INTRODUCTION

The African play writers write towards what has been happening by the present time with the
relation of what had happened to the society on the past. These writers rose within the society
and what they write is what they experience from the society. The modern play writer writes
under the three situations that are pre-colonial, colonial and post colonial. In these three situation
the writers do write mainly through imagination on the pre- colonial since they were not there, so
what they tend to write is through trying to imagine through making the comparison on what
happens during colonialism and even after the colonialism which is post colonialism. In
Postcolonial writers usually attempt to form a post colonial version of their own countries,
rejecting the modern and the contemporary, which is tainted with the colonial status of their
nations. This is the awareness of representations of the non-European culture Post colonialism
therefore examines the representation of cultural diversity and its treatment in literary texts.

However these modern African play writers are mainly focused on imagination on pre colonial in
term of tradition believes and values which help them to come out with the idea towards how
African traditional do contrast with modern tradition which is mixed up with western traditional
and tend to go very contrary toward African traditional practices. It is the work of these writers
to evoke through writing to the people on how western traditional which is modern looks African
tradition as not civilized and non standard.

These African play writers are trying to present African sense of national hood in term of
national hood and governance of which they are focusing on finding the conflict which is in
between African traditional sense of national hood and the modern sense of national hood. In
other way round these writers they also write to reflect on Africa culture, traditions and value
through considering different issues which rise between African culture such as marriage,
tribalism and many others, these issues are the one which writer reflects upon it.

Nevertheless these can be specifically be observed in the play The Black Hermit, written by
Ngugi wa Thiongo which addresses a number of issues that are so central to the post colonial
African society. Like any other African postcolonial writers of his time, Ngugi uses the pen and
attempts to create a new version of his nation – a version that is different from the one formed by
colonialism.
Factors that Ngugi Wa Thiong’o used to present African sense of national hood in post
colonial in his play “The Black Hermit”

Ngugi Wa Thing’o when argues on religious aspects, not only shows the conflicts between two
different religions: the African traditional beliefs and Christianity, but also how the villagers are
torn between the two, thus creating confusion. The pastor represents the Christian ideology, and
the elders, talk about many issues that, apparently, Ngugi is reacting against. They are against the
established authorities or value of the colonialists in the play.

Ngugi presents religious confusion in the play by showing imposition of foreign ideas to the
Africans. That brought in the conflict between the Christian ideology and the traditional religious
doctrine. This is shown by Remi who is educated and embraces foreign culture and becomes
alienated. He allows himself to be assimilated. (pg.15).

Moreover in order to call Remi back home for political leadership, the village elders devise the
means of traditional magic power, while his mother, Nyobi, consults the pastor to use the power
of the Bible.(pg. 17).

Ngugi wa Thion’go on presentation of African sense of nationhood had tried to say how
taxation which is a modern tool, act in disadvantage of Africans. Even after independence
African are still paying tax as a way of participating in national development. But Africans
respond negatively towards the whole situation of paying tax, they see it as another problem
facilitated by “ uhuru” as shown in page 11 “ uhuru has brought us heavier and heavier taxation.
We were told about roads, about hospital; but how can a hungry man want a road”. Africans
thought that uhuru will help to improve the standard of living, but things are different. They feel
that yesterday was better than today.

Ngugi Thiongo’s presents education as something which brings some changes for those who get
it. Education enabled Remi to discourage tribalism that is why when leaders wanted him to
contest for leadership he refused because according to him tribe had nothing to do with
leadership.

Ngugi wa Thiongo represents betrayal as the effect of modern education where by modern
education forced people in the society to betray their tradition and customs. Remi refused to
inherit his brother’s wife. He betrays the tradition of his tribe. There is another betrayal by
political leaders who promised many things before independence and fulfil nothing after
independent leaving people complaining. “Where are schools for our children?” ”where is the
land” page 13. The land of the Africans was taken by foreigners.
Ngugi’s presentation about African sense of nationhood is seen leadership. Despite the fact that
the native leaders are in power the situation did not carter for the society’s expectations and
needs. That is even after independence still African leaders had western elements most of
leaders were westernized and are doing like the whites did to oppress the natives.

In post independence Ngugi presents the presence of classes. Ngugi shows that there were
classes between the ones who have and those who have not. Those who have were politicians
who promise many things before election but when they are elected they forget their promises.
The White men were taking the Africans land only because they were in high class. In Pg.53.
“The African Part must first give back the settlers land to the people”. So this shows that the
Africans who were the majority were oppressed by the few.

After considering the various aspects now we have to look on the emerging trends in post
colonial period which as well show African sense of national hood.

Emergence of trends

Ngugi presents tribalism or regionalization as one of emerging issues during post colonialism
especially in the African leadership regime. For example, one of Marua tribe elder says; “you
know what our neighbours are. The tribe that surrounds us don’t want to see us rise…” Ngugi
views tribalism as an obstacle towards development.

Ngugi presents disappointment in the book as one among the factors that affect African society
and discourages individuals’ mind or general people’s ideas in performing particular activity.
Before independence they had expectations of having better life but in post colonial all things
which they were dreaming to get were unfulfilled. They are disappointed. Thus Ngugi presents
disillusionment and disappointment of the people. In page 14 “It has brought as heavier taxation”
also in the same page “We thought that once uhuru is gained taxation for the poor would stop”.

Ngugi presents that in post colonial citizens are still suffering from many problems such as
poverty. They ask themselves in page 13 “Look at our country where are the schools for our
children... what has uhuru brought us?” They are still suffering from life hardships.

In this play Ngugi presents corruption, humiliation and oppression as issues that emerge in
post colonial governments. These made people to buy their rights while depriving other’s rights
at the same time. In page 21 “.....while ministers and their permanent secretaries’ fall in bribes
and inflated salaries”.

Presentation of the book Black Hermit according to Ngugi wa Thiong’o

He rejects the modern African national hood because it is tainted with its colonial past. This
rejection is one of the major ideas at the centre of this moving play. The Black Hermit reflects
many of the concerns about the postcolonial African society that are found in the playwright’s
commentary. Ngugi is reacting against the imposition of European culture on other cultures; his
main aim is to put to an end the problems caused by colonialism.

As an African play, the Black Hermit focused on the problems of the post colonial Kenyan
society. The theme of the play centres on the conflict between an African culture and the
Western culture as well as the conflict between the Christian ideology and the Traditional
religious practices. In this Ngugi wa Thiongo wants to show that Africans had their own ways of
doing things which was effective and respectable. In the play, Remi, the educated person in
Marua tribe, embraces culture and becomes alienated. Being the first university graduate in his
village, he now considers the tradition of husbanding his late brother's wife as barbaric. What he
prefers is to marry a white lady, Jane, in the city.
Ngugi acts in response against the established administrative authorities which value the former
colonists’ practices. He tries to reveal the conflict between the modern sense of national hood
and Africa sense of national hood in African societies. In modern sense of national hood the
government officials are still valuing the colonial regime and devalued the past African values,
contrary to what they promised during independence struggle.
The writer continues to show how African government restricts the strike from Africans who
demand to break the past colonial evils carried out by the newly African government. African
traditional sense of national hood is against the new government after independence which acts
under colonial legacy. The administration does not engage much in eliminating the colonial
regime. Ngugi shows the trouble of taxation, oppression, forced labour and abuse of power
become the frustration of national development in postcolonial African society.
Moreover, Ngugi questions the idea of what Uhuru has brought to the people. Although
politically Africans are free; the people are still in social oppression of tribalism, culture,
economy and religion as they were left by the colonialists.
Like other post colonial writers, Ngugi uses the play, The Black Hermit, to recover the African
past and wear away colonial ideas by which the past has been devalued. In the play, Remi goes
into self-exile in the city. He later claims to be tired of the city.
This suggests a sense of homesickness. And he is a nationalist who wants to do away with all
evils left by colonialists and the post colonial government. Here Ngugi wa Thiongo presents very
well the African sense of national hood with the aim of trying to eliminate those issues imported
by the colonialist in post colonial period.
In contrary Ngugi wa Thiong’o use different techniques on presentation of African postcolonial
from the book Black hermit. The techniques used by the writer on explaining about African
sense of national hood which go against of postcolonial from the pre and during colonial.

The playwright use symbolism on the presentation of postcolonial African when he is using their
characters, the bible and the small bundle wrapped with banana leaves as the act as important
things which will make Remi come back home from town where he goes as the Black Hermit.
These two things the playwright use so as to show the conflict in between the pre and post
colonial in the sense that the bible symbolizes the importation of new way of warship contrary to
the traditional ways were the peoples believes through Semi Gods. It is true that the bundle
which was left by leader in Remi’s house enhance African sense of national hood were the leader
believes through the power of that bundle that Remi will come back home. In this reasons there
is conflict between traditional sense of national hood and modern sense of national hood which
Ngugi tries to presents from the play Black Hermit though this conflict the playwright show the
way Remi is left Dilemma knows nothing about what to do as the conflict which brought by the
modern sense of nationhood.

On the other hand Ngugi uses their character who symbolizes different aspect to modern sense of
nationhood. Remi is revealing the conflict in between modern culture from traditional one
through the relationship with Jane. This can be seen when Remi is in a relation with Jane who is
white, he goes against his culture of inherit the widow of their brother. In this factor the
playwright tries to presents the postcolonial by evoke the effect which brought by the modern
sense of nationhood.

Conclusively, It is clearly that Ngugi wa Thiongo through African national hood presents well
the African sense of national hood with the aim of trying to display those issues imported by the
colonialist in post colonial and the effect which brought by it. In contrary Ngugi wa Thiongo
writes on the emerging trends which mostly rise from many African playwright work by
presenting the African postcolonial in modern sense of nationhood and the traditional sense of
nationhood.
 MWENGE UNIVERSITY COLLAGE
OF EDUCATION

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

COURSE TITLE: COMPARATIVE DRAMA

COURSE CODE: ENG 323

NAME OF LECTURER: MR. ERICK MARTIM

ASSIGNMENT: GROUP WORK

PARTICIPANTS
S/N NAME REG. NO.
1 DEOGRITAS KISWEKA T/DEG/09/618
2 JOHN EDWARD T/DEG/09/861
3 JACKLINE RITTE T/DEG/09/975
4 VIVIAN LAWRANCE T/DEG/09/976
5 NORBERT PANDISHA T/DEG/09/1159
6 KERBIN MONGI T/DEG/09/797
7 NEEMA VICTOR T/DEG/09/1145

8 JOHNSTONE MWESIGA SAMWEL T/DEG/09/856

TASK:
Discuss Ngugi wa Thiongo’s presentation of postcolonial African nationhood in the play
“Black Hermit”.