It is only natural for one to try to understand and have an explanation for things around them, this is usually done through categorising everything into groups. Humans do not only categorise objects and animals into groups, they categorise each other into different races, religions, and statutes. This categorising process could sometimes lead to othering, when it does happen that a group of people or a person sees/feels that they are better/superior to others. They turn to treating others like they are beneath them, which could lead to one dehumanising the other person. In terms of Death and The King’s Horseman , the colonisers (the British ) saw and believed that they were better then the colonised (the Yoruba people) , because of their civilization and their different cut rally backgrounds. Instead of that being the case things are seen differently by the Yoruba people, as they reverse the othering process, because usually the colonisers other the colonised but here the colonisers other the colonised . Where the British believed that they were bring civilization, but the Yoruba people saw something completely different. They saw the British bringing chaos answer a collapse to their own civilization.
The Yoruba people believed and knew their ways as being right ,even though they were colonised by the British, they did not change their ways. The Yoruba people saw their world which is their culture, beliefs and way of living as the only true and real world that exists. “There is only one world to the spirit of our race.”( scene one,pg-9). In this scene the praise -singer could be seen as representing the Yoruba people, showing how the Yoruba people other the British, as they feel that their culture, beliefs, and ways is only for their race/their kind. This could suggest that the Yoruba people do not see the British worthy enough to join their world, because they are not like them/not the same race. Since they only see their world as being the only real one , it could mean that they look down on the British for having other beliefs and cultural ways, for not having the same point of views.
Mr and Mrs Pilkings are a great representation of the British , they also show the relationship between the British and the Yoruba people. The Yoruba people had laws and ways of doing things that they were aware of , but failed to try to understand these ways. “It is native law and custom. The king die last month. Tonight is his burial. But before they can bury him, the Elesin must die so as to accompany him to heaven.”(scene two,pg-29). In this scene the Yoruba laws and customs are explained to Pilkings (the British ), this may suggest that the British had people around them to explain the Yoruba ways but they chose to not understand it/ they didn’t try to understand these ways. “He that chief with whom I had a scrap some three or four years ago. I helped his son get to a medical school in England. …” . “The old pagan wanted him to stay and carry on some family tradition or other .” (scene two,pg-29). Even though Mr Pilkings was aware of the Yoruba traditions, he still interfered with matters that he did not understand and that did not concern him I any way, and he did things his way. This suggests that the British do not respect the Yoruba people and their ways , which would explain why the Yoruba people look down on them. “That’s why Elesin cursed master good and proper .”(scene two,pg-30). The fact that Elesin cursed Mr Pilkings shows that he felt disrespected. This could suggest that the Yoruba people don’t just look down on the British, because they do not understand their ways, but they see them as being foolish because they interfere with things they do not understand /that concerns them.
The British are not only seen as disrespectful but also ad clueless. They colonised a country and brought their own beliefs and cultures, without thinking for a second that the people of that country already had their own beliefs and cultures. The Yoruba people understand this so they do not even expect the British to understand their ways. They do not involve them in them in their affairs, which could mean they feel that the British are not smart enough /worthy enough to understand what they do. “ Official business you white man’s eunuch? Official business is taking place where you want to go and it’s a business you wouldn’t understand.”(scene Three, pg-36). This could also mean that the Yoruba people see themselves as superior compared to the British, because they don’t explain what the official business is to the British officers . Meaning that they do not feel like they would understand.
“You ignorant man. It is not he who calls himself Elesin Oba, it is his blood that says it…. Tell your white man he can hide our son away ad long as he likes . When the time comes for him , the same ocean will bring him back.”(scene Three ,pg-38). In this scene one could say that it is evident that the Yoruba people are irritated/ annoyed by the British for the fact that they still don’t know/understand their ways ,as Amusa who is seen as representing the British in this scene, he is called ignorant. Suggesting that even though the British (Pilkings ) have interfered in their affairs, by sending the Elesin’s son away. They believe he will come back to fulfil his duties as a king’s horseman. This could mean that the Yoruba people firmly believe in their ways, and that they see the British ways as useless and that only their way is the right way. This also shows how the Yoruba people don’t think the British and their ways stand a chance in changing their ways , meaning their ways will remain and stand no matter what.
The Yoruba people question the British, their ways and their authority. “ And you? What gives you the right to obstruct our leader of men in the performance of his duty.” ( scene Three,pg-38). This could suggest that the Yoruba people do not even think or see the authority that the British have/suppose to have. They undermine them which could mean that they feel that they are the ones in authority and not the British.
It is not only the British that the Yoruba people other, Amusa is the same race as the Yoruba people. He once believed in the Yoruba laws and customs , he changed his beliefs and cultural ways . Which could be seen as an effect of the British colonising them. “ You have wives haven’t you? Whatever the white man has done to you he hasn’t stopped you having wives. And if he has, at least he is married. If you don’t know what a marriage is, go and ask him to tell you .”(scene Three, pg- 38). Amusa is mocked for not believing the Yoruba ways anymore ,it seems that they seem to think that the British have done something to him ,because of his change in beliefs and cultural ways. They also mock his intelligence, which could suggest that the Yoruba people feel that because he is no more like them but he is more like the British he is less intelligent. Meaning that they feel that they are more smart or evenly as smart as the British people , because they know about marriages just like the British. Showing that the British have nothing new to teach them because they already know it , they know everything .
The British authority is not only undermined, but they are also mocked by the Yoruba people. They find their ways quite strange and funny. “Your invitation card please? Who are you ? Have we been introduced ?” (scene Three, pg- 40). It may be seen as though the Yoruba people find the British people and their ways stupid, so they make fun of it and mock it ,because they do not see how it can be compared to their own ways . This scene may also be seen as the Yoruba people wanting to show the British that they learned their ways , because they can imitate them but they cannot even try to learn/understand their ways . This could suggest that even though the Yoruba people were colonised by the British, they did not change their own ways. They did not change the way they talk to fit in with the British, because they see/think they are more superior . They are more superior because they were found there first and their ways are better then the British ways.
When the British (the Pilkings ) interfered with the Yoruba laws and customs by sending the Elesin’s son to England, they believed that they were helping him but the Yoruba people saw it as disrespectful . “Oh yes madam. He was the eldest son… The eldest son is not supposed to travel away from land.”(scene Two, pg- 30) . Olunde the Elesin’s son shows a clear view of how the Yoruba people view the British people. “ You forget that I have now spent four years among your people . I discovered that you have no respect for what you do not understand.”(scene Four, pg- 55) . This shows that the Yoruba people look down at the British for the fact they do not have any respect for their ways and the fact that they interfere without understanding what they are doing. Suggesting that the Yoruba people do not see how their ways can be better if they cannot respect other people’s beliefs , culture and their ways. It could also suggest that the Yoruba people do not regard the British and their ways ,because they do not have good values and morals as they would not try to understand the Yoruba people’s way. They just disregard it because they do not understand it. The fact that Olunde uses the words discovered saws that he did not see the true ways of the British until he went to England. This could also suggest that he sees/believes that his Yoruba ways are much better then the British ways. He was sent to England to take him away from his Yoruba customs and laws, but he proves that one can be taken away from their home where all their beliefs, cultures, and ways were originated from ,it does not mean they do not carry their cultures, beliefs and ways where ever they go. Suggesting that the Yoruba ways are more powerful than the British ways, making the Yoruba people and their ways more superior.
The Yoruba people do not let what the British do get in the way of their culture, beliefs and way of living. Even though Olunde was sent away they still managed to get a hold of him. “ I was sent a cable .”(scene Four, pg- 57). The fact that the Yoruba people found a way to communicate to him behind the Pilkings back which could suggest that they do not regard them in any way, that they do not even acknowledge their existence. Meaning that they do not think they matter in any way ,because they see/feel that it is their right , that their customs and laws are above the British ways. Which was for Olunde to get an education in England to become a doctor , where as the Yoruba people find that him being the next king’s horseman is more important. “A relation sent it weeks ago… But I knew I had to return home at once so as to bury my father . I understood that.”(scene Four, pg- 57). This may suggest that no matter what the Yoruba people and their ways will always win/get its way , which saws it’s superiority over the British and their ways.
Olunde has had the opportunity to get to see both sides the Yoruba ways and the British ways, so he understands how they both work . He understands that the British people do not know or understand what they do . “ What would you think of your Prince if he refused to accept the risk of losing his life on this voyage? This … Showing -the -flag tour of colonial possessions.”(scene Four, pg- 57) . In this scene it is seen once again that the Yoruba ways are explained to Mrs Pilkings, but this time it is explained in a way that she is bound to understand. Olunde uses the British ways to explain what his people (the Yoruba people ) are doing . The fact that he had to explain the situation may suggest that the Mrs Pilkings and the other British people are not smart enough to understand the Yoruba affairs. It could also mean Olunde looks down at Mrs Pilkings for being ignorant and not trying to understand things as they are. He learned their ways and he knows his Yoruba ways this could suggest that the Yoruba people are more smart , because they have learned the British ways but they cannot learn or understand their ways.
The British are not only seen as ignorant but they are also seen as being in denial , because they seem to think they know everything . Olunde mocks their beliefs and knowledge on things , the fact that they think and believe that everything that is smart or good comes from them seems to be funny to him. “Yet another error into which your people fall. You believe that everything which appears to make sense was learnt from you.”(scene Four, pg- 58). This could suggest that Olunde does not think they are smart enough to come up with smart things , or that he feels his people are more smarter because he learned all these creative and new things from them before he learned it from the British . Meaning that he sees his people as better then the British.
As Olunde is an individual he also stands and represents the Yoruba people, he does not seem to agree with the British ways and it may be seen as if he finds their ways rather disturbing. “You white races know how to survive; I’ve seen proof of that . By all logical and natural laws this war should end with all the white races wipng out their so – called civilization…” (scene Four , pg- 58). This could mean that he looks down at their ways and how they do things and he makes himself and his people different from them. As he says the white race which could mean that he sees it as only being a white race kind of thing, that only the white race do such . Which is they fight each other at war and kill each other even though they are the same race, and might have the same ideas as civilization. It could also be seen as mocking or pity that Olunde feels for them ,because they do not seem to see the truth which is that they do not follow their own cultures, beliefs or ways of living all they do is try to survive. This could also suggest he sees how rich his Yoruba ways are and that he pity’s the British for not having such ways .
When a country is colonised a lot takes place and a lot of changes can also take place . The British truly believed they were helping the Yoruba people by bringing civilization, but themselves they did not know or understand what civilization was. It was not their technology, knowledge or new cultural ways that was civilization, they failed to understand that the true civilization would have been them trying to understand the Yoruba ways and respecting it. Due to the fact that they did not understand this it lead to the Yoruba people looking down on them and othering them . It may seem like the Yoruba people are bad for othering the British, but they had a true and clear understanding of what civilization truly was, because they take the time to learn and understand the British and their ways. Meaning that civilization is within someone, it is the way one treats others , their values , their morals it is not ones knowledge, technology or cultural ways.