The Sunday News
Charles Dube
Benjamin arrives home
THE play has a number of characters but obviously just like in other plays or novella there are main and minor characters.
Can I state at this juncture that minor characters should not be totally ignored. A learner who ignores the so called minor characters does so at his or her own peril. It is impertinent for learners to go over the list of characters and understand their roles so that as they read the story line they are not confused.
As indicated last week learners need to understand pre-independence history of Zimbabwe to have a clear picture of certain issues. For example, the playwright gives a graphic description of the living conditions of the Tichafa family just at independence. The scene takes place inside a small “high density” house in a Zimbabwean city. Note the characteristics of the house described. It is small and is located in the “high density” areas suggesting that the Tichafa family is poor and lives from hand to mouth.
A family residing in the high density suburbs is not that affluent. We have already heard that the play follows the fortunes of the Tichafa family, predominantly explored through the exploits of their son Benjamin, whose Rhodesian childhood is steeped in pervasive repression, racism and crushing poverty. It is not surprising to find his family house described in this fashion.
The kitchen is a cum-living-room and bedroom divided by sheet acting as curtain and room divider.
This was typical of all the family accommodation at the time in the high density suburbs. The unfortunate thing is that even today we still find people living in this kind of state. Some are living in worse off conditions than before. Before independence the colonial government of the day, did not bother itself by providing family accommodation for their workers. Houses provided then were single quarters meant for the workers, mainly men. They were to leave their families out in the rural area and come to work.
Most people’s lives were rooted in the rural area and reserves which had been created for them. However, with rural-urban migration catalysed by the liberation struggle most families moved into cities. Wives moved with their children to join their husbands in the safety of urban areas. But accommodation provided then could not meet the increased number of residents.
There was no alternative except to move into the few provided rooms or houses hence we find the house described here with scanty furniture and utensils.
In the living room, small wooden table with two chairs, an old electric two-plate stove on a stand, a small cupboard, pots and plates on bare shelves and a mutariko from which hangs strips of dried meat on a newspaper. They only have basics and drying meat suggests they do not have the luxury of a fridge. In addition to these there are three small battered sofas, a transistor radio, a rickety book shelve with old Bibles and hymn books, school books and old magazines. Everything is old in this house.
On the wall, an enlarged, framed, faded picture of Clopas in suit and black bow tie and Shamiso in short lady’s dress, in their early affectionate years. It is clear from these stage directions that indeed Benjamin is from a poor background. Returning combatants (those who are portrayed in a sorry state.
Benjamin is described as dressed carelessly like a returning ex-combatant, a bush green T-shirt, exhausted denims tucked into large, thick-soled, unlaced war boots and red headband, black power armbands and copper bangles on arms.
The irony of all this poverty shown through these stage directions is emphasised by a poster on the wall which reads: “Happy Independence Zimbabwe 18 April 1980”. Benjamin returns home after the war but he is unhappy. He is just cold when his mother warmly welcomes him. Though Benjamin remains indifferent, Shamiso his mother is excited that he has returned.
She sends Peter, Benjamin’s brother to the butchery to get something for his brother, a piece of liver or sausage. Despite the glaring poverty in this household, at least Shamiso, the mother sacrifices the little money she has to get something fresh for her son who has returned home in one piece from the gruelling war. But as Peter is about to leave he meets a visitor at the gate. When told to bring the visitor in, Peter brings in Nkazana, a sixteen-year-old country girl, visibly pregnant.
She is clad in simple dress, faded tennis shoes, carrying a small suitcase. The girl is unknown and when Shamiso, Benjamin’s mother interrogates her trying to find out who she is, Benjamin intervenes. Benjamin has lost touch with traditions. He creates some drama he enjoys when he asks: “So . . . Do we really have to do the introductions? Mother, this is my wife Nkazana. Nkazana, this is my mother and my young brother, Peter.”
Shamiso rightly so is astounded by how Benjamin is doing things. This is quite uncultured. She asks, “ . . . , Benjamin? Your wife? Are you married already? Is this the way to do things? Yowe, yowe, yowe, nhasi zvangu mwana wavaMasiziva . . . How are you my daughter?” Interrupting Shamiso’s questions directed to Nkazana especially when asked where she comes from, Benjamin emphatically says she comes from Zi –mba-bwe. What does it matter what her totem is? She is Mwana Wevhu, child of the soil.”
This is the new thinking Benjamin brings from the war of liberation. He views everything from a national point of view. He hates looking at people from a regional or tribal point of view.
There is no need to ask for people’s surnames. Everybody is Zimbabwean. However, his mother, Shamiso, is of a traditional view to life. She cautions that Benjamin could marry his very own cousin or niece if he ignores things like totems. She is overwhelmed by what Benjamin has done and wishes his father was there.
This is just the beginning of this story. More is to follow. Continue reading the play.
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