C HECKING O UT M E H ISTORY

John Agard
Context
 John Agard
Born in Guyana in 1949

o Moved to Britain in 1977
o Educated whilst Guyana was a British colony – British education
 His poem was inspired by reading a school history textbook that claimed west
Indian history began with Columbus
o The history of his culture, people and country was ignored and
undermined Summary:
o Eurocentric view of all history Context – born Guyana under British
o Wasn’t living in Europe but still received their version of events – their colonialism – British education // most
view of history poetry on identity and culture // Half
 Denied his own history and identity Caste and other Poems (most in Standard
 Guyana English) – black history figures symbols of
 Originally a Dutch colony – part of Dutch West Indies Company resistance to colonialism/Europeans –
o Africans sold as slaves and transported to America and the Caribbean to 1066 and all that = satire about English
use as slaves on plantations history
 British colony until 1966 Form – dramatic monologue addressed
o Agard was educated and lived his early, formative years under British
to “dem” // oral poetry (non standard
control phonetic spelling)
o Then saw his country become independent
o Realise how much of his culture and identify he was deprived of
Structure – dual structure split white-
black // anaphora (rote learning) // rhyme
 Half Caste and Other Poems – 2007
build to climax // white history – myth –
 Published in a collection of poems about racial culture and identity
black history // enjambment with “but” –
 Had been living in Britain for around 30 years when he published it
overflow and connect // free verse and
o His poems are not just for Guyanans but for all people living under
emotive for black stanzas // Volta at end
oppression and denied the right to their identity
"but now" // poem builds up to his
o Keeps his poems universal
identity (I)
Language – motif of light // violent
metaphors // Creole // no punctuation
Synopsis (can’t understand, resistance)
 He is recounting the figures that he was taught about as a child Key Points – he explores the oppression
 Also mentions the historical figures from black history that were not of identity due to colonialism but resists it
mentioned – gives black history and culture the
 Adds them in through a split-structure – italicised stanzas on black history recognition and reverence it deserves –
 Explores the oppression of black history by colonisation explores the internal and emotional
 Ends resolved to find out about his own history and identity suffering caused by a person being denied
their own identity –determined to take
action – message of inspiration and hope
Form to others
 oral poetry
 checking out me history should be recited not read
o stanza lengths, phonetic spelling, rhyme and rhythm
o it is written as it is meant to be said, not as it is meant to be read
 oral tradition – poems passes down as a way to remember historical events and to create a shared sense of culture
o has formed an integral part of many cultures in the past – especially in Africa where written language wasn’t
widespread
o way to pass down a culture’s stories, historical events, poems, songs and sense of identify
 by writing in the form of oral tradition he is refusing to adhere to English literary traditions
o e.g. iambic pentameter viewed as classically British
o but he is defiant in keeping to the form of literature traditional for his own country
 reflects his own culture through his poem’s form
o also forcing the reader to take part in his culture – acknowledge oral poetry
o meant to help people remember events
 he wants the reader to remember black history – remember there are other figures in history that are left out
  remember the forgotten
short lines and irregular rhyme create a rhythm

o like a drum beat – reflect Latin American traditions of using music, drums, songs and oral poetry to pass on
history/identity
o he is infusing the stanzas with his own culture
 the way they taught history was oppressive too – oppress their culture – learn from a textbook rather than it
being passed down by way of mouth
 Europeans trying to force other countries to conform to their ideas of the world and their culture
 dramatic monologue
 takes the form of a dramatic monologue – one sided conversation with no reply
o he is constantly trying to change society but there is never a response
o nothing changes
o people continue to live ignorant to their own culture, cultures continue to be oppressed
o his whole poetry collection is a form of campaigning for recognitions – lobbying for change
 focus on culture and identity
 addressing an non-descript "dem"
o keeping his message universal to all readers
 not specifically about his experience in Guyana but a message to all people universally who have experienced
their culture and identity being oppressed
 it is a generalised criticism and accusation towards oppressive authorities in any form
o addressing the governments and powers that have oppressed him
 show of rebellion and strength

Structure
 dual structure
spit traditional history from black history
 repetition / anaphora - @dem tell me@
 Gives the sense of rote learning – had to rote learn dates and figures for history because they had no personal meaning
to him
o Suggestive of a barrage of information – drill history into children by rote
 Indoctrinate Guyanese children to view world through European perspective – lost their own identity
o No investment or interest in these figures that aren’t relevant to him
o Hence he cannot remember them – they aren’t important
o Has to learn it by repetition because there is no emotional connection to keep it in his
mind
 Oppression from European colonialists “dem tell me dem tell
o Constantly telling them how to think and act me wat dem wha dem
o Condescending – they already have their own culture and history want to tell me”
o Don’t need to be taught it by someone else
 Portrays his desperation to make a difference
o Repeating himself over and over – desperate for his message to be listened
o Shows his passion and how much he cares about it – obsessed and can’t move on
 Every stanza starts with “dem tell me”
o Just as colonial control has dominated his life, he shows it dominating his poem
o It has been European powers controlling his education and controlling his sense of identity
o The prioritization of history has been dictated by “dem”
o Repetition throughout reflects the rote learning he used to learn a (white) history that had no relevance to his
culture of identity
 He didn’t relate to it – no emotional significance – just learning it as facts rather than as something relevant to
who he is
 Rhyme
 The poem’s subject matter is concerned with the segregation between white and black
o The precedence of white over black in history and culture
“discovered de balloon”
o White history given precedence whilst black history is ignored
"jump over de moon"
 The rhyme scheme connects the two together – joins them and forces them together
o He is ending segregation through literary unification
"dish ran away with de
o White rhymes with black – they are equal and both worthy of acknowledgement spoon"
o Force the reader to consider both together – as equals "dem never tell me bout
 Rhyme scheme builds up to a climax nanny de maroon"
 o The rhyme is the same throughout a stanza (e.g. balloon, moon, spoon, maroon)
o Makes it predictable so that the reader is waiting for each new line
o Tension and suspense and they wait for the final rhyme that the stanza has been leading up to
 This is the line that will focus on black history
 Thus he is forcing the reader to wait for and acknowledge black history
o Presenting black history as the climax of the stanza – emphasize its importance
o this is the climax of his argument – the reader doesn’t recognize the last figure
 we are not taught about black history
 thus it could be seen as an anticlimax – end with a figure reader doesn’t recognize
 this is the evidence for his argument – proves that the oppression of history he claims is true
 Alternatively, he is echoing his own suspense and anticipation of being taught about himself through the waiting in the
stanza
o The reader is waiting for black history to be revealed to them
o He has spent his whole childhood waiting to be taught about himself and his culture
o Now realized he will never be taught – has to @check it out@ himself
 Stanza organization
 The stanza ends with the black historical figure
o See previous point on rhyme- swerves as the climax (or anticlimax) of the poem
o The evidence for his reported oppression
 Could be to emphasize its importance
o Places it last to ensure that the reader remembers it
o He wants that figure to be the thing they take away from each stanza
o By placing it at the end he encourages the reader to think about it – consider the significance of the figure (And the
significance of them possibly not knowing who they are)
o Finally ensuring that black history is recognized and given precedence
 OR – the structuring of the stanzas reflect the prioritization given to education by colonial powers
o Each stanza follows the pattern of: white history / white legend and nursery rhymes / black history
o Always starts with European history
 Show how white history is given precedence and prioritization
 Then myths and legends and nursery rhymes (ole king Cole / robin hood)
 The black history comes last because it was presented as not important – wasn’t even taught or given
acknowledgement
o (like how the textbook saw west indies history as starting with Columbus – only important if it is involved
with Europe)
o Highlights the injustice of being taught and knowing another country’s cultural identity – it is not just history, but
myths legends and songs they are taught (the building blocks of a foreign identity – before your own and better
than your own
 Black history is then presented as lesser than white myth – inferior to fictional events
 Shows the complete oppression of their culture- how little value it is given
 Monopoly of European culture – taught to people who don’t even know their own culture!
 Reflecting the prioritization given to education
 Enjambment
 Uses the connective @but@ to start each line of black history
o He is forcing the reader to connect black history onto white history
o Usually, white history is all that is taught – prevents BH being left out by attaching it
o Cannot be separated – cannot be ignored
o Black and white history belong together – they are both important
 Conveys anger
o Overflowing sentences – too much passion and emotion to confine it within a single line
o This is something he cares about a lot – he is angry at how it has impacted him as a person
o Sense of being short of time – wont pause in case the reader stops paying attention before Black History is given its
acknowledgement
 Connect them – they are connected
o The oppression of black history is connected to the precedence and prioritization of white history through
causation (causal mechanism)
 separate stanzas for Black History
 giving it the recognition it deserves by dedicating whole stanzas
“see-far woman of
o written in italics to make them stand out as significant – recognition
 rich in imagery (contrast to the almost childish language in main text) mountain dream"
o imply that black history is complex and beautiful
 onatural imagery - "see-far woman of mountain dream" "fire-woman"
oencouraging an appreciation of his culture by making the language relating to it more beautiful that he main body
of text
o European view of the world can be seen as childish and naïve
 They are taught of good and bad, myths and legends. One sided narrative
 See themselves as infallible and always in the right – hence telling history from their perspective only
 This is not a realistic view of the world – childish
 Emotive language - "fire woman struggle" "hopeful stream" "freedom river"
o The historical struggle for black freedom
o Freedom river - "justice flow on like a river"
o Should be free as a river
 Free Verse - No fixed rhyme schema or metre
o He does not want to restrict black history or culture (as it has been in the past)
o Their culture needs to be set free from the restraints of colonialism
o Refuses to limit its expression in anyway

“de beacon of de Haitian

revolution”
Language "fire-woman"
 motif of light in black history stanzas "yellow sunrise / healing star"
Toussaint L’ouverture - "de beacon to de Haitian revolution"

Nanny de Maroon - "fire-woman"

Mary Seacole - "a healing star / a yellow sunrise"

He associates these figures with light because they form part of his own culture and identity

o He is instinctively attracted to him because they are emotionally significant to him
o They form who he is and how his country is
o This is in contrast to the rote learning of a history that is foreign and meaningless to you
 They are all forms of guidance
o They are like guiding lights, aiding his discovery of himself and of his identity
 His aim is to illuminate and reveal black culture – stop it being hidden in the dark and shadowed by European history
 They are all signs of hope that racial prejudice can be overcome
 Metaphors
 Uses a combination of violent metaphors
o Show the aggression and cruelty of colonialism and its oppression “blind me to me
 “blind me to me own identity” own identity”
o A persons history is an integral part of who they are
 Without it they cannot form their identity
 Unable to know who he is or where he has come from without knowing his own history
o “blind” suggests an element of cruelty and malevolence
 They are purposefully making him suffer - oppression
o “blind” – unable to see – lack of vision
 A person’s identity is integral to their vision and view of the world
 Your culture and pasta shapes your perception of the present
 Without knowledge of where he has come from he feels blinded – doesn’t know how to view the world
o It is not just that they are not told their history that he resents, but that the space reserved for his culture and
identity is filled in by European culture and history
 Bombarded with European history (as shown by repetition of “dem tell me”)
 This blinds them to what is missing – their own history
 They are unaware of their own missing identity and don’t realise that their culture has been forgotten
o Also refers to “bandage up me eye with me own history”
 Bandage suggests an intentional attempt to cover up history – intentionally denying them their own culture -
malevolent
 “I carving out my identity”
o Active verb – implies it is an ongoing process
 Will take him a long time to form his identity because he has to start from scratch “I carving out me
 Learnt nothing as a child to serve as a foundation for who he is identity”
 Has to actively seek out his past and culture because he was never taught it
 His history is forgotten and ignored under the imposed European history
o It takes effort to find his own culture
o “carving” connotes pain and suffering – it is a painful process
 Emotionally difficult as he realises how much of his identity has been withheld from him
  Realises how much was missing from his education and childhood once he starts looking for it
 Also painful because he finds that his history has been built upon suffering and oppression
o Guyana was a Dutch then British culture used for slave plantations
 It is also painful because his identity has been withheld for so long
o Emotional process – regret and longing for it to have been given to him in his formative years
o “carving” also has connotations of wood carving – a difficult process
 He has become hardened – like wood - and no longer has the neural plasticity / mental pliability /
impressionability of a child
 Children are easily influenced – formative years
 Easy for them to gain a sense of identity from learning of their history
o Their minds are new and fresh – find out new things
 He is not learning of his identity as a new mind – not fresh and open to new ides
o He has already had a view of history and culture enforced on him
o Having to rewire his identity - review history
o Change what has been taught to him
 Hence he is having to carve into what already exists of himself – alter and undo the influence of colonialism
 Creole / Non-standard phonetic spelling
 Creole - (native language of an area that has come into existence through attempts to speak two different languages)
 Refusing to conform
o Non-standard phonetic speaking (“dem” “de” “bout”)
o Inaccurate grammar and syntax (“Toussaint l’ouverture no dem never tell me bout dat”
o He is resisting the regulations and traditions of the English language
o Standing up to the oppression of language
 Official language in Guyana is English
 This in itself is a form of oppression – removed their language and intrinsic part of their culture (English as
universal language)
o He mixes English with Carib and African languages – Creole
 The phonetic spelling also highlights that it is a form of oral poetry
o Written s it is intended to be spoken – should be recited and spoken
o Force reader to participate in and acknowledge his culture
 Agard normally writes in standard English
o Makes this poem stand out – he has chosen to deviate from his norm for a reason
o Language has a purpose – making a statement
 Infused English with his own identity
o Forces the reader to acknowledge his culture and identity
o And to recognise it is separate from British culture – deserving of recognition
 Still written in English because it is Europeans that the poem is aimed at
o They are the “dem” he refers to – he is accusing them so needs them to be able o understand what they are being
accused of
o Understand his message and change their attitude

Punctuation
 punctuation can be viewed as a set of rules that dictate and restrict communication
he is leaving his poem to be free for readers to communicate it in their own way

allow them to add their own identity to it instead of dictating how it should be written and read

o in line with oral tradition
o each person add to the poem – edit it to fit their own interpretation
o allows language and literature to evolve with a culture
o everyone contributes instead of the original author dictating how it should be read and understood
 resisting repression and restrictions
o his poem has rhythm and flow but this doesn’t come from British punctuation or spelling but from himself and his
identity
o a poet shouldn’t enforce their ideas and identity onto the reader
 no punctuation – leaves the poem free for the reader to read and interpret as they see fit
 free for them to add their own identity
 Incomplete punctuation as a way to explore incomplete identity
 His exclusion of punctuation forces the readers to experience the confusion that he has been subjected to. Without
punctuation, they cannot make sense of the poem (how it should be read, how it should be understood) and this is a
 reflection of his own inability to understand his identity due to his history being disregarded, just as he has disregarded
punctuation.
Tone
 Resistance
In the stanzas about black culture he uses irregular rhyme, free verse, heavy enjambment and no punctuation

o Symbolic of the freedom of expression he has been denied – opoosite of the oppression presented in the other
stanzas
o He is bringing freedom to the oppressed by raising awareness of blacj history
o Refuses to conform to English rules, grammar, rhythm etc
 See also – creole, punctuation
 Angry
 Achieved through simple repetition of short phrase throughout - "dem tell me"
 Indicative of frustration – having to repeat himself because no one is paying any attention to the isssues he’s raising
o Repeated accusation of the powers that have oppressed him – long lasting resentment
 Further achieved through metaphors relating to violence and agression
o "blind me" "badage" "carving"
o They have been aggressive in their oppression
o He now feels anger towards them – desire for retaliation
 Emotion portrayed through enjambment
o Feels so strongly and passionately about it that he cannot confine his ideas to a single line
 Childish “ole king Cole
 Simple rhyme scheme with simple rhyming couplets (e.g. hat / cat / dat) was a merry ole
 Talking of myths and legends – “ole king cole was a merry old soul” soul”
o Humourous and causual (a lot of Agard’s poetry is humourous and satirical)
 COULD BE that he is trying to get children to engage with his poem
o Wants children to be taught about their own history – simple language and rhyme so it is accessible
 OR – he is implying that the European view of the world is childish
o One dimensional and Eurocentric
o Mocking their history and culture as they have mocked his – retaliation
o Teuropeans have never experience the hardships and oppression that inspires black culture and history
 Their history lacks sustanence – their culture is artificial (not forged from shared experiences of pain and
suffering)
o European wars (“waterloo” “1066” – Hastings) and worries about /gender inequality (”Robin Hood” – “Florence
nightingale”) are nothing in comparison to the large scale oppression, persecution and racist prejudice that black
people have experienced
 This interpretation seems more likely, as the stanzas on black history are more advanced and complex
o Use metaphors, imagery, free verse, no rhyme (wants it to be taken seriously – not humorous)
o Black history is not as childish as it has sustenance – built on oppression and hardship
o Their identity and culture is tied by shared suffering rather than the feigned alliances and strategic relationships of
Europe (with the aim of greed and conquering more)

References
 Toussaint L’Ouverture
Described as "de beacon to de Haitian Revolution"

o This is a symbol of resisting white oppression
o Haitian revolution saw black salves rebel against the French colony
o Toussaint led the revolution – freed slaves – took control of Haiti
 First black-led republic
 First nation to free itself from slavery
 He is a symbol of rebellion and resistance
o An inspiration to Agard to resist the oppression he is subjected to
o Feels a connection to this history – it relates to his own experiences
o This is because it is his history – not Europe’s – his identity
 Nanny de Maroon
 Female leader of the Jamaican Maroons
o Africans taken to Jamaica who escaped from slavery and formed independent settlements
 Outstanding military leader
o Symbol of unity and strength for the soldiers she led
o Led them in guerrilla warfare against the British troop trying to regain power
 Most knowledge of her comes from oral tradition

o Agard is continuing this tradition by including her in his oral poem
 Shaka de great Zulu
 One of the most influential military leaders / monarchs of the Zulu kingdom in south Africa
o Zulu – African ethnic group – largest in south Africa – branch of Bantu ethnic group
 Bantu – Nguni - Zulu
 Forged alliances with other Nguni clans to form Zulu Empire
 Reorganised army and improved tactics – powerful military leader
 Caribs
 Indigenous people of lesser Antilles (Islands from Virgin Islands to Grenada) and south American coast (the Guianas)
 Thought to be warlike and cannibals by the Europeans
 Men spoke Carib – women and children spoke Arawak
 Forced out of the Antilles by British and French
 Arawaks
 Indigenous people of the Greater Antilles (larger islands e.g. Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico) and south America
 Most wiped out by old-world diseases (e.g. smallpox)
 Driven out of lesser Antilles by Caribs
 Mary Seacole
 Mary seacole is now a well recognised symbol of how black history was ignored
o Florence nightingale accredited with doing groundbreaking work in the Crimean war
o Yet all she did was improve the hygeine of wards
o Seacole improved conditions and set up the "British Hotel" (nurse soldiers) but she also travelled to the frontline
 Risked her life to save English soldiers
 This was despite “de british said no” – fought against oppression so she could help others – funded her own trip
 Gave up everything she had and risked her life – returned after the war to live in poverty
 soldiers wrote to newspapers praising her work
 she did more than nightingale but is less well known – isn’t recognised
o a symbol of everday casual racism through the prioritisation of history
 resisted british trying to stop her to go to Crimean war
o went anyway – helped save soldiers
o also subject to oppression – she was forgotten and excluded from history
 all the black istorical figures that he includes are symbols of resistance against European oppression
 they are the source of his inspiration to resist oppression himself
 as concluded in the final stanza
“1066 and all dat”
 1066 and all dat
 Referenceing a satirical book about british History called "1066 and all that"
o He is mocking british history just as his history has been mocked
o Now holds a resentment towards the history he was fored to learn despite having no personal connection to it
 "all dat" – dismissive – he doesn’t care about british histpry
o History is meaningless without it connecting to your culture and identity in some way
o History is a way through which we gain understanding of our culture and identity
o But british histpry doesn’t link to his culture
 It is meaningless and useless to him – he doesn’t care about it
 No influence on him or his country – why should he learn it?
 Many references to mythical/nursery rhyme figures
 Could be to show how black history is valued by the colonialists less that their own myth and fiction
 OR that agard regards European history as fictional and as insignificant as nursery rhymes
o They aren’t important to him because they have played no role in his history, past, identity and culture
 The history produced by the Europeans is fictional
o It is their version of events from their perspective
o Manipulated to benefit them
o Holds no credibility as parts are left out – black history is left out
o It is an unrealistic view of history because it is selective
 The white history has little more importance than myth because it is irrelevant
o The battle of Trafalgar (waterloo) has no impact on Guyana – why should they know about it?

Ending
 Volta - "but now"
 Mark his contrast and change in attitude “I carving out me
 Finally refers to "i" not "dem" identity”
 It is now abuout him, and his identity – not theirs

He is taking ownership of his history and identity - pride

 Contrast the opening
 Start with “blind me to me own identity” – by the end he is resolved to resist this – “I carving out me identity”
o He will not allow them to control and oppress them – going to teach himself
o The poem shows his process of resolution – his development to resolve
o The injustices presented throughout (black history surprised and ignored) convince him to look into his past himself
 Contrast with “dem” and “I” shows that he has to do this himself
o Tired of waiting for things to change – going to make them change himself
o Black history as climax of stanza – show him always waiting for his history
o He has been waiting for too long – now he is going to look for it – search himself
 Ends with a focus on the poet himself
 Provided the personal impact of a widespread phenomena
o The oppression due to colonialism is widespread
o He makes the reader emphasise by ending with a personal anecdote – brings it back to an individual
 He is the climax of the poem
o Black history was the climax of each stanza, his resolve to find his identity is the climax of the poem
o Each stanza explored the oppression of his identity that he was subject to
o This has built up to form his resolve to find out for himself
 Empowered by the accumulation of his history – he has ecxplored many black historical figures
 Each discovery adds to his resolve to learn more and find himself
 His identity is the product and climax of the stanzas of culture and history
o Identity is formed from culture and history
o That’s why they are so important!
o However, his identity has also been formed and influenced by the omission of this culture
 Will change who he is – make him a more determined and rebellious person

Comparisons
 Ozymandias – Oppression / Power
Oppression of identity

Compare:
Pain and suffering caused by it
 Power –
Resistance against oppression
 Ozymandias
Resolved to change it VS intrinsic flaw in human power destined to repeat
 Identity – The
o But art will persevere – warning Emigreé
 Warning vs. inspiration/message of hope Oppression – My
 Power of colonialists vs power of leaders
 Abuse of and corruption of power
 The Emigreé – Identity
 Conflict with culture
o Conflict against your own culture (identity in the past and past place vs new identity and new place)
o Conflict against those trying to suppress your culture – colonialism repressing their history
 Emotion attached to identity
o Anger at it being oppressed – e.g. repetition "dem tell me"
o Regret and sense of loss at losing father and losing part of yourself or recreating yourself - "live as though he had
never returned"
 Importance of identity
o Lost his identity as father and rejected by community – as though he has died even though he survived
o Refuse to view home negatively because it represents the source of your identity
 Importance of language for identity
o Refuse grammar and spelling of England – use Creole and no punctuation – defiant
o View herself linguistically from the perspective of her homeland - "Emigreé" not "immigrant" – also "child’s
vocabulary"
 My Last Duchess – Oppression / Power
 Oppression of a woman vs oppression of a whole culture
 Pride leads to oppression (the duke’s pride in himself) and pride helps you resist oppression (he remains proud of his
culture)
 Power of a person or a group to control others – controlling culture and identity or controlling your actions (duchess)
 Anger – at the oppression OR anger causing the oppression