Yeelen (Bambara for "brightness"/"light") is a 1987 Malian film directed by Souleymane Cissé, though the era is undefined, it is presumably set in the 13th century in which empire in West Africa, from 1230 to 1670?
Mali Empire The Mali Empire (Manding: "Nyeni" or "Niani"; also historically referred to as the Manden Kurufaba, sometimes shortened to Manden) was an empire in West Africa from 1230 to 1670. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers, especially Musa Keita. The Manding languages were spoken in the empire. It was the largest empire in West Africa and profoundly influenced the culture of West Africa through the spread of its language, laws and customs. Much of the recorded information about the Mali Empire comes from 14th century North African Arab historian Ibn Khaldun, 14th century Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta and 16th century Moroccan traveller Leo Africanus. The other major source of information is Mandinka oral tradition, through storytellers known as griots.
Hlubi people The Hlubi (or amaHlubi) are a South African ethnic group who originate from the Samburu people of Kenya and the Shubi, an ethnic and linguistic group based in Kagera Region, Tanzania. For at least two centuries they have been a part of the Nguni, Mbo or Lala nation. They are found in Mozambique, Swaziland and the Republic of South Africa in the KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and North West provinces.They were traditionally hunters and warriors but now are predominantly agriculturalists.The amaHlubi are the oldest in origin and are a much older tribe than either the amaZulu or amaXhosa. There is a lot of literature about the AmaHlubi, but very little is known or documented about this tribe. Most of the literature refers mostly to the time of King Langalibalele, and therefore offers very little on the roots of the amaHlubi nation. The amaHlubi were once a mighty tribe originated from what today is known as the Congo as part of the downward migration of the eMbo group/nation or amaLala from central Africa. After settling briefly along the Lubombo mountains, a range extending from the North of present day Zululand northwards along the Swaziland-Mozambique border, they went South and settled in what today is known as Natal as far back as the 13th century, leaving behind a section of their group which later became the amaSwazi nation.