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When the Waters Speak

When the Waters Speak

The Journey of Midwife Okunsola M. Amadou & Jamaa Birth Village

Premiere & Doc Release Date: 10/10/26
Premiere Location: 21C Museum Hotel in Saint Louis, MO
Film Crew: Executive Producer-Okunsola M. Amadou, Director: Myrina Otey, Cinematographer: Von Davis
Film brought to you by: Jamaa Birth Village & The Midwifery Folklorist

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When the Waters Speak, tells a story of a Black Student Midwife who voyages to Elmina, Ghana West Africa to study midwifery.

Along the Atlantic Gold shores of Elmina Ghana, there was a young student midwife who rose with the sun, every morning, singing to the sea, “Mami Wata, Mami Wata, Yemojaaaaa.

6.000 miles away from her home, on a misty morning rose a prophetic vision above the oceans waves, capturing the student midwife’s spirit-revealing the ancient past and returning future of midwifery-through her hands.

"When the Waters Speak" is the documentary film, carrying the story and the trailblazing path of Midwife Okunsola, as she founded, built and led Jamaa Birth Village-defying the odds, winning victorious battles for her community, re-building the village and revolutionizing the return of African Indigenous Midwifery-all while the ancestors and water spirits sang back to her.

This film traces her footsteps and lineage in pioneering a pathway, revolution and movement to restore Black Midwifery in Ferguson, MO, and beyond, while becoming Missouri’s 1st Black Midwife, opening the states first Black Midwifery Clinic, Midwifery School & Midwifery Museum.

Okunsola Amadou

DOCUMENTARY FUNDING BY:

The Panorama Fund Logo, funders of When Waters Speak
Every Mother Counts Logo, funders of When Waters Speak
Chicago Beyond Logo, funders of When Waters Speak

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