JIKINYA: CHAPTER TWO ANALYSIS
Chedu decides to take baby Jikinya home and he saw the warriors who might have caused havoc at the Wilsons’ place. Chedu’s home is characterized with joy, happiness, division of labour and understanding.
The welcome he received on his home after an unusual late coming confirms that. The third person narrator informs us “His wife notice him as he entered the yard and she immediately put the pestle on the ground and run up to him with extended arms.” The wife exclaimed “Chedu! Where were you? All night yesterday and all day today without knowing where you were!” (p.13). The way Tsitsi behaves is an early revelation of her character. She was a concerned and lovely woman (wife) towards her husband and family.
When Chedu expressed shock in seeing a baby who looks like an albino Chedu told her, “She is not an albino” “She belongs to a people, a people whose skin is lighter than ours and whose hair is long and straight and much lighter than ours” (p.14). He echoed the same words later at the meeting place, “Her eyes are blue like sky. Her hair has the colour of gold or sunrise. Above all her skin is paler than our own. She is nothing like anything I have seen before, but she is no different from us. She is like any other baby you know. She drinks milk and wails like any other baby; she behaves like any other baby. Indeed I could not tell the difference between her and my own son” (p.22). Chedu is intelligent enough to recognize the humanness of another race even on his first encounter with them. He acknowledged Jikinya and her parents as fellow human beings with only a different skin pigment and other different features like the texture of the hair.
The same acknowledgement as a human being also comes from the elder Tichafa in his story or ruling after the descending voices against the idea of keeping the baby. Tichafa’s story and the final ruling depicts a community that value the sanctity of human life regardless of the physical conditions and outlook. This can be contrasted with Mr. Wilson and other Europeans who participated in the enslavement and colonization of other peoples using race as a scapegoat. They viewed people of darker races as sub humans only fit for labour provision and their so called ‘civilisation’.
Tsitsi’s bold act of breastfeeding baby Jikinya alongside her own baby is a confirmation of her own ascertainment of Jikinya as human regardless of her own personal doubts on whether it is good or not.
Chapter 2 introduces us to a family and community built on strong values of dialogue, communication and respect irrespective of gender, class or age. This comes out through Tsitsi who is worried they should the community’s elders before feeding the baby. She is worried they may have overlooked an important community value or tradition.
However, Chedu is quick to remind her the importance of human life over traditions. He argues: “It’s the best we can do Tsitsi --- The little one is starving and we can’t waste any more time. I will explain to the elders later on. They know that it is best to save a life than to let it be lost while you ask questions. They will forgive us. Don’t be afraid.” The passage gives interesting insights into the constitutional make-up of the Ngara people; one that gives primacy on life over everything else.
Chedu and Tsitsi’s marriage is a fascinating one. It is based on dialogue, respect and understanding. Chedu is not domineering and imposing over Tsitsi, but they are conversing as equals with different responsibilities and duties. This is a pointer to an ideal family yearned for in the modern day. There seems to be a compatibility of sexes which scholar Hudson Weems (2004) yearns for in her Africana Womanist Theory.
Before their meeting with the community elders, Tsitsi and Chedu agreed to adopt Jikinya as their own child. They only have to wait upon the elders’ decision. Tsistsi is given as the voice of reason against being over joyous before the elders’ approval. She warns her husband to be ready for disappointment- “you want to keep the child, I too want to keep the child, but the elders may decide against us. Who knows they might even decide to take the life of the child since some might see her as an ill omen. Let us embrace the idea, but let us also keep in mind the possibility of disappointment.” (P.17) [Highlight Tsitsi’s thinking here].
[Compare Chedu’s familial conversations with that of the Wilsons in Chapter One. You may as well think of the families in Dangarembga’s She No Longer Weeps. How are the males conversing with their female counterparts?]
The imagery of “babies lying side by side” and “both suckling happily from the same source” shows potential for a harmonious co-existence between races. The black man can facilitate this change on how people see each other in a world where races are coming together. Ndhlala shows that race is a social construct that hinders peaceful co-existence which should be erased.
The position of the meeting place is also key _ at the centre of the village. It is rooted in Shona folkloric tradition which emphacises unity and togetherness. The fire at the middle becomes a unifying symbol which is also found in each and every household/home. In Chapter two fire is portrayed as unifying force between Chedu and Tsitsi’s blazing love.
The meeting place is meant for both men and women.
Chedu’s expedition and discovery and experience of the destruction at the Wilsons alerted the Ngara community as espoused in the old man’s words: “It is not known where the wanderings of these people will stop. And therefore, my children, I advise all men of this village to keep their arms ready for war, and all women to be ready to flee to the caves in case we should be surprised” (p.20)Custom dictated them to have consensus on decisions or actions to be taken.
Overall, the chapter maintains Ndhlala’s assertiveness of the humanity of black people as who were civilized even before the coming of outsiders. They are a people with a history to draw lessons from as depicted in Tichafa’s story. They are a people who conversed and made decisions amongst themselves. They valued human life.
© Brain Garusa, 2019
kuraBrain@gmail.com +263779210403
Chedu decides to take baby Jikinya home and he saw the warriors who might have caused havoc at the Wilsons’ place. Chedu’s home is characterized with joy, happiness, division of labour and understanding.
The welcome he received on his home after an unusual late coming confirms that. The third person narrator informs us “His wife notice him as he entered the yard and she immediately put the pestle on the ground and run up to him with extended arms.” The wife exclaimed “Chedu! Where were you? All night yesterday and all day today without knowing where you were!” (p.13). The way Tsitsi behaves is an early revelation of her character. She was a concerned and lovely woman (wife) towards her husband and family.
When Chedu expressed shock in seeing a baby who looks like an albino Chedu told her, “She is not an albino” “She belongs to a people, a people whose skin is lighter than ours and whose hair is long and straight and much lighter than ours” (p.14). He echoed the same words later at the meeting place, “Her eyes are blue like sky. Her hair has the colour of gold or sunrise. Above all her skin is paler than our own. She is nothing like anything I have seen before, but she is no different from us. She is like any other baby you know. She drinks milk and wails like any other baby; she behaves like any other baby. Indeed I could not tell the difference between her and my own son” (p.22). Chedu is intelligent enough to recognize the humanness of another race even on his first encounter with them. He acknowledged Jikinya and her parents as fellow human beings with only a different skin pigment and other different features like the texture of the hair.
The same acknowledgement as a human being also comes from the elder Tichafa in his story or ruling after the descending voices against the idea of keeping the baby. Tichafa’s story and the final ruling depicts a community that value the sanctity of human life regardless of the physical conditions and outlook. This can be contrasted with Mr. Wilson and other Europeans who participated in the enslavement and colonization of other peoples using race as a scapegoat. They viewed people of darker races as sub humans only fit for labour provision and their so called ‘civilisation’.
Tsitsi’s bold act of breastfeeding baby Jikinya alongside her own baby is a confirmation of her own ascertainment of Jikinya as human regardless of her own personal doubts on whether it is good or not.
Chapter 2 introduces us to a family and community built on strong values of dialogue, communication and respect irrespective of gender, class or age. This comes out through Tsitsi who is worried they should the community’s elders before feeding the baby. She is worried they may have overlooked an important community value or tradition.
However, Chedu is quick to remind her the importance of human life over traditions. He argues: “It’s the best we can do Tsitsi --- The little one is starving and we can’t waste any more time. I will explain to the elders later on. They know that it is best to save a life than to let it be lost while you ask questions. They will forgive us. Don’t be afraid.” The passage gives interesting insights into the constitutional make-up of the Ngara people; one that gives primacy on life over everything else.
Chedu and Tsitsi’s marriage is a fascinating one. It is based on dialogue, respect and understanding. Chedu is not domineering and imposing over Tsitsi, but they are conversing as equals with different responsibilities and duties. This is a pointer to an ideal family yearned for in the modern day. There seems to be a compatibility of sexes which scholar Hudson Weems (2004) yearns for in her Africana Womanist Theory.
Before their meeting with the community elders, Tsitsi and Chedu agreed to adopt Jikinya as their own child. They only have to wait upon the elders’ decision. Tsistsi is given as the voice of reason against being over joyous before the elders’ approval. She warns her husband to be ready for disappointment- “you want to keep the child, I too want to keep the child, but the elders may decide against us. Who knows they might even decide to take the life of the child since some might see her as an ill omen. Let us embrace the idea, but let us also keep in mind the possibility of disappointment.” (P.17) [Highlight Tsitsi’s thinking here].
[Compare Chedu’s familial conversations with that of the Wilsons in Chapter One. You may as well think of the families in Dangarembga’s She No Longer Weeps. How are the males conversing with their female counterparts?]
The imagery of “babies lying side by side” and “both suckling happily from the same source” shows potential for a harmonious co-existence between races. The black man can facilitate this change on how people see each other in a world where races are coming together. Ndhlala shows that race is a social construct that hinders peaceful co-existence which should be erased.
The position of the meeting place is also key _ at the centre of the village. It is rooted in Shona folkloric tradition which emphacises unity and togetherness. The fire at the middle becomes a unifying symbol which is also found in each and every household/home. In Chapter two fire is portrayed as unifying force between Chedu and Tsitsi’s blazing love.
The meeting place is meant for both men and women.
Chedu’s expedition and discovery and experience of the destruction at the Wilsons alerted the Ngara community as espoused in the old man’s words: “It is not known where the wanderings of these people will stop. And therefore, my children, I advise all men of this village to keep their arms ready for war, and all women to be ready to flee to the caves in case we should be surprised” (p.20)Custom dictated them to have consensus on decisions or actions to be taken.
Overall, the chapter maintains Ndhlala’s assertiveness of the humanity of black people as who were civilized even before the coming of outsiders. They are a people with a history to draw lessons from as depicted in Tichafa’s story. They are a people who conversed and made decisions amongst themselves. They valued human life.
© Brain Garusa, 2019
kuraBrain@gmail.com +263779210403
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