SEMINAR

Postcolonial Poetry: Module 4

For My Mother in Her Mid-90s

BY AMA ATA AIDOO
from After the Ceremonies: New and Selected Poems

Aunt.

Don’t ask
me how
I come to address my mother thus.

Long
complex, complicated stories:
heart-warmingly familial and
sadly colonial.

You know how

utterly, wonderfully
insensitive the young can be?

Oh no. We are not here talking adults

who should know better
but never do.

Aunt,
I thank you for
being alive today, alert, crisp.

Since we don’t know tomorrow,

see me touching wood,
clutching at timbers, hugging forests:

So I can enter young,

age, infirmities
defied.
Hear my offspring chirping:
‘Mummy, touch plastic,
it lasts longer!’

O, she knows her mama well.

The queen of plastics a tropical Bedouin,
she must travel light.

Check out the wood,

feel its weight, its warmth
check out the beauty of its lines, and perfumed shavings.

Back to you, My Dear Mother,

I can hear the hailing chorus
at the drop of your name.
And don’t I love to drop it
here, there, and everywhere?
Not missing out by time of day,

not only when some chance provides,

but pulled and dragged into talks
private and public.

Listen to the ‘is-your-mother-still-alive’ greeting,

eyes popping out,
mouth agape and trembling:

That here,
in narrow spaces and
not-much-time,
who was I to live?
Then she who bore me?

Me da ase.
Ye de ase.
About the author: Ama Ataa Aidoo (1942-2023)
 Ama Ata Aidoo was a Ghanaian author, poet, playwright, politician, and
academic, whose work, written in English, emphasized the paradoxical position of
the modern African woman. Aidoo rejected the idea that western education
emancipated African women. She works explored the role of women and the
impact of Western influences on women in Africa. Throughout her career, Aidoo
has been unabashedly feminist. Women in general, and mothers and daughters in
particular, figure prominently in her work.
 She won early recognition with a problem play, The Dilemma of a Ghost (1965),
in which a Ghanaian student returning home brings his African American wife
into the traditional culture and the extended family that he now finds restrictive.
Their dilemma reflects Aidoo’s characteristic concern with the ‘been-to’ (African
educated abroad).
 Her novels Our Sister Killjoy (1977) and Changes: A Love Story (1991) disrupted
the stereotypical portrayals of women that were common in male-authored African
texts. In both, Aidoo crafted strong, intelligent and outspoken female protagonists
– a form of ‘writing back’ to reclaim African women’s voices from the literary
margins.
 Important themes in Aidoo’s works include postcolonial perspectives, feminist
expression and the interplay of tradition and modernity. She also explored the
relationship between Ghana and its diaspora in the rest of the world.
 Aside from her novels and drama, Aidoo produced multiple works across genres
of poetry, short fiction, essays and literary criticism. Her literary style draws
heavily upon African oral traditions and a combination of prose and poetry.
 More recently, she founded the Mbaasem Foundation in 2000 to support and
promote the work of African woman writers.

Background of the poem:

Ghaninan society, like many other African cultures, places significant emphasis on
family structures and relationships. Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, was
the first African country to gain independence from colonial rule in 1947. The
impact of colonialism on African societies, including shifts in societal and familial
structures is a critical backdrop to the understanding of the poem.
The decades of the 90s saw crusades in advocacy for Africa to adopt alien styles of
families. With this came smaller families mimicked and modeled from Western
conceptualization of family. Parenting has been left to single parents.
Oppurtunities for parenting have been minimized and this has complicated the
equation for a balanced African society.

Summary:
Opening Stanza: The speaker begins by addressing her mother as “Aunt,”
acknowledging the complexity of the relationship. The speaker explains that there
are long, complex, and complicated stories behind why she addresses her mother
this way. The use of “Aunt” might signify a blend of familial warmth and a
historical reference, possibly related to colonial influences.
Stanza 1: The poem opens intriguingly with the speaker referring to her mother as
“Aunt.” This unconventional mode of address immediately piques curiosity about
their relationship. The poet invites the reader into a personal, perhaps culturally
specific, dynamic but simultaneously insists on its inexplicability or complexity.
Stanza 2: Here, Aidoo acknowledges the intricate history behind her relationship
with her mother. The phrase “long, complex, complicated stories” suggests layers
of familial history, enriched by affection (“heart-warmingly familial”) yet tinged
with the sadness of Ghana’s colonial past. This hints at how colonialism has
impacted personal and family histories.
Stanza 3: This stanza reflects on the insensitivity of youth, possibly implying a
generational gap. The tone is somewhat playful and ironic, hinting at a common
human experience where youth often fail to understand the depth of certain familial
or cultural practices.
Stanza 4: Aidoo extends the previous thought, suggesting that even adults often
fail to act with the wisdom or sensitivity expected of them. This could be a subtle
critique of societal norms or behaviors.
Stanza 5: Returning to the direct address, the poet expresses gratitude for her
mother’s continued vitality and presence. The words “alert, crisp” evoke a sense of
liveliness and resilience, despite her advanced age.
Stanza 6: The poet acknowledges the uncertainty of life and the future. The
speaker envisions entering old age with grace and defying infirmities. The
reference to “touching plastic” is a playful way of suggesting a desire for
longevity, as plastic is durable and lasts longer. The speaker juxtaposes this with
the idea of touching wood, symbolizing a connection with nature and tradition.
Touching wood is a traditional gesture for luck or to ward off bad fortune. This
could symbolize a desire to preserve her mother’s life and health, or more broadly,
to hold onto tradition and natural, authentic elements in life.
Stanza 7: This stanza seems to express a wish to retain youth and defy aging and
infirmity, a universal human desire. It could also imply a hope to carry forward the
strength and vitality of her mother’s generation into her own.
Stanza 8: Here, the poet introduces a contrasting perspective from the younger
generation, who suggest touching plastic instead of wood for its durability. This
reflects a modern, perhaps more pragmatic view, contrasting with the more
traditional and symbolic gesture of touching wood.
Stanza 9: Aidoo humorously characterizes her offspring, acknowledging the
child’s understanding of her practical nature. The reference to being a “tropical
Bedouin” suggests adaptability and a nomadic lifestyle, possibly metaphorical for
navigating through the complexities of modern life.
Stanza 10: The poet invites the reader (or possibly her offspring) to appreciate the
tangible qualities of wood. This can be seen as a metaphor for appreciating
tradition, history, and natural beauty, contrasting with the artificiality and
permanence of plastic.
Stanza 11: The poet returns to addressing her mother, indicating the respect and
recognition her mother commands. Dropping her mother’s name “here, there, and
everywhere” signifies pride and perhaps the influential role her mother plays in
both their lives and in the larger community.
Stanza 12: This continues the theme of the mother’s pervasive presence and
influence, noting that mentions of her occur both in private and public
conversations, underlining her significance in various aspects of life.
Stanza 13: The reaction to her mother’s longevity highlights the mother’s age and
the general surprise or awe at her continued vitality. This also reflects societal
attitudes towards aging and the elderly.
Stanza 14: The poem concludes with a reflection on existence within the
constraints of time and space. The speaker reflects on the universal question of the
mother’s existence and recalls moments when survival seemed uncertain. The
repetition of the phrase “who was I to live?” underscores the
speaker’s astonishment at her own existence and the mother’s role in it.

Me da ase” and “Ye de ase” are phrases from the Akan language, widely spoken in
Ghana. These phrases are significant in understanding the cultural context of Ama
Ata Aidoo’s work and the nuances in her poem “For My Mother in Her Mid-90s.”
“Me da ase”: This phrase translates to “I thank you” or “Thank you” in English. It
is an expression of gratitude. In the context of Ghanaian culture, which places a
strong emphasis on respect and gratitude, this phrase is commonly used in daily
interactions to show appreciation.

“Ye de ase”: This phrase is a bit more complex in its usage and can be translated to
mean “we lay it down,” “it is put to rest,” or “it is concluded.” It is often used to
signify the end of a discussion or to express a form of resolution or conclusion. In
a literary context, especially at the end of a poem or a narrative, it can imply a
sense of finality or acceptance. In the context of the poem:”Me da ase” could be
interpreted as the poet’s expression of gratitude either towards her mother for her
life and the lessons she imparted or towards the audience for engaging with her
reflections. Given Aidoo’s exploration of complex familial relationships and the
impact of colonial legacies, this expression of gratitude might encompass a range
of emotions, from appreciation for her heritage to acknowledgment of the struggles
and triumphs that have shaped her identity.

“Ye de ase” at the end of the poem may signify a conclusion not just of the poem
but also symbolize acceptance. This could be acceptance of the inevitable passage
of time, the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship, the changing
dynamics in cultural practices, or the acceptance of the mother’s aging and
mortality. It suggests a sense of coming to terms with these realities, laying them to
rest with a sense of peace or resolution.

Postcolonial reading:
This is a poignant poem that reflects on the aging process and the changing
relationship between the speaker and her elderly mother. It is a reflection on the
passage of time and the enduring bond between a parent and a child. It also
addresses the impact of colonialism on the lives of the speaker and her mother. The
speaker reflects on the aging mother who may have lived through colonial
experiences. It could be seen as a meditation on the complexities of the personal
and familial histories within a postcolonial framework.
The speaker’s addressing of her mother as ‘aunt’ shows the shift of familial
structures during colonial period in Africa. African Americans might have
separated from their family members, leading to a loss of connection and bonding.
Even if they had an affectionate family, there history is filled with despondent
memories of the past. That is why she has described it to be ‘sadly colonial’.
 The insensitivity of youth as reflected in the poem highlights the negative
influence of colonialism upon the young minds. They seem to have failed in
understanding the depth of certain familial and cultural practices. The poem
conveys a sense of generational disconnection, hinting at how colonial history
could have shaped the thoughts, attitude and lives of the people.
The mother’s resilience could be seen as a response to the cultural shifts brought
about by colonialism in Ghana. Her other is a representative of the nationalists who
could have fought for the preservation of their culture and beliefs. The speaker’s
desire to prolong her mother’s life and health expresses her desire to hold on to her
glorious but lost traditional values, which she would like to pass on to the next
generation.
The phrase ‘touch plastic, it lasts longer’ may evoke notions of consumerism and
the impact of Western influences on traditional values. This may point towards the
replacement of traditional values by imported ideals.
The poet also depicts the constraints of limited space and time, possibly alluding
to the challenging circumstances within a postcolonial context. The phrase ‘narrow
spaces’ symbolizes the restricted oppurtunities of postcolonial era. Towards the
end of the poem, the speaker also expresses the identity crisis faced by the once
colonized section of people who fails to find a meaning for their existence. Since
their past had been overshadowed and misrepresented by the colonizers and the
makers of history, they find it difficult to form a proper, dignified identity.
Overall, a postcolonial reading invites an exploration of how the personal and
familial aspects depicted in the poem intersect with the broader historical context
of colonial influence on African countries.

Themes:
 Familial Relationships and Cultural Norms: The poem’s opening line, ‘Aunt’
immediately introduces a non-traditional way of addressing the poet’s
 mother hinting at complex familial dynamics. This could reflect cultural
practices or personal idiosyncrasies within the family.
 Colonial Legacy: References to the ‘sadly colonial’ suggest the impact of
colonial history on personal and cultural identities. Aidoo often explores the
lingering effects of colonialism in her work.
 Aging and Mortality: The mother’s advanced age and the poet’s awareness
of mortality are central themes. There’s an interplay between the physicality
of aging and the emotional aspects of witnessing a parent grow old.
 Nature and Materiality: The contrast between wood and plastic symbolizes a
deeper dichotomy between the natural and the artificial, possibly reflecting
on the values of different generations.