Basaja</em>(2012),</p><p><em>Mata</em>&nbsp;<em>da</em>&nbsp;<em>KuÉ—i</em>&nbsp;(2014), <em>Zee-Zee</em>&nbsp;<em>(</em>2014) „<em>Yar</em>&nbsp;<em>Mace</em>&nbsp;(2014) and <em>Mulkin</em>&nbsp;<em>Mallaka</em>&nbsp;(2014). Also, to</p><p>establish how these foreign ideologies undermine some essentials of the Hausa value systems</p><p>especially in aspects of marriage, morality, norms and values etc.</p><p><strong>1.2</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Background</strong>&nbsp;<strong>of</strong>&nbsp;<strong>the</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Study</strong></p><p>This research depicts the strong relationship that exists between literature and philosophy</p><p>as a discipline. According to Chapman (1992), literature in the real sense is philosophical</p><p>because it does not just portray the experiences of a people over a certain period of time; it</p><p>represents the mindset, perceptions, religion and cultural beliefs of a people. It is worthy of note</p><p>to state that students of literature share the desire to integrate literary experience with other</p><p>cultural phenomena such as historical change, philosophical concepts and social movements.</p><p>The study, therefore, examines the interpellative functions of Hausa home video movies</p><p>and how it undermines the essentials of Hausa value system in aspects of marriage, norms and</p><p>values, mannerisms, dressing, morals etc. Film as opined by Mohammed (2004) is designed</p><p>primarily to inform, influence or inspire. And according to Krings (2004), Film is a medium</p><p>which can be used to give life to the imaginative, to what could be, to the dreams (bad and good)</p><p>2</p></div><p><br></p><div><p>of a given society. Therefore, one finds it expedient to apply the philosophical concept of</p><p>interpellation on select Hausa home video movies. This is by examining how ideology operates</p><p>in Hausa home video movies. The unconscious exploitation of the concept of interpellation by</p><p>producers and scriptwriters of Hausa home videos deliberately or otherwise to</p></div> <br><p></p>