German filmmaker and artist Markus Hofko turns his lens on the Democratic Republic of Congo in this vibrant and fast-moving video for electro band KOKOKO!—a Kinshasa-based group made up of local artists, instrument inventors and French producer Débruit. Here, production company La Belle Kinoise talk about the project:

“Images were shot during a Pygmy ritual called 'Wale,' which occurs when a woman gives birth to her first child. This is a maternal rite of passage in which first-time mothers must follow strict rules of seclusion to protect their newborns and elevate the status of their families. 

“We chose to focus on Pygmies as they are the underdogs of Congolese society, pillaged by lumber companies and despised by many in the country. The condition of the Pygmies embodies the whole of the Democratic Republic of Congo's ordeal—daily struggle and a life with corporate greed—reflected in KOKOKO!'s song title ‘Tokoliana,’ which means “We are eating each other” in Lingala.