Mythmaking as self-making and nation-building: a reading of Wole Soyinka’s “Idanre”

Abstract

English: This paper investigates how Soyinka uses Yoruba mythology in his poem “Idanre”. It avers that Soyinka uses Ogun as his tutelary deity in an attempt at self-reclamation and nation-building. It shows how Soyinka transposes the nature and symbolism of Ogun in Yoruba mythology to an interpretation of the contemporary postcolonial socio-political situation in Africa. Furthermore, the paper argues that Soyinka borrows mythical symbols from Greek mythology and blends these with those from Yoruba myth in an attempt to forge a new, hybrid African identity.

Afrikaans: In hierdie artikel word die wyse ondersoek waarop Wole Soyinka Yoruba mitologie in sy gedig “Idanre” benut. Die afleiding is dat Soyinka Ogun as sy beskermgod aanwend in ’n poging om selfherwinning en nasiebou te bewerkstellig. Daar word aangetoon hoe Soyinka die aard en simboliese waarde van Ogun in Yoruba-mitologie transponeer om ’n interpretasie van die eietydse postkoloniale en sosiopolitieke situasie in Afrika moontlik te maak. Voorts word geredeneer dat Soyinka simbole uit die Griekse mitologie met dié uit die Yoruba-mites vermeng in ’n poging om ’n nuwe hibridiese Afrika-identiteit daar te stel.