About poet:
Gabriel Okara, in full Gabriel Imomotimi Gbaingbain Okara, (born April 21, 1921, Bumodi, Nigeria—died March 25, 2019, Yenagoa, Nigeria), Nigerian poet and novelist whose verse had been translated into several languages by the early 1960s.
A largely self-educated man, Okara became a bookbinder after leaving school and soon began writing plays and features for radio. In 1953 his poem “The Call of the River Nun” won an award at the Nigerian Festival of Arts. Some of his poems were published in the influential periodical Black Orpheus, and by 1960 he was recognized as an accomplished literary craftsman.
About Poem:
Gabriel Okara's poem consists of 10 stanzas and describes the interplay of different interpretations of the same sounds, sights, and dances The interaction that takes place within the poem is commonly thought to be between a white colonialist and an African native. The poem follows a trope in African literature of "The White Man Laughed", which embodies the notion of dismay and cynical derision of the beliefs, practices, and norms of an African. However, Okara's poem can be seen to transcend the acceptance of the derision of the White Man and present a wiser African intellectual. The poem concludes with the African teaching the White Man of his ignorance and helping him realize that the native beliefs of the African are not primitive nor removed from intellectual thought.
Themes of the poem:
1.Racism:
The poet mainly focuses on the theme racism faced by the people in Africa and also brought out the problems and suffering faced by black, created by white, they did not understand the feeling of black people who suffered with pain given by white. The entry of European language paved way to the white people to enter Africa and the try to make African’s as their slave. The white people laughed at black natives for whatever things they do. They sing song which brought out the pain, emotion of the people was not understood by the white people, its sounds them as misfiring and choking of car which has stopped. The sound of song was harsh, and it was criticized and laughed by white.
“In your ears my song Is motor car misfiring Stopping with a choking cough And you laughed and laughed and laughed”
The natives are not stylish are modern when compared to white people, they have a clumsy figure. They were mocked for their walk and it was said has an ‘Ante natal ‘which is an immature man’s walk. The clumsy figure was overwhelmed by the extraordinary power which they gained naturally, that was not noticed by white and laughed for their appearance.
The white people did not treat the natives as a ordinary human they did not understand the inner feeling of native and dominate by their appearance, colour and their actions. Black natives were laughed by the white people. By the laughing of white people the readers can easily get idea about racism in poem as well as in Africa.
2.Cultural Conflict:
in the poem it can be observed that there was a cultural conflict between black and white people as the word motorcar used in the poem it shows that there is western culture also and it followed by white people. Black people have more powerful body than Whites, and that’s why they have different style of walking – White people make fun of that style of walking etc they laughed and laughed and laughed at each and everything thing this how cultural conflict is their between both the cultural.
3.Modernism
in the poem there is concept of modernism also but in the poem that is also can be seen that poet describe about nature and the white people ignoring the beauty of it. sits in the motor car and they are laughing towards the black people and here the motorcar used itself shows about the modernism.
4.Colonialism
Colonialism is defined as “control by one power over a dependent area or people.” It occurs when one nation subjugates another, conquering its population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own language and cultural values upon its people.
here it can be observed that black people are overpowering by the white people as they are laughing at their culture their clumsy walk and at their dance or it can be said that the white people believes that they are superior than the black. so by that way the concept of colonialism can be seen in the poem
5.Nationalism
The concept of nationalism can be seen here by the word used here that the magic dance by the native people. here in the last stanza poem has used the warmth of the nature itself suggest that the native people are enjoying the nature rather than the materialistic life.
Conclusion
The poem concludes with the African man teaching the White Man of his ignorance and helping him realize that the native beliefs of the African are not primitive nor removed from intellectual thought.
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