THE STRONG BREED

The Strong Breed

             The Strong  Breed ,a play was based on the Yourba festival of the new year and the ritual of the sacrificing a `carrier` of the previous year`s evil.soyinka used in his plays traditional African forms of expression.The play refer to the folk tradition by which one person becomes the carrier of community evil and symbolically purifies the village in an annual ritual. Soyinka critically analyse of Nigerian culture through this play.

               All dramatic action revolves around  Eman`s decision .Through a series of flash backs , the play becomes complex structure. The title of the play `The Strong Breed` itself indicating symbolically bearing the evil of his village.Eman decides to take on the role of sacrifical victim,substituting himself for the idiot boy,Ifrada.

      Omae is the traditional and faithful wife who gives her life bearing Eman`s child. sunma is the only character in this play who fight against the traditional carrier rituals.Sunma presented as selfish at  the beginning of this play,at the same time  she is willing to challenge her father`s view.she questioned the need of socities to sacrifies ones.

      Eman had left his village for twelve years in search of a new destiny but had to go back because he believes his father`s   words  ; they were born to be carriers and he could not flee from his destiny. Though he is a well educated man, he could not break such meaningless   traditions .Suma, not a well educated   girl, despises her village as she feels that it is quite evil , she does not agree with its cultural practices  . But she lacks the moral strength of Eman therefore doesn`t bring much change to the village . so she couldn`t understand why Eman does not want to leave the village.

            Villagers considered spiritual health is important than human  life. contradiction   between will and destiny leads to the tragedy   .Most of the Greek drama`s ends with such type of tragedy .At some extent we feel that , Wole Soyinka follows the Greek style of writing.

     Wole Soyinka was brought up as a  christian . We can identify some Christian images in this play .The death of Eman  , has some resemblance with the crucifixion of Christ. According to the New Testament of Bible ,  Christ was sacrificed his life for saving humanity .Like Christ, Eman in this play sacrificed his life in order to save the village . Finally Eman , like Christ ,dies due to the faults of others.

        The play is marked with flashbacks between Eman`s past and present where he sees images of his father and his dead wife Omae.The  Strong Breed was much more emotional than traditional play.

The Hungry Earth

                                                                 ( My commonts on `The Hungry Earth`)

            ‘Hungry Earth’ is  a multifaceted play. For that  reason it is not determine precisely what it is and how to approach it. All black South Africans had been personally affected discriminatory practice of the apartheid system. Maponya’s play shows the hallmarks of the black consciousness movement in a number of ways. The hungry earth under went numerous metamorphoses before being presented in the form in which it would eventually be published in 1980.

            Hungry Earth emphasis on a non naturalistic performance style. This play mainly focuses on social, economic, cultural effects of South Africans labour system in 1970’s . Black people were given cheap labour power for various industries . The Hungry Earth explores several issues  using episodic structure. Episodic structure is very useful to present the problem faced by black people. They faces several  problem in mines, Train, Plantation etc., The play justify the industrial exploitation. Prologue itself gave  some picture about the society existed in 1970’s. Gumboot dance was used to express black man’s feelings to others, they were not allowed to speak to one another.     

            Racial discrimination is the main theme in this play. Ordinary black south African people were faced  several problem in their  work place. They were tortured by white people. The play ‘Hungry Earth’ moves  through six episode. Ie, the hostal, the plantation , the train, the mine and two episode of compound.

            Four characters place a prominent role  in this play. Their dialogues represents colonial, exploitation, nationalism in Africa and anti- colonial struggle. Most powerful  lines in this  play is ;

                  Mother Afrika wake up

                  And arm yourself

                  Wipe the tears of your brave

                  Mother Afrika wake up

                   Lest umlungu rapes you

                   Lest umlungu rapes you

                        These lines represents black people thirst to become liberate their country in the hands of white. In the  second  episode, the plantation, 13 years old children were working in a plantation. A visitor came and asked the details of time of their work ( 5am to 3pm)  and the wages they got ( 50c). Through the questioning of a visitor we  got an idea about exploitation in labour. Actually visitor is writer  in this play, his main  intention is to explore the pathetic condition of black people existed in South Africa.

            In the third episode , the train, black people were arrested for petty cases. White  man were spectatory and black are only victims. Sethotho a character in the play, commented the situation existed in his country while he was talking to Beshwane

            Sethotho : “Hey , my father lived in the city of Gold and he told me there are so many crimes  against the law of the white man  of which  black people might unwittingly be guilty”

            At the end of this episode Usiviko described the incident happended in Train. “Most of black people were requested to produce passes and permits. Those who failed to produce  spent two weeks in jail and were deported to their respective homes on their release. This is the in human and unjust procedure to endorse the unjust laws that make another a stranger in the land of his birth and rob him of his freedom to move wherever he wants. Is freedom not the law of nature? Then what?”

            No blackmen lived in South Africa can say the answer of this question.

            Fourth episode, the mine , lot of  black men died in mine at Carleton ville. The title of this play came from the words of Matchoko in fourth scene.

                   “I looked back into the tunnel

                    Where my brothers were being

                    Eaten by this hungry earth”

                        This play focuses the non – violence movement against the white people dominance. Usviko’s words proves this.

            “We are not violent people. And this is a peaceful demonstration. Come everybody..”

            Five and six episode described the Gumboot dance of black people. Tourist were coming to see  Gumboot dance. All were wanted to see and enjoy Gumboot dance. They were not anxious  about the sufferings of black people. At  the end of this play  a women, named  Chirago appeared and explored her sufferings.

            The Hungry Earth used  Zulu in some of its  songs and dialogue as an affirmation  of black south African’s  cultural heritage. This tactic must have  had a powerful  resonance at a time when the country’s  two official languages were English and Africans, and zulu was banned in educational contexts. As a part  of culture  the play  also incorporates  a ‘traditional Gumboot dance’,  it was the only way of communication between  black workers who were not allowed  to speak to one another.