Theory question 109
African PoetryLiterature 2, Section C: African Poetry
Examine the elements of culture in J. P. Clark's “Abiku”.
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Model answer
The belief in abiku: a spirit child that is born, dies and returns again and again to the same mother.
The parents plead with the child to stay, appealing to its pity: the poorness of the house, the mother's weariness.
Marks on returning abiku children (scars, notched ears) to recognise them.
Village setting: the bamboo house, the harmattan, rain and the leaking roof; the hearth and offerings.
Belief in spirits living in trees such as the baobab; the link between the living and the dead.
The poem treats this traditional belief with sympathy; culture shapes both content and imagery.
Explanation
Identify the cultural elements and their meaning.