The Concept of Cultural Nationalism in Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s The River Between

Sani Abdulkadir, Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto. The Concept of Cultural Nationalism in Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s The Riv Shagari College of Education, Sok Abstract

As already indicated in the title or heading of this work it will be of utmost use, declaring the central idea already aimed. Because to understand concepts such as culture, Nationalism, patriotism and even the aspects that correlate them is still remaining a hidden issue; most especially to the academics. Due to this reason, this paper focuses its study with the aim of investigating and assessing the afore-mentioned factors. Furthermore, as the result of that, let all what the paper entails be born in mind that, in subsequent submissions, discusses the concept of cultural Nationalism in Wa Thiongo’s The River Between. It gives introduction, defines the terms Nationalism and Cultural Nationalism, explains the concept of Cultural Nationalism as portrayed in the novel, as well as the conclusion and works cited.

Introduction Africa is a continent of diverse Culture, Tribes and Languages. African man is traditionally a cultural being no matter his or her level of western education. Why because it is only in Africa and still in Africa that the trace of colonialism remain indelible and permanent, why? Because every aspect of our scholarly submissions are all in western inclination. Our former educationalist Bads Fafunwa stressed this background vehemently in this book entitled “The History of education in Nigeria”. Africans before colonialism lived a simple and united life with each respecting ones communal and traditional life and practicing their religious rights without any harassment or interruption from anybody. That most of their cultural and traditional practice used to interrelate both in the socio-economic and socio-cultural activities such as ceremonial songs, dances, praises and dramatic shows. A more that instigated the then few elites to commit issues into writing most of what we are witnessing today in things like our books, magazines, journal and the rest of them.

In most parts of Africa, the intellectuals had been battling with one thing or the other as a result of colonial masters tie-ups, which resulted to so many break-ups in most parts of the continent and finally led to independence of many countries in the continent. The general feeling here is about all that affected the social regulations of all Africans due to bitter taste of colonialism. Therefore no any part of Africa is free. Intellectuals; literary intellectuals like; Achebe, Amos Tuotola, Ama Ata Aido, Jomo Kenyatta, Ngugi Wa Thion’go, Rc Ntiru, David Diop, Gabriel Immomotime Okara, Ben Okri, Cyprian Ekwensi, Camara Laye to mention but a few, have given their contributions to the development of African literature in one way or the other, for the development and progress of the continent socially, economically and educationally. This saw the rise-ups of literary intellectuals write-ups like; Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958), Tuotola’s The Palm-Wine Drinkard (1965), Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s The River Between (1965), R.C Ntiru’s Tensions (1971), David Diop’s Hamer blows (1956), Ben Okri’s The Famished Road (19991), Cyprian Ekensi’s Jagua Nana (1961), Camara Laye’s A Dream of Africa (1966), Gabriel Immomotime Okara’s “The voice” (1964), Yambo Ouologuem’s “Bound to violence” (1988), Wole Soyinka’s A Dance of the Forest (1963), to mention but a few all for the progress

30 and development of Africa. Even though all other nationalists have the same feelings and wishes asking them to relinquish their systems, instigated a series of national patriotism and nationalism.

Definitions of Nationalism and Cultural Nationalism

Nationalism Nationalism is a belief, creed or political ideology that involves an individual identifying with, or becoming attached to one’s nation. It involves national identity, and equally with the related construct of patriotism, which involves the social conditioning and personal behaviour that support a state’s decision and action.

Nationalism is a belief that citizenship in a state should be limited to one ethnic, culture, religious, or identity group, or that multi-nationality in a single state should necessarily comprise the right to express and exercise national identity even by minorities. The adaptation of national identity in terms of historical development has commonly been the result of a response by the major group unsatisfied with traditional identities due to inconsistencies between their defined social order and the experience of that social order by its members, resulting in a situation of “anomie” that nationalist seeks to resolve.

Cultural Nationalism Cultural Nationalism is a form of nationalism in which the nation is defined by a shared culture. It is an intermediate position between ethnic nationalism on one hand and liberal nationalism on the other.

Cultural Nationalism thus focuses on a national identity shared by cultural tradition and by language, but not on the concept of common ancestry or race. Cultural Nationalism does not tend to manifest itself in independent movement, but is a moderate position within layer spectrum of nationalism ideology.

Cultural nationalism is a kind of nationalism that involves, among other things, the realization of equal rights of all people to a culture, as well as the preservation of cultural differences in numerous possibilities for decision making and the creation of dialogue and cooperation (Petkovi, 2011).

About the Author Ngugi Wa Thiong’o was born in Limuru, Kenya-East Africa, on the 5th of January, 1938. He was educated at the Alliance High School, Gikuyu, at Makerere University, Uganda and at the University of Leeds. He is currently a Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature and Performance Studies, at the University of Irvine, New York. He is a novelist, a playwright and literary critic.

His works include; The Black Hermit (1963), Weep Not, Child (1964) a novel, The River Between (1965), (1967), This Time Tomorrow (1970), The Trial of Dedan Kimathi (1976) , (1977), (I Will Marry When I Want (1977), (1980), Decolonizing the Mind: The politics of Language in Africa Literature (1986), Mother Sing For Me (1986), (2004).This shows his commitment to Cultural Nationalistic tendencies of even writing in his mother’s-tongue instead of the colonial

31 masters language. In these books he portrays different issues that earned him respect in the face of African traditions and so forth.

Background of the Novel Structurally, the contextual frame work of the novel The River Between is a (1965) discusses the story of the separation of the two neighbouring communities of Kenya caused by differences in faith, with the Mau Mau movement as its background. The bitterness between them caused much hatred between the adults of each side. This is just to mention the central idea in brief because of time and other related factors that will not permit delving into wider details. Therefore due to that factors, just a little will be said. The story is all about the struggle of a young leader Waiyaki; the son of Chege one of the people who knows the ways of the society very well. His struggle was to unite the two communities of Kameno and Makuyu through sacrifice and pain. The novel was set during colonial period in Kenya central ridges, and has a mountain setting.

The main intent of the writer here is to clearly ascertain all that was know and affected him whether directly or indirectly as a result of colonial factors. Most especially what obtained in his country, Kenya. To point further again, he presented the lack of understanding that happened between those accepted westernization and those who rejected it, and decided to hold tight to their heritage customs and traditions.

The writer uses the experiences he had during the colonialism of Kenya and puts down his ideas, particularly the hatred that occurred between the followers of the new faith and the ones that preserved their traditional religion doctrines.

The Concept of Cultural Nationalism in The River Between The Concept of Cultural Nationalism seen in most of the chapters of the novel, with Ngugi trying to show how African people are with rich cultures and traditions as well as the unity among them before and even with the arrival of the white settlers in Gikuyu land.

Ngugi in the novel, used the elements of cultural nationalism to add colour and give the picture of what happened during the colonial Kenya, and how people in those days revolted against the colonial masters, their deeds, and religion. He began with the description of how the lands were before their arrival as in where he says;

“The two ridges lay side by side, one was Kameno, and the other was Makuyu Between them was a valley. It was called the valley of life. Behind Kameno and Makuyu were many more valleys and ridges, lying without any discernible plan. They were like many sleeping lion which never woke, they just slept, the deep sleep of their creator”. (1)

The statement indicates that the people are of the same culture and tradition, preserved the do’s and don’ts of their ancestors, without any segregation or even interruption by somebody before white man arrived in their land, and at the same time an element of cultural nationalism. As people of the ridges live happily, practicing their religious and social lives as inherited from one generation to another. To the fact that they shared common heritage, preserved them and went together before the arrival of white man, who brought division and rift to them as a result of introducing something new to them as far caused disintegration among them. (Traditionalist and the converts).

32 Another element of cultural Nationalism can be seen on page (5) while discussing the unity of the ridges of not fighting each other and how they remained united ever thus:

“Please stop this, Kamau. Didn’t we swear that we of the hills were comrades? He felt helpless. It was three days earlier that they had sworn to be brothers.”(1).

It is as element of cultural nationalism because they have agreed to stop attacking one another, even those who have converted to new faith and face challenges ahead for the development. The reason here is that, they are trying to remind each other about what they initially agreed upon as certain unites of culture that should not be betrayed. Ngugi through the character of Chege explained to us that the whiteman cannot speak the language of the people of the hills, and did not even know the ways of the people of the hills but due reediness, some of their people followed the new faith and gave room for all the insinuations and humiliations of the people of the ridges through the converts as in where he says;

“The Whiteman cannot speak the language of the hills. And knows not the ways of the land. But the Whiteman had come to Siriana, and Joshua and Kabonyi had been converted. They had abandoned the ways of the ridges and followed the new faith”. (7).

To further make it vivid and simple, the issues of ancestral beliefs and the modern ideas of nationalism are only stressed in order to avoid confusion. But as already mentioned about , the former in the ancient times while the later in the present times, as regards how they conduct their affair.Ngugi also discusses the issue of cultural Nationalism while discussing the issue of ancestral land their mood of living traditionally, their ways of doing things and their relationship to one another as in these lines;

“You know Gikuyu and Mumbi, Father and Mother of the tribe. It was as if both went in a big dream. ‘ Do you see the mountain showing through the grey mist on the horizon’ ‘Kerinyaga?’ Yes, the mountain of He-who-Shines-M-Holiness. Chege stooped but continued with his steadfast look. 1% at is the seat of Murungu. He made Gikuyu and Mumbi.’ ‘He stood them on that mountain. He showed them all the land”. ( 17).

We can discover that, Chege is in a state of confusion. All along, he has been presented as someone who aspires to preserve the heritage without letting other new encroachments. But now, why is he determined in sending Waiyaki to learn western system of education? His attitude here has not shown any cultural nationalism. Though, he said that, the intent is to get someone in defence of the tradition if the need arises. But if critically viewed, it may sound and appear as a fact in defence.

However, as one of his effort to lift up the traditional customs of Gikuyu; Chege told Waiyaki to go and acquire the Whiteman’s education, but never to discard his culture and traditional way of life, in order to serve as the defender or saviour of the people of the ridges, where these are stated;

33 “You go there, I tell you again, learn all the wisdom of the white man. And keep on remembering, salvation shall come from the hills. A man must rise and save the people in their hour of need. He shall show them the way; he shall lead them”. (21)

A good example one can cite about cultural nationalism, is by studying the life of Muthoni. She was a daughter to Joshua who converted into Christianity; a more that clashed with his traditional system of circumcision vehemently opposed by the later’s doctrines. But one interesting thing is that, she decided to Summon up courage by sticking to Christianity and as well respect the tradition. Despite all the sermons delivered by her father every Sunday, she remain steady fast in both the two. A very important point of cultural nationalism was portrayed by Muthoni, the daughter of Joshua; the convert on the issue of circumcision which is against the Christianity and totally condemned by her father everyday and in every Sunday sermon, but she refused to deceive her home and instead went ahead with her traditional way of life as indicated in the novel

However, I now it is beautiful, Oh so beautiful to be initiated into womanhood. You learn the ways of the tribes yes, the Whiteman’s God does not quite satisfy me. I want, I need something more. My life and your life are here, n the hills. That you and I now”. (26) However, during circumcision, ceremony young men and women used words freely (taboos) even in front of the old men and women and are not seen as deviant instead, they are even encouraged because it is as part and parcel of their society. This could be justified as Ngugi states the following lines;

“They were free. Age and youth had become reconciled for this one night. And you could sing about anything and talk of the hidden parts of men and women without feeling that you have violated the otherwise strong social code that governed people’s relationship especially the relationship between young and old, man and woman “. (41)

During the circumcision rites, there were a lots of dances, songs, and ceremonies to mark the events annually, as men and women, boys and girls come into the arena talking freely without bothering who are at presence. Muthoni, though daughter of the leader of the new faith; deviates her father’s ways of living and goes with the traditionalists. She participates fully in the events as in the following lines:

“She danced, sang; describing love; telling of relationship between a woman and a man; scenes and words of loving making”. (42).

This issue of circumcision became the subject of discussion in the whole novel, Muthoni record by avoiding new ways of living brought by the white colonial masters and Christian missionary in which her father; Joshua became the leader of the new faith followers and preaching against the issue of circumcision but his daughter, refused his notion of this rite as in where she says: “No one will understand. I say I am a Christian and my father, and mother have followed the new faith. I have not run away from that. But I also want to be initiated into the ways of the tribe. How can I possibly remain as I am now?” (43).

In order to explain vividly the concept of cultural nationalism, Muthoni refuses her parents ways and goes with the traditionalist in terms of circumcision. And her reason is, both her father and her mother are circumcised, why not her? Ngugi explains further: “I want to be woman. Father and mother are circumcised. But why are they stopping

34 me, why do they deny me this? How could I be outside the tribe, when all the girls born with me at the same time have left me?” (44)

Much importance is attached to the circumcision rituals being, it a central factor that controls and regulates life. It is believed that the occasion appeases the goddess which Muthoni finds hard to discard and therefore double stand play.

Moreover, the circumcision rite is one of the things or rites that paved the ways to the cultivation of the land as activities of living which if not done, life will be difficult as blood will be sacrifice to the earth goddess for the godless of the people of the ridges; Mumbi and Gikuyu father and mother of the Gukuyu tribe. So when the boys and girls are circumcised, the blood that tricked freely served as sacrifice which will mark a very good harvesting season as in these words:

“The Surgeon had done his work. Blood trickled freely on to the ground, sinking into the soil. Henceforth a religion bond linked Waiyaki to the earth, as if his blood was an offering. Around him women were shouting and prasing him. The son of Chege had proved himself. Such praises were lavished only on the brave”.

Moreover, the novelist expresses the cultural events that took place to mark the culture of circumcision as men, women, boys, girls and older ones converge at the centre of the rites; dancing, singing and other social events, as he says:

“A more serious threat was that a woman might be into the shed and one of the attendants would make love to her in their presence. The initiates were horrified and the attendants laughed. Everybody knew how painful the whole thing would be at the slightest provocation of that kind”. (45)

As part of his cultural nationalist journey, Waiyaki contributed fully to the creation of Martoshioni schools for the traditionalists who did not accepted the new religious doctrines that said people should shun from circumcision or leave the missionary school. Joshua and people like him preached against circumcision and called it a sin.

Waiyaki; the son of Chege, having attended the missionary school before disbandment, created their own traditional schools as part of their effort to burst their communities to face the challenges of the new old, as a result of disallowing their wards into missionary schools as a result of circumcision. Their schools grew up like Mushrooms as in the novel:

“School grew up like Mushrooms. Often a school was nothing more than a shed hurriedly thatched with grass. And there they stood, symbols of people’s thirst for the whiteman’s way, but all wanted this thing, this magic. This work of building together was a tribute to the tribes’s way of cooperation. It was a determination to have something of their own making, fired by their own imagination”. (68)

The statement above served as an element of Cultural Nationalism as people of the ridges wanted to learn the ways of Whiteman and fight back for the freedom of their nation as well as, the development and progress of their land (Gikiyu). They went further with their campaign calling more people to come and join hands with them, in order to achieve their goals as mentioned in the novel:

35 “To Waiyai the Whiteman’s education was an instrument of enlightenment and advance if only it could be used well. He still remembered his father’s words, that long ago. When they stood on a hill, the whole country before them:

“Learn all the wisdom and all the secrets of the Whiteman; but do not follow his vices his vices”.

Furthermore, the author presented here, that just from nowhere, the culture and tradition of every community cannot be easily crushed and then put across another new one. This similarly contradicts the ideas of Joshua and those that converted newly who thought that it will be instant and easy. Ngugi is trying to tell us that acquiring the whiteman’s education is not a fault but it should be used well not as in the case of Joshua and other followers of the new faith thought that, one should leave his society completely and strict to the western ways of life. The writer is saying western education has nothing to do with ones tradition unless those person deceit homes, than his home will definitely deceit him.

“A people’s traditions could not be swept away overnight. That way lay disintegration. Such a tribe would have no roots, for a people’s roots were in their traditions going back to the past, the very beginning, Gikuyu and Mumbi. A religion that took no count of people’s way of life, a religion that did not recognize spots of beauty and truths in their way of life, was useless”. (119)

At this point, another issue that show respect for Cultural Nationalism is seen when Waiyaki’s attitude changed for showing his love to Joshua’s daughter Muthoni, and his visitation to Joshua’s place on issue strongly opposed which caused a lot of controversies and hearsays in the ridges to the extent of seeing him as someone trying to contaminate the tribe. Why? Because Waiyaki is seen as an outcase to the society due to him embracing the new social system contrary to their inherited traditional rules. This serves as a divisive factor in the unity. But also, as a someone stict to his culture and tradition only love Muthoni, but not going with the new faith or taken side rather his desire to have her as his wife.

Waiyaki defended himself by saying that, he is much concerned about his people and tradition and will never betray his people or father; he is focusing on the unity and purity of the community. As stated in the novel, where he says;

“I too am concerned with the purity of the tribes. Am also concerned with the growth and development of the ridges. We cannot do this through hatred. We must be united, Christians and non- Christians, Makuyu or Kameno. For salvation of the hills lies on our hands”. (127)

Because this may sound so; why? , his people see him as a fall-out or an outcast. But he wants to maintain that he still feels and respects his heritage. The quotated statements give an indication to that. The reason here is that both the preceding and sequent explanations issued by Ngugi is basically on cultural or national loyalty. Two communities are in picture. One for and one against. The modern life wants to hault the former life style. Towards the final point, the derived central idea here is indicated by Ngugi who used the Concept of Cultural

Nationalism in the novel to show the level of adherence of the Gikuyu people who are totally committed to their traditional and cultural ways of life despite their level of western education, and the struggle of Whiteman and his followers did to see that people embrace the new way of

36 life failed. With the elements of Cultural Nationalism portrayed in the paper in many places one can therefore claimed that the concept of cultural nationalism has been addressed in this sense, thereby living the rest for other writers to advance or throw more light on the concept of cultural nationalism in Wa Thiong’o’s The River Between.

The explicit factors here lie within the proceedings and other confrontation disagreements from both sides. This is to further stress that there was a close of ideas and feelings between the two communities. An atmosphere that justifies all that followed in the paper. The feeling here is geared towards lack of instant admittance to alien ideologies by both the communities; for the fact that the level of understanding has never been uniform towards assessing the challenges they feel too detrimental to their traditions.

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