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Discuss theme of tradition as manifested in Blossoms of the Savannah?

Theme of traditions has been majorly touched in the Blossoms of the Savannah,with reference to the novel,give instances when it was well illustrated.

Answers

Martin
Traditions refer to a way of life of a particular group of people.It involves believes,practices and norms that a particular society or group associates to.The novel Blossoms of the Savannah brings out a number of traditions that the Maasai community,the community where it is set.

Marriage is one of the cherished traditions in this community.It is expected that when a man becomes of age he should choose a woman to marry.This is the case with Ole Kaelo's who went to betroth his wife Jane Milanoi after he saw her and fell in love with her.Mama Milanoi is excited about going back to the village since it will be easy to marry off her daughters in the new town than in Nakuru. Marriage is so much valued in the society to the extend that sometimes men are forced to book girls for marriage even before they are born.Many of the men are polygamous.

Female circumcision is another traditionn that is valued in this community.It is the tradition around which the story revolves.Too much value is attached to this tradition that a man cannot marry a girl who has not been circumcised.She remembers how the women who had visited her from Nasila had described the status of their daughters as intoiye nemengalana which contemptuously meant an uncircumcised girl.The man who accosted Taiyo and Resian sneers at them.

The seriousness of this tradition comes out when Resian is almost forcefully taken through it to prepare her as a wife of Olarinkoi. Olarinkoi's mother had already brought the enkamuratani but Resian escapes just in the nick of time.As they were hurrying away with nubaru,she noticed Olarinkoi,his motherland an old woman who Nburu said was the enkamuratani approaching.Even when Oloisudori was claiming her from her father he had insisted that she had to undergo the cut first so as to rid her of her intoiye nemelangalana status.Unlike her sister Resian who escapes,Taiyo unfortunately is forcefully circumcised.She remembers the whole traumatizing occurrence,that removed her from among the detested intoiye nemelangalana.

This practice has seen the rise of campaigners such as Minik ene Nkoitoi,the Emakererei,who fight against it.She is so much hated by the elders of Nasila to the extent that they label her wasp Resian and Taiyo also join her camp where five hundred other girls have been rescued.Their campaign is for girls not to be circumcised but to be proud of being intoiye nemengalana.

Clan-ism is another tradition that forms part of of this society.They strongly believe that members of the same clan are like brothers .This comes out well during Ole Kaelo's homecoming ceremony where members of the Iloorasha clan and most specifically those from Iloorasha sub clan,to which Ole Kaelo also belonged,felt that the success of the ceremony rested on their shoulders.Thus they outdid themselves,led by Joseph Parmuat,to ensure its success.This brotherhood best comes out when Taiyo and Joseph are warned against any sexual relationship since though they are not related by blood they are a brother and sister following their clan ties. Simiren explains to Mama Milanoi why it would be great abomination for Taiyo and Joseph to have any illicit contact.

The people in this society believe in some superstitions.When Resian argues with her mother and aunt,Yeiyoo bottor,her aunt explains to her mother that Resian must be suffering from Olkuenyi,a bad spirit which must be be as a result of her uncircumcised nature.The belief was that spilling blood through circumcision helped purge away the ill spirit.Mama Milanoi knew how serious the issues of ollkuenyi was in this society such that they believed it was contagious and thus whoever believed to have it was shunned like a plague.Similarly,when Resian has a premonition that all was not well,she noticed cooing of a bird which Parmuat had explained to them that it was always a harbinger of bad news.

marto answered the question on April 18, 2018 at 08:41

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