A study on Okot p'Bitek's works ''Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol''
Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol � PAGE * MERGEFORMAT �1�
Okot p'Bitek worked as anthropologist, poet, novelist an even footballer which led him to go and being educated in England on law and anthropology and later literature. He differed himself from other African writers who wrote in western styles and in western point of view. He has chosen an African tool to express himself, a tool associated with oral tradition of Africa. He called it ''song''. He published his works in Acoli language however upon requested to translate them into English in one of his conferences, he translated his most famous works '' The Song of Lawino and The Song of Ocol'' into English. There is an important point here which should be mentioned. He said after translating them into English that I have clipped a bit of Eagle's wings and rendered the sharp edges of warrior's sword rusty and blunt and also murdered rhythm and rhyme as he thought his native language suited much better than English (Lindfors, 1977).
The Song of Lawino explores one African woman's (Lawino) feelings towards her husband's adoption of western life and Acoli life in details and is full of ironies. Okot reflects both the situation of the native people of an African country willing to imitate the western culture and way of life and the other group of people resisting so as not to lose their core values. Ocol is the character chosen for those representing the western puppets and his wife Lawino is the innocent native who has chosen the way for remaining fidel to her past and original values. In this condition, a clash between these people is inevitable. The whole story of the book is setting around this conflict. Every time Ocol criticizes his people's lifestyles and cultural practices. For instance, he criticizes his wife because she is sticked to her origin. On the other hand, Lawino is in a struggle of preserving her identity and advocating their own lifestyle. However, Ocol favors another woman instead of Lawino
Okot p'Bitek worked as anthropologist, poet, novelist an even footballer which led him to go and being educated in England on law and anthropology and later literature. He differed himself from other African writers who wrote in western styles and in western point of view. He has chosen an African tool to express himself, a tool associated with oral tradition of Africa. He called it ''song''. He published his works in Acoli language however upon requested to translate them into English in one of his conferences, he translated his most famous works '' The Song of Lawino and The Song of Ocol'' into English. There is an important point here which should be mentioned. He said after translating them into English that I have clipped a bit of Eagle's wings and rendered the sharp edges of warrior's sword rusty and blunt and also murdered rhythm and rhyme as he thought his native language suited much better than English (Lindfors, 1977).
The Song of Lawino explores one African woman's (Lawino) feelings towards her husband's adoption of western life and Acoli life in details and is full of ironies. Okot reflects both the situation of the native people of an African country willing to imitate the western culture and way of life and the other group of people resisting so as not to lose their core values. Ocol is the character chosen for those representing the western puppets and his wife Lawino is the innocent native who has chosen the way for remaining fidel to her past and original values. In this condition, a clash between these people is inevitable. The whole story of the book is setting around this conflict. Every time Ocol criticizes his people's lifestyles and cultural practices. For instance, he criticizes his wife because she is sticked to her origin. On the other hand, Lawino is in a struggle of preserving her identity and advocating their own lifestyle. However, Ocol favors another woman instead of Lawino
References: Blishen, E. (1977). _An Introduction, in Song of a Prisoner by Okot p 'Bitek_: The Third Press. Gale, T. (2008). Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol. Retrieved 03.06, 2010, from http://www.bookrags.com/research/song-of-lawino-and-song-of-ocol-wlait/ Heron, G. A. (1984). _"Introduction." In Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol_. London and Ibadan: Heinemann. Lindfors, B. (1977). An interview with Okot p 'bitek. _Journal of Postcolonial Writing, 16_(2), 281-299. Pbitek, O., & Horley, F. (1984). _Song of Lawino & Song of Ocol_. Portsmouth: Heinemann. �