Info For You Lot Efua T Sutherland: Africa`S Woman Somebody Pioneer Dramatist, Cultural Visionary In Addition To Activist In Addition To Dark Africa`S Unopen To Famous Adult Woman Writer

Dr Efua Theodora Sutherland (27 June 1924—2 Jan 1996) was a celebrated Ghanaian playwright, director, children's author, poet as well as pioneer dramatist of international renown. She was also an teacher, scholar, an unapologetic Pan-African cultural visionary as well as activist of ethnic Fante extraction. Before 1965 when the First President of the Republic of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the famous Pan-African leader called for the documentation of “our folktales” equally a way of creating “African Classics” for posterity (Nketia’s Preface to Owusu-Sarpong (1998)), Efua T. Sutherland emerged equally i of the literary figures who identified the worth of “our folktales” as well as indeed modified i into a play nigh 7 years earlier. She is the woman parent of  well-known prolific writer, cultural activist as well as academician, Esi Sutherland-Addy who is a professor at the Institute of African Studies (University of Ghana) working inward the Language Literature as well as Drama Section.

Efua Theodora Sutherland,  celebrated Ghanaian playwright, director, children's author, poet , Pan African cultural activist as well as pioneer dramatist of international renown.

As i of the Africa`s early on woman somebody writers, Efua Sutherland is internationally known literary plant include Foriwa (1962), Edufa (1967), as well as The Marriage of Anansewa (1975). She has also published juvenile literature inward the shape of children’s beat plays such equally Vulture, Vulture as well as Tahinta, which she has tried to exercise inward her private grade school. Efua T Sutherland educatee was the legendary African writer, Professor Ama Ata Aidoo. In fact, when Ama Ata Aidoo studied drama at the University of Republic of Ghana inward the early on 1960s, her mentor was Sutherland.
Apart from Mabel Dove Danquah, born inward 1910, who had started publishing essays , curt stories, as well as plays inward the West African Times equally early on equally the 1950s to limited her concern over the identify as well as role of women inward contemporary Ghana, Sutherland tin lavatory live regarded equally the woman parent of West African Literature inward English. Donald Herdeck has called her “Black Africa’s most famous adult woman writer”. Even though her scream has been dropped out past times feminist critics similar Florence Straton inward her Contemporary African Literature as well as the Politics of Gender as well as Adola James’s In their Own Voices, for reasons that are non tardily to explain, she is far from beingness an occasional writer. Her plant are published inward both Longman as well as Heineman Editions as well as her curt stories are anthologised both at abode as well as abroad. Her identify inward West African feminist literature is neither a affair of seniority over other authors such equally Flora Nwappa, Ama Ata Aidoo, as well as Buchi Emecheta, nor that of amount of publications. She deserves a identify inward the West African literary tradition because she has earned it through that literary procedure of revision which T.S. Eliot considers equally beingness necessary for the affirmation of private talents as well as the existence of literary traditions. Charlotte H. Burner has rightly placed her inward the 3rd position, after Mabel Dove Danquah as well as Adelaide Casely-Hayford inward her anthology of African adult woman writers entitled Unwinding Threads.
Sutherland's plays were often based on African myths as well as legends, but she also used Western sources, such equally Euripides as well as Lewis Carroll.
"I'm on a journeying of discovery. I'm discovering my ain people.
 I didn't grow upward inward rural Republic of Ghana - I grew upward inward Cape Coast with
a Christian family. It's a fine family, but at that spot are for sure hidden
areas of Ghanaian life - of import areas of Ghanaian life, that I
exactly wasn't inward touching with; inward the past times iv or 5 years I've made
a really concentrated seek to brand that untrue. And I experience I know
my people now." (Efua Sutherland inward Cultural Events inward Africa, no. 42, 1968)
In her many years of beingness at the forefront of literary as well as theatrical movements inward Republic of Ghana she founded the Republic of Ghana Drama Studio, the Republic of Ghana Society of Writers, the literary magazine Okyeame, the Republic of Ghana Experimental Theatre, as well as a community projection called the Kodzidan (Story House) for the preservation of oral literature as well as the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Center for Pan African Culture. She was an influential figure inward the establishment of modern Ghanaian theatre, as well as helped to constitute the written report of African performance traditions at academy level.
Apart from her undying devotion to edifice indigenous models of excellence inward civilization as well as education, she served equally mentor as well as inspiration to many notable African personalities inward the arts as well as professions, including author Ama Ata Aidoo, celluloid maker Kwaw Ansah as well as writer-illustrator Meshak Asare.
Auntie Efua, equally she was affectionately known, made children’s issues fundamental to her life as well as work. After pioneering an indigenous motion inward writing, publishing as well as evolution through drama for children, she was appointed inward the 1980’s to atomic number 82 Republic of Ghana to move the foremost province to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Declaration of Rights of the Child.  Through the move of the Republic of Ghana National Commission on Children, of which she was a founding fellow member as well as Chair, several initiatives for children were moved frontwards including the Children’s Park Library Complex network,  Child Literacy as well as Mobile Science Laboratory projects, equally good equally the commissioning of extensive enquiry on the Ghanaian child.
Her move received recognition from both the province as well as major agencies such equally the Valco Trust Fund, the Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, UNICEF as well as UNESCO. Other important supporters included Arthur as well as Ruth Sloan, the Arthur as well as Dorothy Clift identify unit of measurement of Bromley, UK, Dr. Vivian O. Windley, Merle Worth, the Abyssinian Baptist Church inward Harlem, USA as well as the Children’s Television Network.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 twelve-acre infinite reserved for a children’s commons inward fundamental Accra through the advocacy of Efua Sutherland was renamed posthumously inward her honor. Efua Sutherlandstraat is i of a number of streets inward an expanse of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, named for remarkable women writers as well as activists.
She was born Efua Theodora Morgue inward Cape Coast on 27 June 1 924. She was named after her maternal great-grandmother Nana Ama Nyankomo. Her father, Harry Peter Morgue from the identify unit of measurement of Chief Moore of Nsona Paado, Cape Coast, was a well-known instructor of English linguistic communication who i time taught at Accra Academy. Her mother, Harriet Efua Maria Parker, was from the majestic families of Gomua Brofo as well as Anomabu, peculiarly the branch founded past times Barima Ansaful at Gyegyano, Cape Coast.
Despite her majestic birth, Efua had a really humble as well as hard early on life; her eventual greatness may live to a greater extent than of a personal achievement than an inherited identify unit of measurement fortune. Her immature woman parent died inward a
lorry accident at historic catamenia 18, leaving 5-month former Efua inward the tending of her grandmother Araba Mansa,
whose personal sacrifice as well as instance of hard move equally a bakery ensured Efua's survival as well as provided the unmarried most of import impact on her afterwards evolution into a most resourceful personality.
Theodora Olivia Morgue, equally Efua became known, began her primary instruction at the Government Girls School as well as afterwards moved to St. Monica's, both inward Cape Coast. She took the Standard Seven
exam spell she was silent inward Standard Six, as well as did so good she won a scholarship to the St. Monica's Training College at Ansate Manpong. St Monica's was founded as well as run past times Anglican Sisters of the Order of the Holy Paraclete, based inward Yorkshire, England. The nuns inward both Cape Coast as well as Mampong had such important influence on the immature Efua that she seriously considered becoming a nun as well as would have got gone to England for convent preparation had her grandmother non intervened.
At 18, she began teaching at senior primary flat but shortly joined the staff of St. Monica's Training College. In 1947, after five-and-half years of teaching, she went to England where she studied for a B.A. grade at Homerton College, Cambridge University. She spent some other twelvemonth at the School of Oriental as well as African Studies, London, specialising inward English linguistic communication linguistics, African languages, as well as drama. Back inward Republic of Ghana inward 1950, she returned to St. Monica's but afterwards transferred to Fijar Secondary School as well as and so to Achimota School.
In 1954, Efua married William Sutherland, an African American who had been living inward Republic of Ghana as well as worked from 1951 -57 to aid found what is at i time Tsito Secondary School inward the Volta Region. Efua spent business office of the catamenia inward Tsito to aid amongst the foundation work. Efua as well as Bill had iii children, Esi Reiter, Ralph Gynan, as well as Muriel Amowi, who have got since move a academy enquiry fellow, an architect, as well as a lawyer respectively.

    Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy, immature lady of Dr Efua T Sutherland, the famous Ghanaian writer, dramatist as well as cultural activist.

Through achievements inward civilization Republic of Ghana also gained attending as well as prestige on the international scene. In the 1980s Sutherland served equally advisor to the president of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings, who led a cop inward 1981, as well as started economical reforms. Sutherland died on Jan 2, 1996.

It is against this identify unit of measurement as well as educational background that we. must assess the unusual impact of Efua

Sutherland's world life equally educator, creative artist, as well as activist social visionary. She is best known equally a dramatist, but her move inward this expanse was e'er informed past times a compelling vision of a amend society, as well as she chose appropriate cultural instruction equally the best foundation on which such gild could live established. Like many others, she could have got used her considerable talents as well as skills inward the advertisement of a spectacular private career. Instead, she chose to portion her gifts amongst gild at large past times investing her energies inward the edifice of model programmes as well as institutions, as well as inward the
preparation of a hereafter generation.

 Bill Sutherland married adult man of the famous Ghanaian writer, dramatist as well as cultural activist Efua T Sutherland. Bill Sutherland, was unofficial ambassador betwixt the peoples of Africa as well as the Americas for over 50 years, died peacefully on the eventide of Jan 2, 2010. He was 91. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 life-long pacifist as well as liberation advocate, Sutherland became involved inward civil rights as well as anti-war activities equally a youthful fellow member of the Student Christian Movement inward the 1930s.

Efua Sutherland's reputation equally the founder as well as woman parent figure behind the national theatre motion may best live measured past times the many key institutions as well as programmes she was instrumental inward bringing into being. She was the prime number mover inward the founding of the Republic of Ghana Society of Writers (1957). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 twelvemonth later, the Republic of Ghana Experimental Theatre Company was launched nether her
direction. She helped to found the Okyeame literary magazine inward 1961.
Through her pioneering enquiry into Ghanaian oral traditions, she introduced onto the stage the unique dramatic shape of Anansegoro, deriving its creative model from traditional story-telling drama. To render an ideal rehearsal as well as performance infinite for the emerging national theatre movement, she mobilised funds as well as supervised the edifice of the Republic of Ghana Drama Studio, ensuring that its blueprint was inward harmony amongst performance demands of African theatre practice. She founded Kusum Agoromba, 'a full-time drama companionship based at the Drama Studio as well as dedicated to performing character plays inward Akan.... inward towns as well as villages all over the country.' She provided creative leadership to the Workers' Brigade Drama Group as well as to the Drama Studio Players.
In May 1963, Efua Sutherland became a Research Associate of the Institute of African Studies. As business office of the move, she handed over the Drama Studio to the University of Republic of Ghana to live issued equally 'an extension sectionalisation of the School of Music, Dance as well as Drama.' Through the Drama Studio Programme as well as the Drama Research Unit of the Institute, Efua Sutherland worked amongst the belatedly Joe de Graft as well as others to build the foundations of what was shortly to move a model programme inward drama as well as theatre studies as well as exercise inward Africa One of her most oft cited projects, the Atwia Experimental Community Theatre Project, is recognised world-wide equally a pioneering model for the at i time pop Theatre for Development. Araba: The Village Story is a major documentary celluloid done inward 1 967 past times the American goggle box network ABC to tape the success of this unique
experimental project.

Edufa past times Efua T Sutherland

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 peculiarly important aspect of Efua Sutherland's move was the Children's Drama Development Project. This multi-year projection focused on enquiry into the cultural life of children inward society, used the data gathered equally a footing for writing, producing as well as publishing appropriate plays for children. Conferences, workshops as well as essay productions organised equally business office of this projection have got left us amongst an of import collection of plays for children, amid them R.A. Cantey's Republic of Ghana Motion, Togbe Kwamuar's The Perpetual Stone Mill, Kwamena Ampah's Hwe No Yie, Koku Amuzu's The New Born Child as well as the Maid Servant, JoeManu-Amponsah's Gates to Mother, Kofi Hiheta's Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Bench of Chances, as well as Kofi Anyidoho;s Akpokplo{Ewe as well as English). Regrettably, the preparation of these plays for formal publication inward a major anthology is i of the many vital projects which Auntie Efua's expiry has left unfinished.
The 25th Anniversary Programme of the Drama Studio, the lastly stage of Efua Sutherland's distinguished career inward the national theatre movement, coincided amongst her retirement from the University of Republic of Ghana inward 1984. The programme opened amongst an impressive as well as symbolic Ceremony of Remembrance as well as moved into a major documentation projection roofing diverse forms of drama that have got evolved equally business office of the national theatre motion The 25th Anniversary Programme, ironically, suffered a serious set-back when the Drama Studio was demolished to brand way for the
construction of the National Theatre.
Although Auntie Efua was deeply wound past times the demolition of the studio, she continued to move over the side past times side 2 years to convey the documentation programme to a reasonable completion. It was also inward the lastly stage of her move that she gave to Republic of Ghana as well as the African world in all probability her grandest artistic vision for uplifting as well as reuniting African peoples through the arts- an master proposal for the Pan African Historical Theatre Festival, the Panafest Movement. This lastly gift underscores the significance she attached to connections betwixt Africa as well as the Diaspora. She played a really critical role inward the establishment of the W.E.B. DuBois Memorial Centre for Pan African Culture.
She belonged to an extensive global network of friends, many of them eminent creative minds.
Efua Sutherland's long as well as distinguished career had also left an impressive corpus of creative works, making her i of Africa's best known writers. In improver to a number of essays, articles, curt stories as well as poems, her published plant include a curt biography of Bob Johnson, 'the manlike somebody parent of the concert political party tradition', equally good equally several other books—Playtime inward Africa, The Roadmakers, Edufa, Foriwa, Odasani, Anansegoro: Story-Telling Drama inward Ghana, The Marriage of Anansewa, You Swore an Oath, Vulture! Vulture! [and Tahinta]: Two Rhythm Plays, as well as The
Voice inward the Forest. Her unpublished plays for children include The Pineapple Child, Nyamekye, Tweedledum as well as Tweedledee, Ananse as well as the Dwarf Brigade, Wohye me Bo, as well as Children of
the Man-Made Lake.
Her best known plays are Edufa (1967) (based on Alcestis past times Euripides), Foriwa (1967), as well as The Marriage of Anansewa (1975).
In Edufa the eponymous grapheme seeks to escape expiry past times manipulating his wife, Ampoma, to the expiry that has been predicted for him past times oracles. In the play, Sutherland uses traditional Ghanaian beliefs inward divination as well as the interaction of traditional as well as European ceremonies inward monastic say to portray Edufa equally a rich as well as successful modern somebody who is held inward high esteem past times his people. The play uses traditional ritual as well as symbolism, but the story is told inward the context of Edufa's capitalistic abandonment of his moral commitment to his wife, spell his married adult woman as well as the other women favour the morality of the past.
In Foriwa the eponymous character, who is the immature lady of the queen woman parent of Kyerefaso, as well as Labaran, a graduate from northern Republic of Ghana who lives a unproblematic life, convey enlightenment to Kyerefaso, a town that has move backward as well as ignorant because the town's elders reject to larn novel ways. Foriwa's main theme is the alliance of former traditions as well as novel ways. The play has a national theme to promote a novel national spirit inward Republic of Ghana that would encourage openness to novel ideas as well as inter-ethnic cooperation.
The Marriage of Anansewa: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Storytelling Drama (1975) is considered Sutherland's most valuable contribution to Ghanaian drama as well as theater. In the play, she transmutes traditional Akan Ananse Spider tales (Anansesem) into a novel dramatic structure, which she calls Anansegoro. Nyamekye (a version of Alice inward Wonderland), i of her afterwards plays, shows how she was influenced past times the folk opera tradition.
As a major literary voice, she was concerned nigh the demand for making plant past times African writers available through local publishing. To this end, she played a key role equally founder of Afram Publications Republic of Ghana Ltd inward the early on Seventies as well as until her expiry maintained an active role inward the
editorial move of Afram. It is to her credit as well as to that of all who have got worked amongst her that iii of the winners of the 1995 Valco Fund Literary Awards are plant published past times Afram.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 concern for children is fundamental to all of Efua Sutherland's life as well as work. Even after her retirement from the University of Ghana, she was to devote the lastly stage of her world life to foundation move inward the establishment of the Republic of Ghana National Commission on Children. She was a foundation fellow member (1979-1983) as well as afterwards chairperson of the commission (1983- 1990). The move of this commission, especially through the impact of kid instruction programmes designed roughly a national network of children's parklibrary complexes, the documentation of the province of affairs of the Ghanaian child, as well as the influencing of province policy on kid life, shall remain i of Efua Sutherland's most important lasting gifts to her nation.
Efua Sutherland served on several other national as well as international boards as well as committees, including the Education Commission, the Valco Fund Board of Trustees, as well as the Republic of Ghana National Commission for UNESCO. Her move received recognition as well as sponsorship from both the province as well as such major agencies equally the Valco Trust Fund, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, UNICEF, as well as UNESCO.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the achievement of a total academy status, the University of Republic of Ghana selected Efua Sutherland equally i of a little grouping of eminent individuals whose
contribution has had a profound impact on the evolution of the academy as well as of the gild at large:
"Efua Theodora Sutherland, for the inspiration provided to the development
of the Dramatic Art, as well as inward recognition of your efforts on behalf of children
for whose do goodness you lot have got canvassed children's libraries as well as amusement
parks, the University of Republic of Ghana is privileged to honour you lot amongst thedegree of
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa."

Selected works:
*The Roadmakers, 1961 (photographs past times Willis E. Bell)
*Foriwa, 1962
*Playtime inward Africa, 1962 (photograps past times Willis E. Bell)
*Edufa, 1967 (based on Euripides's Alcestis)
*Odasani, 1967 (based on Everyman)
*Vulture! Vulture! as well as Tahinta: Two Rhythm Plays, 1968
*The Original Bob: The Story of Bob Johnson, Ghana's Ace Comedian, 1970
*Anase as well as the Dwarf Brigade, 1971 (based on Lewis Carroll's Alice inward the Wonderland)
*Anansegoro: Story-telling Drama inward Ghana, 1975
*The Marriage of Anansewa, 1975
*Efua Sutherland of Ghana, 1978 (recording)
*The Voice inward the Forest, 1983
*The Marriage of Anansewa as well as Edufa, 1987

source:http://archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/African%20Journals/pdfs/glendora%20review/vol1no3/graa001003003.pdf

Sutherland’s Creativity at Work: The New Family of Mr. Ananse the Spider in The Marriage of Anansewa
                                  P.B. Mireku-Gyimah
Centre for Communication as well as Entrepreneurship Skills (CENCES), University of
Mines as well as Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, Ghana

Abstract: This written report explores characterization inward Efua T. Sutherland’s The Marriage of Anansewa as well as demonstrates the playwright’s imagination as well as inventiveness at work. Unlike the traditional members of Ananse’s identify unit of measurement inward Akan folktales comprising a married adult woman (Asɔ), iv sons (Ntekuma, Afurudohwedohwe, Tikenenkene as well as Nyankorɔnhweaa) as well as sometimes unnamed in-laws, Sutherland creates a immature lady (Anansewa), a woman parent (Aya), an aunt (Ekuwa) as well as a lover (Christie) for Ananse. Thus at that spot are at i time iv novel females inward Ananse’s novel identify unit of measurement to ease the iv males inward the master Ananse family, counting out homo as well as wife. Unfortunately, Sutherland kills off Asɔ. Anansewa as well as Christie are main characters but Aya as well as Ekuwa are made little characters. Besides this introduction of iv women into Ananse’s extended identify unit of measurement is Sutherland’s creation of a novel identity for Ananse. He is a modernized Ghanaian amongst an English linguistic communication name, George. Sutherland artistically introduces a novel dimension to Ananse past times redefining his identity equally a modern citizen of the globalized world. Whereas inward the traditional folktales Ananse often cheats the members of his identify unit of measurement forcing them to regain ways as well as agency to endure past times foiling Ananse’s tricky plans, Sutherland’s novel identify unit of measurement members play an alone different role: they are witting or unconscious collaborators of Ananse’s system to cheat others. It is concluded that, past times this novel dimension of characters as well as the roles they play which convey freshness as well as popularization to the Akan folktales, Sutherland has elevated the Akan folktales to move an African Classic.

INTRODUCTION
Before 1965 when the First President of the Republic of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah,
the famous Pan-African leader called for the documentation of “our folktales” equally a way of creating
“African Classics” for posterity (Nketia’s Preface to Owusu-Sarpong (1998)), Efua T. Sutherland emerged equally i of the literary figures who identified the worth of “our folktales” as well as indeed modified i into a play nigh 7 years earlier. She came upward amongst her play entitled The Marriage of Anansewa (TMA), which was foremost published inward 1958. This drama, which is based on
the Akan folktales, was published after productions inward Akan as well as inward English linguistic communication past times iii different notable Ghanaian performing groups, namely the Workers’ Brigade Drama Group, Kusum Agoromba (Kusum Players) as well as the Drama Studio Players as well as Kusum Agoromba combined (Sutherland, 1997). Sutherland’s move has enjoyed patronage for decades. In her dedication of the 1986 edition of TMA, Sutherland (1997) observes that a Ceremony of Remembrance was held to score the 25th Anniversary of the Republic of Ghana Drama Studio, her brainchild. She notes that the ceremony, which took the “‘form of a dramatic recall of the plant of deceased creative personalities who contributed to the evolution of Ghana’s heritage of dramatic arts’”, was also used to think “‘such creative thinkers of the past times who left a heritage of perceptions nigh gild inward scholarly as well as other plant from which inspiration tin lavatory live drawn for artistic creation today’”.
Today, inward the twelvemonth 2013, Sutherland herself tin lavatory live counted equally i of the “deceased” luminaries of the past times which she referred to inward the 1986 dedication. Sutherland’s book, TMA, has continued to taste success amid both immature as well as former inward both academic as well as non-academic circles as well as this has been the result of a number of things, including the playwright’s powerfulness to grip the story-telling tradition of the Akan inward some interesting ways. For example, inward the play, she remains truthful to the conventions of the folktale tradition, touching on its themes of love as well as communality amid others, projecting the Akan traditional spousal human relationship as well as raising topical issues such equally the hypocrisy of some
Christians as well as their church, non forgetting her profuse exercise of mboguo (song interludes).
Apart from all these, Sutherland vividly evokes the main character: arch-hero, trickster par excellence as well as possessor of the Akan folktales, Ananse the Spider, personified equally Kweku Ananse. She also shows literary prowess inward her characterization, that is, her “creation of imaginary persons so that they be for the reader equally life-like” (Holman as well as Harman, 1986; qtd inward Teiko, 2011). In fact, Sutherland portrays nifty artistic talent inward the creation of novel characters for the Akan folktales,
especially her extension of the traditional Ananse family. These novel characters are mostly complex as well as believable as well as aid explicate the play’s major themes of deception, gullibility, love as well as marriage.
This newspaper leans on TMA to demonstrate Efua T. Sutherland’s inventiveness at move inward iv major ways equally far equally the traditional Ananse identify unit of measurement is concerned, particularly, past times the introduction of iv females into the male-dominated family; first, past times her creation of a immature lady into the identify unit of measurement which hitherto has had all-male children; second, past times her creation of a lover for Ananse; third, past times her creation of a woman parent for Ananse; and, finally, past times her creation of an aunt for Ananse. In addition, the newspaper studies Sutherland’s creation of a novel identity for Ananse himself equally a modern Ghanaian
homo as well as an anglicized i for that affair (with the foremost scream George). It is instructive to greenback that all these characters are novel as well as different from the traditional members of Mr Ananse the Spider’s identify unit of measurement inward the Akan folktales.
Traditionally, Ananse’s nuclear identify unit of measurement members are five; they comprise Ananse’s wife, Asɔ as well as iv sons. Of the iv sons, only one, Ntekuma, is normal whereas iii are physically challenged. Afurudohwedohwe, Tikenenkene as well as Nyankorɔnhweaa have got aptronyms describing their physical deformities: Afurudohwedohwe literally agency Very Very Big Stomach, Tikenenkene agency Very Very Big Head as well as Nyankorɔnhweaa, agency Very Very Tiny Legs. Asɔ, the married adult woman as well as mother, is non business office of the novel identify unit of measurement inward TMA, for, unfortunately, Sutherland kills her off.

“THE MARRIAGE OF ANANSEWA”: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 BRIEF SUMMARY
Sutherland’s work, TMA, is an African play as well as sourced from an Akan folktale whose story has the poor, struggling father, Kweku Ananse, devising a programme to escape the hardships of life, especially the economical dire straits inward which he finds himself as well as his inability to easily pay his immature lady Anansewa’s schoolhouse fees, amid other needs.
Ananse advertises the photograph of his immature lady to iv prominent chiefs of the dry ground as well as succeeds inward conniving amongst his immature lady to manipulate them to compete unknowingly equally suitors seeking the manus of his immature lady inward marriage. Ananse profits from the gifts which each primary pours on him for the sake of the immature lady so equally to win her consent. She, of course, would consent to get hitched amongst only one-the i who, according to the father’s subway plan, would plough out to live most caring. Meanwhile, each i of the chiefs thinks he is the only lover or suitor (for so does Ananse brand it to appear to them). Therefore, each primary goes on to take away a appointment for the customary marriage, which Sutherland calls the “head-drink ceremony”.
Unfortunately, all the iv men take away the same appointment for this spousal human relationship ceremony. The clash of the dates presents a serious occupation which Ananse must solve fast before the occupation brings him trouble. Ananse gets the immature lady to pretend to live dead on that special day, knowing that “nobody marries a corpse”. More importantly, he would live enabled to exercise the sad as well as unfortunate lawsuit to consider the reactions of the suitors, guess as well as select the i who demonstrates truthful compassion, sympathy as well as love at such a time. The message of Anansewa’s untimely expiry is conveyed to each suitor. In this highly emotionally charged atmosphere, Ananse so desperately as well as seriously mourns his sad loss that he would non live consoled inward whatever way, especially when the chiefs’ messengers commence to brand it to console him on his bereavement.
The messengers of the Chief of the Mines brand it first, as well as so those of the Chief of Sapaase, followed past times those of the Chief of Akate and, finally, those of Chief-Who-Is-Chief, the preferred suitor. The “wealthy paramount Chief of the Mines”… has this to say:
"That because this lady had non yet move his wife,
he cannot give her burial; but that which custom does
permit, he is non reluctant to fulfil. He sends “this bolt
of silk, this kente stuff from Bonwire… this dumas
cotton fiber cloth, this potable as well as this handbag of money to help
her manlike somebody parent pay for the funeral inward goodbye to his lady” (p.
78).
Similarly, what the Chief of Sapaase has to say is that: He has no correct to give burial to this kid because the head-drink did non come upward inward fourth dimension to brand it a conclusive spousal human relationship [but] … he is non reluctant at all to perform whatever custom he has the correct to perform …
(p. 81).
He sends “his silk, his velvet, his white kente cloth, his striped stuff … as well as his cash donation of 20 guineas also; pass it on drinks for the funeral …” (p. 81).
Even though Chief of the Mines as well as Chief of Sapaase offering some gifts to Ananse towards the funeral, they each brand it also clear-as nosotros have got observed-and rightly so that, customarily, since the spousal human relationship was non genuinely contracted before the “death” of Anansewa, it almost becomes a instance of “no-sale-no-payment”, for which ground they are non natural springtime to perform the funeral rites for the lady equally they would do for a wife.
Indeed, equally for the Chief of Akate, he presents no gift whatsoever. What is worse, this chief’s emissary, his “direct brother”, who has come upward to limited condolences to “Togbe Ananse” makes it known that this i primary “was non fifty-fifty inward favour of” their coming to sympathise amongst the bereaved family. “But nosotros said, ‘No’. Even if nosotros came to do nothing, nosotros would exhibit our faces here” (p. 83), the primary emissary explains.
But different the iii Chief-Who-Is-Chief, through his messengers, says that: He accepts total responsibleness for everything concerning the adult woman who had but i to a greater extent than stair to take away to acquire inward his home. Therefore, from his hands… hither are all requirements for her funeral… (p. 78).
Symbolically, he marries her as well as also provides a coffin-a drinking glass coffin-in improver to other assorted gifts equally would live needed, customarily, for a grand funeral befitting the belatedly married adult woman of a prominent chief:
"… Here is the band a married adult man places on a wife’s
finger. Here is a handbag of money, pass it on the funeral.
Here are cloths which whatever adult woman who is confidently
feminine would select amongst a careful eye; ... dumas,
white kente, silk kente, velvet, brocade. The drinks …
are inward such quantities that nosotros couldn’t convey them here
… this bottle of Schnapps … is what is mandatory for
me to identify inward your hands… this must live the potable with
which the goodbye libation is poured when his beloved
i is beingness placed inward the coffin … (p. 87).
“Finally”, the messenger points out that, it is the want of Chief-Who-Is-Chief “to do for Anansewa
what a married adult man does for a wife. And so he sends his coffin, i made of glass. Place his married adult woman inward it for him …” (p. 87).
Thus Chief-Who-Is-Chief comes finally to exhibit genuine love for Anansewa fifty-fifty though she is dead as well as he is nether no obligation to move to that extent. This gesture touches Ananse so much that, overwhelmed past times this chief’s unique affection, concern, generosity as well as thoughtfulness, Ananse summons all his wits as well as acts inward a way equally to brand this lovely primary win the “contest”.
As it happens, Anansewa resurrects for the preferred suitor, past times the powers evoked through Ananse’s libation prayer-ironically, using the bottle of Schnapps presented past times Chief-Who-Is-Chief.
Ananse as well as his daughter, Anansewa, are greatly assisted inward all this drama past times Ananse’s lover, a
“fashionable”, modern, career adult woman called Christie.
Before all this, however, Ananse hurriedly arranges amongst the Institute for Prospective Brides headed past times Christie to acquire Anansewa trained as well as groomed for spousal human relationship equally a modern, educated woman. He also arranges amongst Anansewa’s grandparents, Aya as well as Ekuwa, to acquire her properly prepared for marriage, especially spousal human relationship to a chief, according to custom, past times ensuring that Anansewa is taken through the puberty rites which Sutherland refers to equally the “outdooring ceremony”.

THE NEW WOMEN RELATED TO ANANSE
In TMA, nosotros regain iv novel women related to Ananse (Anansewa, Christie, Aya as well as Ekuwa) instead
of the only woman, Asɔ, also called ɔkonorɔ Yaa or Okondor Yaa (Opoku-Agyemang, 1999), who has long been known inward the Akan folktale tradition equally Ananse’s wife. Anansewa is the daughter, Christie is a lover who desires to live Ananse’s married adult woman and, past times the terminate of the play, at that spot is every promise that she volition move Ananse’s wife.
Aya is Ananse’s biological woman parent as well as Ekuwa is Ananse’s aunt (Aya’s sister); they are 2 other women who are also novel entrants inward the extended identify unit of measurement of Ananse. All these woman somebody characters are dynamic, active, “life-like” as well as aid advance the plot equally good equally the themes of deception, gullibility, love as well as spousal human relationship inward the play. Whereas Anansewa as well as Christie are main characters, Aya as well as her sister, Ekuwa, may live classified equally little characters.
Anansewa: Anansewa is introduced really early on inward the play. She is the immature lady of Ananse- “Pa Ananse” -and, similar the father, she dominates the story. In fact, Sutherland presents Anansewa to the audience equally a lovely immature lady, the only immature lady as well as the only kid of Ananse. This is different inward the Akan folktale tradition where Ananse has no immature lady whatsoever. There, the children are only boys (four inward all) and, equally previously noted only i of them, Ntekuma, is normal. Ntekuma
is known to live a foil to the manlike somebody parent inward most of the tales inward which Ananse’s tricks backfire.
For example, inward i Akan folktale, the story is told that i time Ananse plans to possess as well as command all the wisdom of Earth as well as proceeds to sweep every fleck together into a pot. He as well as so tries to send the collection of wisdom inward the pot to cover on top of the tallest tree for himself alone. However, no affair how hard he tries, he is unable to climb the tree because he hangs the pot in
front end of him instead of behind him. It is his piffling boy Ntekuma standing below as well as observing the
proceedings, who suggests to the frustrated manlike somebody parent to send the pot at his back. Ananse tries as well as it works! He manages to climb smoothly to the tree top.
Nevertheless, on realising that Ntekuma the tiny boy could give such a wise advice to him, who is the only i supposed to have got all wisdom, Ananse becomes disappointed that some wisps of wisdom mightiness have got remained on world after all, so, out of a deep sense of failure, he drops the pot which breaks to scatter all over Earth all the wisdom stored inward it. For this reason, wisdom has move the heritage of all humankind (Sackeyfio et al., 1994).
The siblings of Ntekuma are spectacular. One has a large caput (his scream is Tikenenkenen literally important Very Very Big Head); i has a large tum (his scream is Afurudohwedohwe literally important Very Very Big Stomach) as well as the other has tiny legs (his scream is Nyankorɔnhweea literally important Very Very Tiny Legs) equally nosotros have got previously observed of them. Anansewa has no siblings or woman parent inward TMA. Her mother, who is anonymous inward the play, is dead as well as so Anansewa lives amongst only her father. However, she has a loving paternal grandmother as well as a grand-aunt beingness Ananse’s mother, Aya as well as his aunt, Ekuwa.
On the i hand, Anansewa loves life as well as represents modern ladies. She likes to acquire out but the
manlike somebody parent wants her to remain at abode as well as serve him equally is seen inward the next conversation betwixt the two:
Ananse: Going-and-coming is necessary…. Otherwise zero succeeds. I went to purchase paper. Here is typing paper. Here is carbon paper. Here are envelopes… Sit downward amongst the machine.
Anansewa: [Petulantly] Ah, I was coming to tell you lot I was going out.
Ananse: My daughter, it isn’t good at home, thence sit down down, opened upward up the machine I bought for your preparation as well as allow the tips of your finger give some service for which I’m paying. I have got really urgent letters to write.
Anansewa: Just when I was going out? (p. 10)
Ananse: There you lot sit down looking lovely as well as it is exciting for you lot to acquire out inward all your beauty. That’s all you lot know. But tell me, won’t you lot render home, here, afterwards? (p. 11).
On the other hand, Anansewa is observed to live a immature lady who is respectful as well as understands her identify unit of measurement difficulties. For instance, she stays behind to assist the father. Further, she knows that her fees equally good equally the lastly instalment on the typewriter she needs for her preparation are inward arrears as well as that the burden of that demand is on her father. Thus she is prepared as well as also responsible plenty to undergo practical preparation as well as written report hard to move self-sufficient as well as useful non only to herself but
also to her family, especially her father, who is struggling to consider her through education. She is literate, knows shorthand as well as is preparation to live a professional person career woman. We equally audience regain her able to type her father’s letters.
Besides formal schooling, Anansewa also humbles herself to move through the traditional preparations as well as preparation meant to brand her a proper Akan adult woman as well as the married adult woman of a chief, a adult woman of amount as well as a role model to the community. We are told that she genuinely likes as well as enjoys her outdooring ceremony “so much” as well as that, according to her grand-aunt, Ekuwa, Anansewa “keeps on asking questions inward monastic say to larn equally much equally she can” (p. 45). Later, when it becomes absolutely necessary for her to “die” equally her manlike somebody parent requests her to do, she agrees, though non without asking questions, equally is observed, for example, inward the next dialogue betwixt the two:
Ananse: ... [Darting closer to her] Open your eyes broad as well as allow me see.
Anansewa: What? Very well. I’ve opened them.
Ananse: [Peering into her eyes] for what reason? [She laughs.] Shut them tight.
Anansewa: [Smiling a piffling as well as obliging] I’ve unopen them tight.
Ananse: Mhm Stiffen your limbs.
Anansewa: [Opening her eyes]. For what reason? [She laughs] Very well, I have got stiffened my limbs. [She does so.]
Ananse: Do it properly, I want you lot to appear equally though you lot are dead.
Anansewa: What do you lot mean? [She laughs.] I have got never died before.
Ananse: My daughter, I implore you, don’t waste matter time. What I’m doing is inward serious preparation.
Anansewa: [Understanding zero at all] Preparation?
Ananse: Yes my daughter, stiffen yourself.
Anansewa: [Doing so amongst laughter] There you lot are. Are you lot satisfied?
Ananse: Very pleased. It’s genuinely coming right. Try non to displace whatever business office of your body. [Anansewa tries.] Oh yes… And now… Can’t you lot take away hold your breath?
Anansewa: [Finding this equally good much] Hold my breath! I shouldn’t breathe? As for that, definitely no, I can’t do it as well as volition not.
Ananse: Oh but my daughter, it’s necessary for you lot to die!
Anansewa: Me? [Words neglect her.] But father, I’m alive. I’m open-eyed. How tin lavatory I switch my life off as well as on similar electricity?
Ananse: Don’t spout featherbrained jokes, you lot don’t understand what nosotros are doing.
Anansewa: Then brand me understand; because this game you’re playing is total of mystery. I don’t similar it.
Ananse: My daughter.
Anansewa: My father.
Ananse: You are forcing me to tell you lot those iv people are coming. Just coming? They are rushing here. Sprinting.
Ananse: … racing hither similar burn downward blazing through grass… (pp. 55-56).
And she “dies” when the fourth dimension finally comes, inward monastic say to salve her manlike somebody parent from humiliation, amid other things, equally the suitors, “those iv people are coming”, “Just coming”, “rushing”, “Sprinting’, “racing hither similar burn downward blazing through grass” equally Ananse puts it (p. 56). Thus Anansewa is potent as well as intelligent but also obedient.
Yet, she knows her rights as well as volition non get hitched amongst blindly exactly to satisfy culture. As such, she questions the manlike somebody parent equally to whatever she does non understand as well as insists at i bespeak that she is former plenty to take away her ain married adult man -“I’m non a child. I’m twenty” (p. 20) - as well as so would non have got the manlike somebody parent take away whatever “old chief” (p. 20) for her or, equally she puts it, sell her equally a commodity-“I volition non allow you lot sell me similar some packet to a customer. [She sings on] I volition select my lover myself/I’ll never comply./ I volition non allow you lot sell me…/Not ever!/Not ever!” (p. 20).
Later, however, when she learns that i of the chiefs is a wealthy, caring, good-looking as well as relatively younger man: a “finely built, glowing black, largedeyed, handsome equally anything, courageous as well as famous” (p. 22) chief, who has been remitting her through the manlike somebody parent as well as “not exactly showing involvement amongst his mouth” (p. 22), she falls apartment inward love amongst him as well as so cooperates amongst the manlike somebody parent to win this primary equally her husband.
In this sense, Anansewa makes a selection of the married adult man she loves as well as non i imposed on her by
tradition. This comes out clearly inward the next dialogue betwixt her as well as her manlike somebody parent inward which Ananse tries to hint that, he has taken gifts from iv skilful chiefs as well as non exactly one, thereby already “entangling” her inward the affair:
Anansewa: What iv chiefs are racing here?
Ananse: Oh-h-h, dear! Rouse your retentiveness if it’s asleep as well as remember. I tell you lot at that spot is no fourth dimension to waste. Each chief’s messengers are on their way, urgently sent to identify your head-drink on the table.
… I tell you lot each primary is coming running to claim you lot equally his wife.
Anansewa: [Laughing] over my dead body. … I repeat, over my dead body. How tin lavatory they claim me equally their own? … . They dare not.
Ananse: …They tin lavatory dare.
Anansewa: Father, why? All that aside, why do you lot say ‘they’? Why don’t you lot say ‘he’, the unmarried one?
Ananse: [His eyes darting] are you lot asking me why?
Anansewa: Yes why? Because I know that it’s only i primary nosotros are expecting to come. And equally far equally that somebody is concerned, he cannot come upward equally good chop-chop for me. I’m waiting for him asleep as well as awake. As for the other iii chiefs, my father, you lot made them take away their eyes off me long ago, remember. Right at the beginning, you lot refused to have got gifts from their hands…. (p. 56).
From the foregoing discussion, Anansewa is really much human different her father’s children inward the Akan folktales. Thanks to Sutherland’s rich imagination as well as artistry, Ananse tin lavatory at i time boast of a immature lady and, for that matter, a normal, modern as well as believable i who tin lavatory think, understand, query as well as act. Sutherland’s fertile imagination leads to the creation of Anansewa thus deepening involvement inward her play equally an African classic as well as inward the Akan folktales equally a cultural heritage.
Aya as well as Ekuwa: Aya as well as Ekuwa are also 2 novel women related to Ananse. Unlike Anansewa, they are introduced much afterwards inward the play, inward Act Three. Sutherland creates Aya equally Ananse’s mother. For i time inward the Akan folktales, Ananse has a biological mother, Aya. Aya is flesh as well as blood as well as a loving Akan grandmother of Anansewa. She adores her son, Ananse as well as her grand-daughter, Anansewa, for whom she has been invited to serve, past times performing the traditional
“outdooring ceremony” for her. By this ceremony, Aya is to initiate her grandchild Anansewa into womanhood, especially equally a adult woman prepared to take away a heavy responsibleness equally a chief’s wife.
Even though the ceremony seems delayed as well as Aya complains a little, she goes ahead amongst her sister, Ekuwa, to do the best for Anansewa, whom they variously refer to amongst so much affection as well as damage of endearment such equally “your grandchild”, “this grandchild of yours” (p. 44), “our child”, “my grandchild” (pp. 45, 46 as well as 47), “my gilded child” (p. 47), “my grandchild Anansewa”, “our girl” as well as “this grandchild of mine” (p. 50).
It is instructive to greenback that Aya is a paternal grandmother. Now, equally far equally the Akan custom of
matrilineal inheritance is concerned, paternal grandmothers are mostly non equally good keen on their
grandchildren for the unproblematic ground that these grandchildren belong to their mother’s identify unit of measurement lineage.
Therefore, usually, grandmothers are rather to a greater extent than interested inward their daughter’s children, that is, the
maternal grandchildren. Often a proverbial query is posed to explicate this: “Woahunu akokɔnini a ne mma di n’akyi da?” literally important “have you lot ever before seen a cock whose chicks are next it?” But opposite to this tradition, Aya shows nifty involvement inward Anansewa as well as her success inward life, both nowadays as well as future, equally far equally the ceremony as well as its significance are concerned. And she offers Anansewa the best gift which is a prayer for a married adult man who has honor for his beau human beings. Hear her:
"… My grandchild, Anansewa, your former lady knows
what is of existent value inward this world. You notice that this
outstretched manus of mine is empty, it contains nothing.
And yet, this same empty manus volition succeed inward placing
a gift into your brass bowl. What this manus is offering is
this prayer of mine. May the homo who comes to take
you lot from our hands to his abode be, higher upward all things, a
somebody amongst honor for his beau human beings …. (p.
51).
In TMA, Sutherland creates a province of affairs where Anansewa’s woman parent is no to a greater extent than as well as nosotros do non equally much equally take away heed of or regain her maternal grandmother at all. Instead, it is her father’s mother-her paternal grandmother-who is nowadays as well as must perform the highly of import “outdooring ceremony” for the immature lady. It is acknowledged that the ceremony appears delayed on line organization human relationship of Anansewa (probably because her woman parent is dead) as well as Aya rightly questions “why now?”
Also, Aya becomes sincerely emotional as well as briefly laments the sad absence of Anansewa’s woman parent at such a crucial fourth dimension as well as at such a memorable twenty-four hours inward the girl’s life. All the same, Aya takes consolation inward Ekuwa’s words of reason-“… I don’t believe you lot want to ruin Anansewa’s joy” (p. 45). So Aya gathers herself upward as well as tackles the task caput on, amongst such love as well as enthusiasm! And this paternal grandmother does the task remarkably good spell taking upward whatever other role which
Anansewa’s ain woman parent would in all probability have got played had she been alive.
Ekuwa confirms this when she declares of her sister, “Mm, Aya, are you lot already here? I consider you lot are keeping your eyes broad opened upward to brand for sure that zero goes incorrect amongst your grandchild Anansewa’s outdooring” (p. 44). Perhaps, amongst the portrayal of Aya inward such a positive low-cal equally far equally she is Anansewa’s paternal grandmother, Sutherland is pointing out that this is how things ought to go, that paternal grandmothers must exhibit love as well as affection to their son’s children the same way they do to their daughter’s.
On the business office of Ekuwa herself, she offers her grandchild, Anansewa, “service”, calling her “my child
of beauty” as well as wishing her really very good (pp. 48 -49) as well as nosotros regain her also equally lovable equally Aya, but somehow to a greater extent than objective. It is she who points out the wisdom inward the adage that says “Better belatedly than never” when she explains to Aya nigh the demand for the “outdooring ceremony” to take away identify fifty-fifty if it has somehow delayed for Anansewa. Ekuwa observes, “… I’ve been trying to explicate it to you. If this grandchild of yours is going to get hitched amongst a chief, then, it is our duty to ready her inward every way for the seat she volition live occupying inward a palace” (p. 44). To this, Aya responds amongst the next words charged amongst sincere emotions:
"Aya: All right. Whatever it may be, I’m happy to see
my Anansewa conducting herself inward the trend that
graces a woman. You do non know what feelings are
breaking as well as ebbing similar waves within me because of
this ceremony nosotros are performing. This moving ridge brings
happiness as well as that i brings pride as well as another,
sadness. Yes, it is truthful that you lot as well as I are hither doing all
nosotros tin lavatory as well as yet when I think that the somebody who
should live hither equally well, bustling roughly Anansewa
should live her ain mother, then, my sis Ekuwa, a
moving ridge of sorrow crests upward within me mangling my
innards. [She starts to dirge] And it isn’t equally though it is
where nosotros could send her a telegram to say, ‘come’. It
isn’t equally though nosotros could send a messenger past times taxi to
fetch her. [She is nigh to wail seriously.] Truly, death
has done some wickedness (p. 45).
Still, Aya portrays the bad mother in law demeanour prevalent amid some Akan/Ghanaian women towards their in-laws. In fact, before Aya meets Christie personally for the foremost time, Aya’s remark to her sis Ekuwa is that Christie is “senselessly extravagant”(p. 45) as well as she also complains without whatever proof that Christie “is serving my boy Kweku equally good hard” (p. 45).
By those remarks made behind Christie’s back, Aya is suggesting that Christie is after her boy Ananse’s wealth.
Worse, nosotros greenback how Aya despisingly refers to Christie equally “that woman” as well as “the woman” (p. 45)
whereas Christie lovingly calls her “Mother”. In fact, when Christie comes in, she addresses her nicely equally “mother” as well as delightedly exclaims to her: “How I have got dressed upward my immature lady Anansewa!” Sadly, however, Aya sarcastically mimics Christie’s words to her sister, later,-again inward the absence of Christie-with the words “‘I’ve dressed upward my immature lady Anansewa’, indeed!”
Aya fifty-fifty goes to the extent of adding contemptuous remarks such equally “When did my grandchild move her child?” as well as also “Whom is she calling mother? Me?” (p. 46). When her sis Ekuwa
tries to bespeak out that Christie is at that spot on Ananse’s invitation as well as that she is exactly trying to help, Aya,
“[snorting]”, has only this to say that, “The way I consider it she is leaning her ladder on my grandchild inward monastic say to climb upward to my son” (p. 45).
It is clear from these as well as other reactions of hers that fifty-fifty though Aya is overnice to Anansewa, when it
comes to Christie, Aya changes from beingness a overnice person- maybe because she does non approve of the human relationship betwixt Ananse as well as Christie. It may live argued that Ananse has non married Christie yet as well as so Aya may live correct non to encourage illegitimate spousal human relationship or immorality, but as well as so courtship must precede marriage? Or, beingness traditionalist, Aya is non interested inward courtship?
The truth of the affair is that, the demeanour of some mothers-in-law or would-be ones inward Akan land, Republic of Ghana as well as elsewhere is exactly equally that shown past times Ananse’s mother. It is surprising how the same somebody tin lavatory exhibit so much affection as well as yet so much disgust on line organization human relationship of the same son. Aya loves Anansewa, immature lady of her son, but Aya dislikes Christie, partner of her son.
Perhaps, i time again, Sutherland is using Aya to bespeak out the anomaly inward monastic say to encourage a alter inward such “rival” mothers-in-law. “Love me love my dog”, Sutherland seems to advise.
Concerning Aya as well as her sis Ekuwa, however, at that spot is a twist inward the story which makes them pitiful, inward that, after toiling so much to ready Anansewa for spousal human relationship to a chief, inward the end, they are told lies as well as chased away past times Ananse, nether the pretext that they cannot stand upward the sad but faux expiry of Anansewa. By sending them away, i tin lavatory conclude that, the poor women would non live roughly to partake inward the merriment inward the spousal human relationship of their paternal grandchild, Anansewa, to Chief-Who-Is-Chief. What a pity!
Christie: Like Anansewa as well as the elderly women Aya as well as Ekuwa inward TMA, Christie is a adult woman inward Ananse’s life as well as a special i at that, beingness his lover. Her total scream is Miss Christina Yamoah as well as she is described inward the play equally a “fashionable” woman, the proprietress of the Institute for Prospective Brides. Sutherland mentions her scream much before at the terminate of Act Two when she is telephoned to take away tending of Anansewa at the Institute, yet Christie does non appear until afterwards inward the
play, inward Act Three, to clothes Anansewa on the twenty-four hours of the “outdooring ceremony”, where Christie joins the grannies as well as Anansewa’s peers inward the celebrations.
However, Miss Yamoah is made to dominate the funeral scenes since she literally becomes the human face upward of Ananse spell he seriously mourns his daughter, Anansewa, who is dead as well as lies inward state, at a fourth dimension when the former ladies have got genuinely left having been tricked to leave of absence past times Ananse before Anansewa’s death.
Christie is thence made to occupy a really of import seat including that of a linguist as well as she
skillfully plays these roles to the admiration of all. In whatever case, she also reveals herself equally a liar as well as a crook exactly similar her lover, all inward the scream of love as well as materialism. This is peculiarly so equally she ensures that the sad atmosphere is maintained spell she tactfully prevents the situation, where the prevarication behind Ananse’s programme could live exposed. Above all, Christie finds a agency of collecting whatever gifts are brought to Ananse past times the sympathizers.
Christie respects Ananse’s woman parent as well as addresses her dearly equally “mother” although she is non yet married to him as well as Ananse’s woman parent does non seem to similar her. This shows how much she wants to live accepted equally a daughter-in-law. According to Akan custom, the woman parent of one’s partner/spouse is indeed one’s woman parent equally well.
To all intents as well as purposes, Christie is really much inward love amongst George Kweku Ananse, but Ananse seems to live dragging his feet concerning getting married to her. Yet Christie shows such love, tending as well as concern to Ananse as well as the immature lady Anansewa that she assists the grandmothers inward the preparation for the “outdooring ceremony” and, indeed, presents to Anansewa something valuable, inward the shape of a “sovereign” which is “so precious” to Christie; something she is so emotionally attached to as well as says “I never thought I n never thought I would business office amongst this sovereign inward my
hand” (p. 49).
As previously hinted, she ensures, to a greater extent than importantly, that neither Ananse nor Anansewa is
exposed during the faux death, lying-in-state as well as resurrection of Anansewa. As Ananse wails
uncontrollably on line organization human relationship of the feigned ‘loss’ of his only kid albeit his dear daughter, Anansewa, it is Christie who takes the responsibleness of receiving the messengers of the iv contesting chiefs, asks the mission according to custom as well as takes accuse of the gifts they bring. She carefully guards the room where Anansewa’s “corpse” lies as well as makes for sure no-one gets equally good nigh the ‘body’ as well as maybe consider the corpse breathing. Also, she tries to console Ananse as well as makes the whole scam affair really believable. In the end, Ananse, whom Christie affectionately calls “Georgie”, succeeds, thank you lot to her equally much equally to Anansewa, whom Christie lovingly refers to equally “my daughter” (p. 45), “my darling”, “my sweetie” as well as “my dear” (p. 49).
Sutherland’s presentation of Christie would seem to give acceptance to the pop Ghanaian cliche that says “Fear woman”, an appear often used to underscore the cunningness of women as well as how unsafe they tin lavatory be.
In the lastly analysis, at that spot is promise that the two, that is, Christie as well as Ananse, shall move i exactly equally is most probable to occur betwixt the resurrected Anansewa as well as the much dear Chief-Who-Is-Chief. Luckily for Christie, it is unlikely that she volition non live roughly to partake inward the lastly enjoyment, especially when Aya is far away.
With the introduction of the young, “fashionable” Auntie Christie inward TMA, Efua T. Sutherland also
reaffirms the saying that “beside every successful homo is a woman.”
Ananse: Ananse himself remains the former Kweku Ananse inward the traditional Akan folktales. He is the archhero, arch-trickster and, indeed, the “owner” of the tales, equally is to a greater extent than often than non accepted. In TMA, for example, these are confirmed. Not only is Ananse the principal grapheme but also he is the unbeatable trickster, who is able to play on the tidings of a whole community including his ain woman parent as well as aunt as well as fifty-fifty the “great” leaders of his society, beingness “four prominent chiefs of
the land”!
We regain how the whole story of the spousal human relationship of Anansewa is dominated past times Ananse. Again, nosotros regain how, for instance, after Anansewa’s “outdooring ceremony” has been beautifully performed past times his woman parent as well as aunt, Ananse finds a prevarication to tell them that an enemy has set burn downward to the identify unit of measurement property-being their only cocoa farm dorsum inward their village, Nanka as well as so gets them packing at that spot as well as and so into a waiting taxi equally they wail their fate, pointing accusing fingers at no i inward item as well as rushing dorsum abode to their hamlet to consider to the “problem”. Moreover, nosotros also regain how Ananse confuses the whole community amongst his faux bereavement non to verbalize of how he makes the chiefs the butts of his i large joke of a spousal human relationship to his daughter.
Here, the truthful grapheme of Ananse equally a trickster, a cheat as well as a selfish homo is upheld past times Sutherland.
Yet Sutherland also transforms him equally a to a greater extent than enlightened homo inward TMA inward monastic say to heighten him to a novel flat inward the system of things. And he becomes a skilful man, too. Ananse’s novel identity is the anglicized i amongst the novel scream ‘George’. George Kweku Ananse becomes the novel Akan man, who, different most Akan fathers of Sutherland’s time, volition educate his girl-child as well as non consign her to early on spousal human relationship or confine her to only the kitchen exactly because she is female. Thus, spell wishing for the best caring homo to get hitched amongst her, Ananse makes for sure that his immature lady volition move educated,
independent as well as economically empowered; therefore, he struggles to consider her through schoolhouse as well as professional person training, no affair how much it costs him, financially or emotionally.
It is also worth noting that fifty-fifty though Kweku acquires a novel unusual name, “George” (“Georgie”) as well as amongst it an anglicized identity, he respects the traditions of his gild as well as culture. For instance, he believes inward traditional spousal human relationship as well as he gets an “outdooring ceremony” organized for his only immature lady to ready her for marriage, inward fact, the high calling of a chief’s wife, though a fleck belatedly as well as also after having prepared her at the Institute for Prospective Brides, inward the tending of the stylish Madam Christie, the proprietess.
The significance of this seeming contradiction inward Ananse is that, perhaps, it is possible to get hitched amongst positive aspects of different cultures without harm, especially inward today’s globalised world. Again, Sutherland’s inventiveness is at its best inward the carving of the novel Ananse of TMA as well as the Akan folktales.

CONCLUSION
This newspaper has studied Efua T. Sutherland’s creative genius equally far equally characterization inward TMA is
concerned. It has shown that although TMA is built roughly the famous Ananse grapheme of the Akan folktales, Sutherland artistically introduces a novel dimension to the Ananse identify unit of measurement past times bringing inward novel entrants, who are all woman somebody as well as also past times redefining Ananse’s identity equally a modern citizen of the globalised world. There is at i time a ease of iv women to tally the iv males inward the master Ananse identify unit of measurement exterior him as well as his wife, Asɔ.
Together amongst the grandparents, the novel identify unit of measurement of Ananse becomes to a greater extent than realistic, especially equally an
African identify unit of measurement as well as the members play their roles good equally major as well as little characters to advance the play, both plot-wise as well as thematically. To a large extent, they all human activity as well as conduct similar existent people inward the existent world of human beings. All these novel features of the Akan folktales equally depicted inward TMA have got been made possible owing to Sutherland’s success equally a playwright amongst a powerful artistic presentation of characters.
However, equally previously observed, Sutherland does non permit Asɔ to live. This is unfortunate inward 2 main ways. First, because the traditional Ananse identify unit of measurement appears immortal equally no fellow member of it has ever died inward the Akan folktales. If anything, it is Ananse the trickster himself who, sometimes, pretends to live dead out of greed exactly to cheat the identify unit of measurement of nutrient (see for instance Tale 35 titled “Wives should aid their husbands to work”, inward Mireku-Gyimah (2011), but he resurrects shortly after. So Ananse himself is also plainly immortal.
Sutherland should, therefore, have got allowed Asɔ the married adult woman to live, especially at i time that Asɔ has a daughter-and a potent i for that matter-to back upward her against her trickster married adult man as well as mostly weak sons. Had Asɔ been spared to live, at that spot would have got been a perfect ease of 5 males as well as 5 females, who would have got represented the gild better.
The existence of Asɔ the married adult woman as well as Christie equally a lover preparing to live a wife, or, possibly, a minute married adult woman would silent non live out of identify but rather fifty-fifty to a greater extent than representative of the traditional society, which permits polygamy. And Christie would live the perfect stair mother-a competitor who loves her married adult man as well as thence loves whatever belongs to him, inward this case, his child, Anansewa, equally her own. Perhaps Sutherland exactly kills off Asɔ exactly to seek to avoid propagating polygamy which, exterior traditional society, is largely considered equally immoral as well as also to avoid adding to the woes of the suffering married adult woman amongst the presence of a co-wife or girlfriend. Once again, inward all these dimensions, it is all Sutherland’s fine art at work.

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Mireku-Gyimah, P.B., 2011. 50 Akan Folktales from Ghana: English linguistic communication as well as Akan Versions. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing GmbH, Saarbrucken, pp:
205-209.
Opoku-Agyemang, N.J., 1999. Gender role perceptions inward the Akan folktales. Res. Afr.
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Owusu-Sarpong, C., 1998. Trilingual Anthology of Akan Folktales. Vol. 1, Yamens Paper Products
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Sackeyfio, N.A., J.K. Adu as well as B. Hyde, 1994. Ananse as well as the Wisdom of the World. Republic of Ghana SSS English linguistic communication Book 1, MoE, Accra, pp: 24-25.
Sutherland, E.T., 1997. The Marriage of Anansewa. Longman African Classic, Animo Press Ltd., Ikeja, pp: 8.
Teiko, N.O., 2011. Themes as well as Characterisation in
Amu Djoleto’s Money Galore. Akrong Publications, Accra, pp: 29.
spurcehttp://maxwellsci.com/print/crjss/v5-177-184.pdf

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