Elliot Ziwira @ The Book Store

Wole Soyinka’s “Kongi’s Harvest” (1974) contributes immensely to drama in general and African drama in particular, in that it does not only conform to the three-part structure embraced by Allison (1986), but also exhibits elements of ritual.

Good drama reflects elements of black vernacular tradition characterised by ritual, communal concerns, the use of music, poetry, dance, mime and the element of spectacle (Wilson, 1976).

Soyinka uses the tripartite structure espoused by Allison (1986) in “Kongi’s Harvest” to examine how ideological conflict affects African societies. Such a dramatic structure uses a basic plot; Hemlock, Exposition; first part and the second half of second part; Complication; second part, and Hangover which is the resolution.

African drama is characterised by dance, dress, ritual and music which is manifest in the everyday life of Africans as evidenced at weddings, funerals as well as marriage and harvest ceremonies. Music pervades all the above instances in all its different forms.

Though in most societies the drum is used at functions, its tone, pitch or sound can be altered to suit a particular situation. Messages can be deciphered by just interpreting the sound of the drum as is culturally accepted by a particular people or society.

Music, therefore, plays a significant role in drama and society because societal mores and values are usually manifest in specific genres of music. Whereas percussions are the characteristic of weddings or such functions where rapture prevails, dirges and melancholy bells are the preserves of funerals and other such solemn occasions. The power of music can only be ignored at one’s peril, for where words sometimes fail due to humanity’s tendency to allow attention to wander somewhere else in the crux of the moment, music captures the soul and is usually difficult to ignore.

The late reggae superstar, Bob Marley once said: “One good thing about music: When it hits you, you feel no pain” (True Love, March: 2003). Such is the power of music exploited in “Kongi’s Harvest” in complement with ritual.

Although African drama is a genre derived from both African and English traditions, its aesthetics should be based on a purely African context or ideology because the challenges purveyed by African playwrights are drawn from their own experiences of a society beset by imperialism, exploitation, neocolonialism and betrayal.

Even though vernacular traditions influence the way in which Africans write, as is the case with Chinua Achebe in “Things Fall Apart”(1958) and Soyinka in “Kongi’s Harvest”, their ideologies are shaped by a specifically African sensibility. This rationale is articulated in the following: “The artiste has always functioned in African society as the recorder of mores and experiences of his society and as the voice of vision in his own time” (Soyinka, 1973:89).

Soyinka examines the ideological conflicts that weigh down not only on the Nigerian landscape, but the African society as well, and as such he contributes aesthetically to African drama through his poetry and prose. The conflict which is established in the Hemlock is predominantly between Danlola and Kongi, who are exponents of their own respective ideologies.

Danlola epitomises the old order of kingship whose traditional beliefs and cultural affiliations are setting, inevitably like the sun in the west. Kongi,on the other hand, is an exponent of the order of presidents whose dictatorial inclinations are more venomous than the fangs of a black mamba, and exposes the follies of humanity. Thus, the conflict between Kongi and Danlola works in a two-fold manner in that it surpasses individual differences and encompasses the struggle at the deeper sense of the political and social order.

The ideological differences in “Kongi’s Harvest” embodied in Kongi and Danlola are highlighted through the ritualistic structure of the play. The ritualistic aspect of African aesthetics examines the dramatic aspects of performance and spectacle. The play closely follows the African tradition of ritualistic structure; the exhilarations associated with the preparations, the actual ceremony, followed by communal feasting. The sacredness of the past is superimposed with modernity to lend the play an ideological tiff.

The compounding of the past, present and future is emphasised through the ceremonial role of the king. Social, mythical and historical time is also marked by such rituals. The king’s divine and sacerdotal identity central to ritual in “Kongi’s Harvest” is expressed through eulogising as illustrated thus: “None but the king/Takes the oil from the crossroads/And rubs it in his “awuje”/The king is a god”

Music also enhances the dramatic aspect of the play as it reinforces the thin plot in creating dramatic effect. Song accentuates the depiction of Segi as a ‘’femme fatale” of the play as captured in the following: “Do not stay by the sea/At night…/Do not play/With the daughter of sea…”

Music provides and accentuates the contrasting styles of Kongi and Danlola. Danlola’s music is melodious and serves a social function whereas Kongi’s is discordant; hence it proffers no social purpose. The music of the Carpenters’ Brigade is offensive to the ear and does not celebrate communal interests, but encourages deification and personal cults embodied in Kongi. The discordant music is ironically picked out by the Reformed Aweri Fraternity.

Ideologically, scenes are sharply contrasted not only by ritual and music but also through language styles, purposes and effects. The two contrasting worlds which are explored in juxtaposition conform to distinctive languages. Danlola’s language which is associated with proverbs and poetry taps into folkloristic wisdom and knowledge.

Danlola’s purposeful language earns him respect as illuminated here: “The rude shanks of a king/Is not a sight for children/It will blind them.”

Here language is used both metaphorically and literally to illustrate Danlola’s loss of status as a king as well as the loss of his royal regalia. Images of nature are also drawn from the cultural universe of the characters. Kongism is, however, associated with abstract language divorced from reality and ignores the values of the people.

The playwright also uses realistic and non-realistic aspects of drama as well as mythology through the exploitation of motifs, themes, imagery, language and symbolism. The New Yam Festival is symbolic of the traditional values celebrated by Soyinka’s society. Thus, the element of beauty or what constitutes the beautiful as depicted in the play has a great bearing on African drama.

On the flip side, however, in a multi-tribal society like Nigeria, the use of mythology specific to one tribe like Yoruba may have limitations, as Ogun, the Yoruba god of iron and war may not be seen in that light by other tribes.

The use of mythology limits the universality of drama because Africans share different mythologies. Little wonder why Steve Chimombo’s poetry which draws inspiration from an oblique style exploiting Malawian mythology is said to be intensely private. Although language is distinctively used to effect in “Kongi’s Harvest”, it is, however, non-realistic and does not conform to realistic speech patterns.

Ideologically and aesthetically Soyinka contributes remarkably to African drama but the traditional elements that he incorporates have an artistic intention which is questionable and seems to be inspired by non-African aspects.

The ideological conflict which drives the play remains unresolved, as it tilts in Kongi’s favour. Kongi is a modernist whose dictatorial inclinations are a bane on regeneration, legitimacy and progress, therefore the tilting of the scale in his favour suggests the futility of traditionalism and all that it stands for; thus, betraying society.

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