“Des Guerrières”, women's resistance in the Congo

Text by: Siegfried Forster

“To be a warrior is to fight silence. Even after decades of war with millions of deaths and countless rapes, the resistance and resilience of Congolese women remains standing. “Des Guerrières” tells, dances and sings on stage the rage and the courage of women in Kivu, in the DRC, and the murderous silence around the crimes.

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Des Guerrières , conceived and directed by Florence Bermond, is a trying, enlightening, comforting spectacle. A collective work where disturbing emotions arise from the voices and bodies of Congolese, Togolese, Burkinabè and French actors.

This play refers to the rapes until today unpunished and suffered by countless women in the Kivu region of the DRC. And the play underlines that such a situation of injustice mixing the intimate and the political " can concern each of us ." Chance wanted the preview to take place on February 28, and for spectators to get out of this show by learning the distinction in France from Roman Polanski. The César Award for Best Director for the filmmaker of J'accuse, himself accused by a dozen women of sexual violence. Knowing that Polanski remains protected by France against the international arrest warrant relayed by Interpol against him since 1977 for being accused of having drugged and sodomized in the United States a 13 year old girl before fleeing American justice.

Des Guerrières seeks to make visible the resistance of women in Kivu. Florence Bermond, the director of the Compagnie la louve aimantée, went to Congo to investigate on the spot. It took three years to put on her show. Interview.

RFI : For you, what does it mean to be a " warrior " ?

Florence Bermond : Warriors are women who fight on a daily basis, who are strong, courageous and face adversity. They can also fall apart. They have the right. But, there is something that is stronger, that makes life always take over. In this show, I wanted to talk about these women. For years, I have been working on the issue of women, on silence and the unspoken. Which led me to the DRC.

What triggered the need to do this piece ?

During a performance a few years ago, I met a Congolese activist who came from Kivu. Her testimony shocked me. I knew nothing about the DRC. Like everyone, I knew very little. I went there to try to understand, because Kivu is almost a country in another country. First, I documented myself here in France, through books, articles, videos, films ... but, we never talked about women. Never. I said to myself: it is not possible.

What is the Warriors point of view ?

In the play, there are three: there is the point of view of those who suffer from war - I don't like the word victim - women who have known war and who, despite everything, continue. There are those who made war. And then there is a more western point of view which brings a vision on the economy, politics and on delicate questions. In this show, we also tackle the question of NGOs and humanitarian action, all the contradictions and paradoxes that humanitarian and aid to the population can trigger - or precisely not to trigger!

The story begins with a meeting between Mathilde and a colonel in a hair salon. Later appears Mademoiselle Démocratie, but also the Doctor who repairs women. We are also witnessing a fashion show, not to mention the Declaration of Good Intentions. Is this war in the Congo a sort of “ spectacle ” for you ?

No, not for me, but I would say that it is put on a show. This is what I tried to translate. I completely agree with what Dr. Denis Mukwege defends, nevertheless, sometimes, I think that there is manipulation on the part of the West and a certain hypocrisy. Mukwege was enormously rewarded, he even won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018, but, ultimately, nothing changes! Even he says it himself. It has changed absolutely nothing in his country. Because the economic stakes are much more powerful than that. So there is a certain cynicism.

"Des Guerrières", the resistance of women in the Congo, directed by Florence Bermond. © The magnetic wolf

You also prepared your show on site. Kivu remains a very dangerous region until today. How did you work ?

I went to Goma and Bukavu, the two main cities in the north and south of Kivu, but I was not allowed to leave the city. I investigated in the city. I would have liked to go outside, but I had a ban, because it is a red zone. As soon as you leave the city and move away a little, there are armed groups. In the city, we see people circulating, there is Monusco [ United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Annual budget : $ 1.11 billion, editor's note ] and all the players that have sprung up in our history.

" Women are strong ", this phrase is repeated several times. Is there anything special about the resistance and resilience of women in Kivu ?

These are women who wear many things on a daily basis: shopping, looking for water, preparing meals ... women are active everywhere, on all social scales. I met both traders and a former gender minister - here, it looks like women's rights - women in NGOs or Lydia, a former sex slave in an armed group and who works in a center. I think when one knew the war closely, the relationship to life can no longer be the same.

In Des Guerrières , some women wage war like men. Are there executioner women ?

In the show, Mathilde becomes an executioner. And there are women of power, with a very masculine position. When we speak of this region, we often always speak of the female victim. Obviously, there are victims, and what happens on the bodies of women is intolerable, unimaginable, and of the order of torture. I wanted to show something else. The woman is not good in herself. She is like a man. Sometimes it's almost like an excuse to say to yourself, " Women are strong " and " Anyway, they're going to make it ."

Florence Bermond, the director of "Des Guerrières". © Paul Winling

You also mention " positive masculinity ". What is the role of man in your show ?

I also wanted to show several facets of man. If we talk about feminism, it is possible with, but never against men. For that, I wanted there to also be the character of Thierry. It's the story of someone I actually met. He has been killed. The day I returned to France, I learned of his death. He was someone who defended women a lot, who helped me a lot in my research. He introduced me to a lot of people. I met Thierry there, the first day I arrived. He was an activist. For me, history is possible, when there are men and women.

What place does the spectator occupy in your show ?

It is essential. I hope that there is a wordless dialogue that is created with the spectator, that he is touched and will feel things, reflect. I like it when the spectator is jostled.

► Des Guerrières , conceived and directed by Florence Bermond, Cie La louve aimantée. Presented in preview on February 28 at the Lilas en scène theater (Les Lilas), in the Paris region. The first takes place on March 6 at Espace Marcel Pagnol, in Villiers-le-Bel (95). Other dates planned: March 13 at Espace Germinal, in Fosses (95) and March 14 at Atalante, in Mitry-Mory (77).

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