2. Work
He was first recognized as a major voice in African literature
in 1966 when he published Song of Lawino, with which achieved a wide
international recognition Song of Lawino, a long poem of around 5000 lines
dealing with the tribulations of a rural African wife whose husband wishes
every thing to be westernised. It was originally written in Acholi language,
and offer translated into English.
It was a breakthrough work, creating an audience among
Anglophone Africans for direct topical poetry in English, and in corporating
traditional attitudes and thinking in accessible literary vehicle. It was
followed by Song of Ocol (1970), husband's reply. In this song of Ocol
Lawino's husband responses to her worries, expressing his disgust for African
ways and the destructive force of his self-hatred. Okot p'Bitek's next major
work two Songs (1971), won the Kenya Publishers Association's Jomo Kenyatta
prize in 1972. Widely praised for its political significance, Song of
Prisoner describes the anguish of a convicted criminal as he suffers from
depression, delusions, and claustrophobia. The specific nature of the
prisoner's crime remains unclear; he first claims that he was arrested for
lottering in the park but later asserts that he has assassinated a political
leader whom he describes as a «murderer, a racist , a tribalist , a
clanist , a brotherist''. Song of Malaya, on the other hand, is
narrated by a prostitute («Malaya» translates loosely to
«whore») whose strength and stable personality prevail as she exposes
the hypocrisy of tolerance for human diversity. In his later years P'Bitek
focused on translating literature and in 1974 he published The Horn of My
love, a collection of Acholi folk songs about death, ancient Acholi
chiefs, love, and courtship. Hare and Hornbill (1978) is a collection
of folk tales presenting both humans and animals as characters. In 1989
p'Bitek's first published work, a novel entitled Lak Tar Miyo Kinyoro wi
Lobo?(Are Your Teeth White? Then Laugh!), was published in English for the
first time as White Teeth.
Conclusion
Some elements in Okot p' Bitek's life and work will light us
deepen his mind and face, his attitudes towards African leaders, particularly
Acholi people. For instance Okot's mother was a traditional singer, a composer
and leader of her clan. Okot also become a great singer of Acholi songs under
the influence of his mother. Then he wrote those songs, songs of Lawino which
is a plea for protection of Acoli cultural tradition from encroachment of
Western influence. After he added Song of Ocol which is Lawino's
husband responses to her worries, expressing his disgust for African ways and
the distractive force of his self- hatred.
This Chapter is a key to the next chapters which will be
developed.
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