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Cattle Egret by Okot p Bitek
My children gather stars
Into their soft songs
And woo the young moon
With their white teeth.
The moon kisses
My daughter's emerging breasts
And my son's dimples dimples.
I plead guilty
To pride
I was not born to this,
I am a great soul
My mother knows this
My uncle told me so
And my father was proud
Of me....
My children call me
Papa!
They run and fall into my arms,
They sing and dance for me
And they play games with me.
The testicle of the bell
Knocks hard against
His round thighs
And he screams in sharp pain.
Tired teachers wipe
The chalk dust
Off their faces
The school dam bursts
And floods of hungry children
Melt into their mother's bossoms.
My children
Not among them
My children do
Not go to school
My children will
Never go to school.
The teacher's cane
Will never touch
Their buttocks
They will grow up
With the wild trees
Of the bush
And will be burnt down
By wild fire
Of the droughts.
The proud cattle egret
Flourishes his long
And colorful tail
And dances between
Wives and chicks....
Look at my atheletic thighs
My chest was broad
And without scar
My teeth were the
White okok birds
Standing on the back
Of a buffalo bull...
Have you heard me
Playing with the mother drum?
Have you seen me
In a dancing arena?
Cut off this rope.
Free my hands and feet
I want to clap my hands
And sing for my children
So that they may dance
I want to drum the wall
With my hands
I want to jump up
And dance....
Let me beat the rhythm
Of the orak dance
Let my wife shake
Her soft waist before me
And remind of our first meeting
At the dancing arena....
I want to join my hands
At the "get-stuck dance"
I want to suck the stiff breats
Of my wife's younger sister
I want to wrestle with
With my wife-in-law
And crush the grass
Beyond the arena....
Is today not my father's
Funeral anniversary?
My clansmen and clanswomen
Are gathering in our village
They sit in circles
In the shape of grenaries
But who will make
The welcome speech?
Men drunk with kwete bee
Women cook goat meat
And make millet bread
But I am not here
To distribute the dishes
Among the dishes!
The priests throw morsels
Of chicken meat
They squirt goat blood
And pour libations
To the assembled ghosts
Of the dead
But how can I address
The ghosts of my fathers
From here?
How can they put chymes
On my chest and back?
How can my grandmother
Spit blessing on me?
My age-mates have donned
White ostrich feathers
They are singing a war song
I want to join them
In the wilderness
And chase Death away
From village
Drive them a thousand miles
In the west
Let him sink down
With the setting sun
And never rise again?
I want to join
The funeral dancers
I want to tread the earth
With a vengence
And shake the bones
Of my father in his grave!
General Introduction
The poem "Cattle Egret" is written by Okot p’Bitek, a Ugandan poet, novelist, and anthropologist known for his unique style of fusing African oral traditions with literary modernism. His most famous work, Song of Lawino, was published in 1966 and critiques the cultural conflict between Western and African values. Okot p'Bitek often used songs, chants, and dramatic monologues in his poetry, celebrating African traditions while questioning modernity's impact on them. Written in a similar vein, "Cattle Egret" reflects the collision between traditional life and colonial influences, encapsulating African values and tensions with Western education.
Title
The title “Cattle Egret” refers to a bird known for its symbiotic relationship with cattle, often seen riding on their backs, removing parasites. In African tradition, this bird symbolizes pride, elegance, and connection with nature. The egret serves as a metaphor in the poem for cultural purity and self-reliance, contrasting with the encroaching influences of modern schooling and Western ideals. The title sets the tone for the themes of pride, tradition, and resistance in the poem, underscoring the tension between natural harmony and imposed systems.
Themes of the Poem
The poem Cattle Egret by Okot p’Bitek explores a variety of interconnected themes that revolve around cultural identity, resistance to colonial influence, pride in tradition, and the role of nature. These themes are central to the poet’s critique of modernity’s encroachment on traditional African values, and they reflect the socio-political tensions of post-colonial Africa. Below is a detailed analysis of the key themes in the poem:
1. Cultural Identity and Tradition:
At the core of the poem is a deep sense of pride in cultural identity and traditional ways of life. The speaker takes great pride in his heritage, as seen in his rejection of Western schooling and his refusal to let his children be absorbed into a modern education system. The lines, “My children will / Never go to school / The teacher’s cane / Will never touch / Their buttocks,” suggest that the speaker believes Western education is not only unnecessary but also damaging to their cultural upbringing.
Throughout the poem, the speaker’s pride in traditional ceremonies and rituals, such as dances and funeral rites, reflects a celebration of African customs. The references to the “orak dance”, “the mother drum”, and his wife’s “soft waist” all point to cultural practices that the speaker cherishes and longs to pass on to future generations. His yearning to participate in these ceremonies symbolizes the importance of maintaining cultural identity in the face of external pressures.
The cattle egret itself, as a symbol of pride and natural elegance, reinforces the speaker's connection to nature and tradition. The egret is emblematic of the speaker’s desire to live harmoniously with his environment and uphold the customs of his ancestors. This theme is rooted in the broader context of African oral traditions, where storytelling, song, and dance play pivotal roles in preserving cultural knowledge.
2. Resistance to Colonialism and Western Influence:
Another prominent theme in the poem is the resistance to colonialism and Western influence, particularly through the rejection of Western education. The speaker’s insistence that his children will “never go to school” is not just a personal decision; it represents a broader act of defiance against colonial systems imposed on African societies. In many parts of Africa, colonial education was seen as a tool for erasing indigenous knowledge and replacing it with European values, languages, and histories.
By refusing to send his children to school, the speaker resists this form of cultural domination and asserts the superiority of traditional ways of learning, which are closely tied to nature and community. The speaker expresses disdain for the “tired teachers” and the oppressive school environment, symbolized by the “teacher’s cane” and the “floods of hungry children / Melt into their mothers' bosoms.” This imagery suggests that Western education, far from nurturing the youth, separates children from their cultural roots and family life.
The broader theme of resistance is also evident in the speaker’s desire to “cut off this rope” and return to his people. He longs to “join the funeral dancers” and “shake the bones of [his] father in his grave,” signifying a return to his ancestral roots and an assertion of independence from foreign systems of governance and thought.
3. The Natural World and Harmony with Nature:
The natural world plays a significant role in the poem, symbolizing the balance and harmony that traditional African life seeks to maintain. The speaker’s connection to nature is reflected in his description of his children, who “will grow up / With the wild trees / Of the bush” rather than be confined to the rigid structures of a classroom. Here, nature is a source of wisdom, freedom, and growth, standing in contrast to the artificiality of Western education.
The imagery of the moon kissing the speaker’s daughter’s breasts and his son’s dimples dimpling creates a sense of intimacy between humans and the cosmos, highlighting the spiritual and physical connection that traditional African life maintains with the natural environment. The “cattle egret,” too, embodies this harmony, as it lives in a symbiotic relationship with cattle, representing balance and interdependence in nature.
Nature in the poem is also depicted as a force of destruction and renewal. The “wild fire / Of the droughts” that will “burn down” the trees is a metaphor for the cyclical destruction and renewal that characterizes both nature and human life. It suggests that while nature can be harsh and unforgiving, it is also a necessary part of life’s continuity and growth. This acceptance of nature’s dualities contrasts with the more controlled, rigid systems of Western life, which the speaker rejects.
4. Family and Community Bonds:
The speaker’s relationship with his family and community is another key theme, reflecting the African value placed on kinship and communal life. The poem opens with a tender image of the speaker’s children, who “gather stars / Into their soft songs” and “woo the young moon / With their white teeth.” This imagery not only emphasizes the innocence and beauty of the speaker’s children but also establishes the importance of familial ties in the speaker’s life.
The speaker’s children are central to his sense of identity and pride. He loves them deeply, and his decision to keep them away from school underscores his protective instincts and desire to preserve their cultural integrity. The fact that his children “call me Papa! / They run and fall into my arms” conveys a deep emotional bond, suggesting that family is the foundation of his world.
Beyond his immediate family, the speaker is also connected to the larger community. He longs to participate in communal rituals, such as his father’s funeral anniversary, and to rejoin his clansmen and clanswomen in their traditional gatherings. The community is described as sitting in “circles / In the shape of granaries,” symbolizing the collective and cyclical nature of African village life. This strong sense of community contrasts with the alienation the speaker feels in his current situation, bound by foreign customs and away from his people.
5. Loss and Longing:
The theme of loss pervades the poem, as the speaker expresses a deep sense of longing for the life he once knew. He mourns the loss of traditional practices and laments his separation from his family and community. The phrase “I want to clap my hands / And sing for my children / So that they may dance” speaks to the speaker’s yearning to reconnect with his cultural roots and pass on his heritage to the next generation.
The poem is filled with nostalgic references to past experiences, such as his participation in dances and ceremonies. The speaker’s longing is palpable as he recalls moments of joy and freedom in the dancing arena, with his “athletic thighs” and “white okok birds” teeth. This sense of loss is not only personal but also cultural, as the speaker grapples with the erosion of his way of life in the face of colonial influence.
6. Death and Mortality:
Death is another significant theme in the poem, especially in the context of the speaker’s father’s funeral anniversary. The speaker longs to “shake the bones / Of my father in his grave” and chase death away from the village, showing his defiance of mortality and his desire to protect his community from its inevitability. The gathering of his clansmen and the libations poured for the “assembled ghosts / Of the dead” reflect the African tradition of honoring ancestors and maintaining a spiritual connection with those who have passed.
The speaker’s desire to “wrestle with / My wife-in-law / And crush the grass / Beyond the arena” speaks to the idea of life and death being intertwined, as celebrations of life (through dance and ritual) serve as ways to confront and cope with mortality. Death is not feared but is part of the natural cycle of life that the speaker accepts as inevitable, though he strives to delay its arrival for his community.
The themes of Cattle Egret by Okot p’Bitek reflect the tension between tradition and modernity, the natural world and human imposition, cultural pride, and resistance to colonial influence. The poem is a profound meditation on cultural survival, the importance of family and community, and the deep longing for a return to ancestral roots. Through vivid imagery, symbolic metaphors, and emotional intensity, the poet explores the complexities of African identity in a post-colonial world, where the past and the present are constantly in dialogue.
Literary Devices
1. Metaphor: Throughout the poem, metaphors are used to represent deeper meanings. The phrase, “The proud cattle egret / Flourishes his long / And colorful tail” symbolizes the speaker’s pride in his traditional ways and refusal to conform to Western education. The cattle egret becomes a representation of the speaker's rootedness in African customs.
2. Imagery: Vivid images are employed to bring the poem’s themes to life. For example, “The moon kisses / My daughter's emerging breasts” paints a tender, almost ethereal image of natural growth and maturity, emphasizing the importance of family and heritage in contrast to modern life’s artificialities.
3. Personification: The moon is personified in the lines, “The moon kisses / My daughter's emerging breasts”. This anthropomorphism adds a mystical dimension to nature’s interaction with the speaker’s family, reinforcing the connection between human life and the environment.
4. Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds helps enhance the musical quality of the poem, which mirrors the oral traditions of African storytelling. For instance, in the lines “The testicle of the bell / Knocks hard”, the repetition of ‘t’ sounds draws attention to the harshness and jarring nature of the school's discipline.
5. Irony: There is strong irony in the speaker’s declaration that “My children will / Never go to school”. Although education is often seen as beneficial, here, it is portrayed as an unwanted imposition, and the refusal to send the children to school becomes a statement of resistance against cultural erosion.
6. Repetition: The repetition of the phrase “I want to” in the latter part of the poem emphasizes the speaker’s yearning for freedom, both physically and culturally. It underlines his longing to return to traditional celebrations and rituals that are now beyond his reach due to colonial interference.
Language and Diction
The language of the poem blends traditional African oral storytelling with more modern forms of poetic expression. The diction is simple yet symbolic, filled with metaphors and culturally significant imagery. The use of direct and plain language, like “My children will never go to school”, conveys the speaker’s straightforward rejection of Western schooling. The poem employs a rhythmic, almost musical structure, a reflection of oral traditions. There are no complex or grandiose words, which adds to the natural, unembellished tone of the speaker’s voice.
Notably, the use of traditional African symbols and references (like the egret and "kwete beer") grounds the poem in a specific cultural context. There is little to no use of Western formal language, showing a rejection of colonial influence in favor of indigenous expression.
Mood and Tone
The mood of the poem oscillates between pride, frustration, and longing. At the beginning, the speaker expresses a deep pride in his family and cultural identity. However, as the poem progresses, there is an underlying sense of frustration and even bitterness at the encroachment of Western values. The tone, on the other hand, is defiant and resistant. The speaker is proud of his heritage and rejects the modern schooling system imposed by colonizers. His desire to return to traditional ceremonies and join his clansmen reflects a yearning for cultural freedom.
Context
The poem was likely written during the post-colonial period in Africa when many African countries were grappling with the effects of colonialism and the imposition of Western values, including education. In Uganda, where Okot p’Bitek hailed from, the introduction of Western schooling systems and Christianity often clashed with traditional practices and beliefs. This poem addresses the cultural loss that accompanied colonization and critiques the Eurocentric education system that replaced indigenous ways of learning and living.
By not sending his children to school, the speaker symbolizes a resistance to Western dominance and an effort to preserve African cultural identity. The cattle egret becomes a symbol of a proud, untamed existence that refuses to be subsumed by foreign structures.
Conclusion
“Cattle Egret” by Okot p'Bitek is a powerful reflection on the themes of cultural pride, resistance, and the tensions between tradition and modernity. The speaker’s defiance of Western education and his yearning for the traditional African way of life showcase the cultural struggle many African societies faced post-colonization. Through the use of rich metaphors, vivid imagery, and repetition, the poet reinforces the importance of preserving one’s heritage in the face of external pressures. In the end, the poem stands as a poignant critique of the loss of cultural identity, symbolized through the enduring, proud figure of the cattle egret.
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