Widow Champion is an honest look at gender oppression and the importance of unity but obscures the dangers.
Widow Champion, a documentary playing at Tribeca Festival, showcases the challenges widows face in Kenya and the grassroots efforts to aid them. It’s equal parts enlightening and enraging. But it reminds us that the battle for equality extends beyond our national lens. Strides forward for some are not necessarily for all. So, none of us should ever get complacent. Widow Champion is an honest look at gender oppression and the importance of unity but obscures the dangers.
Directed by Zippy Kimundu, the story has different women in the trenches, fighting to survive. Leading the fight is Rodah Nafula Wekesa, a widow champion in Kisumu County. The documentary personalizes a larger issue as over 8 million women in Kenya are widows. But this issue is not reserved for Kenya. Many other countries and cultures leave widows bereft of land and aid.
So, the dangers for widows are real and more widespread that many realize. Still, it’s inspiring to see the strength and determination of women like Rodah who fight for other widows. Yet within that, there is also sorrow when you consider how many widows fall prey to their in-laws. Sadly, the documentary explores little in that area beyond talking about it.
Widow Champion Shows Sexism on Full Display
Rodah explains from experience the degree of sexism widows face from their in-laws. To justify taking the land from widows, excuses abound. In-laws label the women prostitutes, gold diggers, and even murderers. So Rodah works on widows’ cases to help them remain on their husband’s land. Plus, she fights for them to get the title deed for that land. It’s disconcerting, yet familiar in a way, watching Rodah, alongside tribal elders, mediate the cases with a smile. But many watching will remember a similar situation in their past. But women understand smiling in the face of discomfort, even possible danger, to allay the threat. Widow Champion feels uncomfortable but purposeful in what it captures.
Besides the sexism and gender-based violence widows face, some also face tribalism. If their husband is from a different community, the in-laws insist they return to their homeland. Even though the elders themselves point out their tribe’s belief in taking care of the widows. It’s another aspect with which to torment the women. So, it’s no surprise there is overlap between gender oppression and tribalism as Widow Champion shows. It feels inspirational because of Rodah’s determination and the gradual strides made. However when you look at the number of widows in Kenya alone, there’s an inescapable sadness.
An Important and Eye-Opening Documentary
Widow Champion takes viewers on a journey through a country and culture many are unfamiliar with. The film builds the universal similarities in the struggle for women’s rights. It champions women like Rodah in the trenches. Plus, it focuses on inspiring viewers and uplifting women. But in that, it downplays the dangers of “widow inheritance.” It focuses on telling with little showing. There’s a balance between the two that can inform with the highest impact without leaning into trauma and shock for the sake of it. Still, it is an essential documentary introducing viewers to a horrible practice. Widow Champion mostly tells audiences about the sexism and tribalism that endangers widows. But it is worthwhile viewing nonetheless.
