Mariama Khan (born 1977) is a Gambian filmmaker, poet, cultural activist and scholar. She teaches African civilization and Women in African Society at

Lehman College Lehman College is a public college in New York City, United States. Founded in 1931 as the Bronx campus of Hunter College, it became an independent college in 1967. The college is named after Herbert H. Lehman, a former New York governor, United ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

.Beti Ellerson
Mariama Khan, filmmaker, poet, cultural activist, scholar: Reflections on cinema culture in The Gambia
''African Women in Cinema Blog'', 20 July 2018.

Life

Mariama Khan was born in 1977 to a Senegalese father and a Gambian mother. She grew up in

Brikama Brikama is one of the largest cities in the Gambia. It is also called 'Satey Ba' by the locals, meaning "big town". It lies southwest of the country's capital, Banjul. Brikama is the headquarters of the Brikama Local Government Area (formerly th ...

New Town in the Kombo Central district of

The Gambia The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. Geographically, The Gambia is the List of African countries by area, smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for ...

. Khan started making short documentary films as a student of Henry Felt at

Brandeis University Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...

. She made four documentaries in 2008–9. ''Sutura'' won a

UNFPA The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies and protocols, increasing access to birth control, and leadin ...

award, and ''The Journey Up The Hill'' was premiered at Cinekambiya International Film Festival in 2016. In the Gambia, Khan worked as acting and later director of the Policy Analysis Unit in the Office of the President. President

Yahya Jammeh Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born 25 May 1965) is a Gambian politician and former soldier, who served as President of the Gambia from 1996 to 2017. He was the Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) from 1994 ...

appointed her secretary-general of Gambia's civil service in 2010, though the appointment only lasted a few months. She was then appointed permanent secretary at the Personnel Management Office. In 2018 she wrote a public letter to President

Adama Barrow Adama Barrow (, born 15 February 1965) is a The Gambia, Gambian politician and real estate developer who has served as President of The Gambia since 2017. Born in Mankamang Kunda, a village in Jimara district, he attended Crab Island Secondary ...

, in defence of ASP Musa Fatty. Fatty, who was believed to be wrongly accused of shooting at youth, was one of five police officers initially charged with murder after the deaths of three young protestors at an anti-pollution rally in Faraba Banta.Five Gambia police charged with activists' murders
news24, 29 June 2018.

Books

* ''Futa Toro: poetry'', 2003 * (with Bamba Khan) ''Juffureh : kissing you with hurting lips : poetry'', 2004 * (With Bamba Khan) ''Proverbs of the SeneGambia'' * "The Gambia-Senegal Border: Issues in Regional Integration", (Routledge, 2019)

Films

* ''Sutura: Rape and Justice in Senegal'' * ''The Journey Up The Hill''.

References

External links

Faculty web page at Lehman College
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Mariama 1977 births Living people Gambian film directors Gambian poets Gambian women poets Lehman College faculty Gambian women writers Women film directors