What is the poem Abiku by Wole Soyinka?
What is the poem Abiku by Wole Soyinka?
Summary: The poem is about the concept of the child that dies while still only a child, then gets reborn by the mother only for the child to die again. It is believed that it is the late child that comes back to life. This belief cuts accross Africa. The Yoruba people calls this child ‘Abiku’.
What is the literary meaning of Abiku?
predestined to death
Abiku is a Yoruba word that can be translated as “predestined to death”. It is from (abi) “that which was born” and (iku) “death”.
Who is the author of Abiku?
Full Text: This article investigates the representation of the famous West African abiku phenomenon in three works by three Nigerian writers, namely, J. P. Clark-Bekederemo’s poem “Abiku” (1965), Wole Soyinka’s poem also entitled “Abiku” (1967) and Ben Okri’s novel The Famished Road (1991).
What is the theme of the poem to my first white hairs?
Wole Soyinka’s poem shows the differences in his heritage. His spiritual ideas are common, especially, the Yoruba pantheon of deities, and Christian, and his social training draws from African cultures, as exposed to modernization, and Western cultures. The poet explains that she was waiting for white hair to appear.
What are the themes of Abiku?
The themes in this poem include:
- Africa belief in Abiku.
- Theme of poverty.
- Theme of torture.
- Theme of fear and uncertainty.
- Supernatural influence and control.
What are the characteristics of Abiku?
Abikus are described as spirit children whose mercurial treatment, even rejection, of their parents (mothers especially) leave the mothers in most pitiable state (Soyinka, 1981; Okri, 1995 and Ogunyemi, 1996). Abiku children inflict a lot of pain and agony on their mothers.
Who is author of the poem to my first white hair?
Poetry Thursday – To My First White Hairs by Wole Soyinka.
What should I do for my first white hair?
You’ve Spotted Your First Gray Hair: What Now?
- Chill out. A recent study by Nature suggests a link between stress and going gray, so remind yourself not to freak out over a few gray hairs.
- Don’t pluck it.
- Try a temporary fix.
- Hide regrowth.
- Pump up the volume.
- RELATED LINKS:
What year did JP Clark write Abiku?
1965
Unarguably, one of Africa’s biggest poets and playwrights, Clark was at home whether painting a vivid picture of African mythology, for example, in ‘Abiku’, a 1965 poem that explores the Yoruba belief that one can die early and then reincarnate.
Who is the father of Yoruba?
Oduduwa was not only the first ruler of a unified Ife, but also the progenitor of various independent royal dynasties in Yorubaland, and is today venerated as “the hero, the warrior, the leader, and father of the Yoruba race”.
Who colonized Yoruba?
British
In the late 1880s, with the help of a British mediator, a treaty was signed between the various warring factions. Yorubaland was officially colonized by the British in 1901, but a system of indirect rule was established that mimicked the structure of Yoruba governance.
