The Great Ponds: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Great Ponds: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the intricate dynamics between key figures in the ongoing conflict between the Chiolu and Aliakoro villages, centered around the coveted fishing rights to Wagaba Pond. Olumba, the principal warrior of Chiolu, is portrayed as a respected strategist and devout believer, grappling with inner turmoil and the devastation brought on by an influenza epidemic. His counterpart, Wago the Leopard-Killer from Aliakoro, is characterized by his aggressive nature and lack of respect for others, leading to his downfall.
Ikechi, a young warrior from Chiolu, is depicted as loyal yet inexperienced, learning from Olumba while navigating the challenges of warfare and his burgeoning role in the community. The chiefs of both villages, Eze Diali of Chiolu and Eze Okehi of Aliakoro, embody contrasting leadership styles, with Diali seeking peace and Okehi driven by conflict. The spiritual elements of the narrative are enriched by the presence of dibias, or shamans, like Anwuanwu and Igwu, who influence the unfolding events through curses and protective rituals. Overall, the characters not only reflect the cultural values of their respective villages but also highlight the complexities of honor, loyalty, and the impact of divine judgment in their lives.
The Great Ponds: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Elechi Amadi
First published: 1969
Genre: Novel
Locale: Nigeria
Plot: Social morality
Time: 1918
Olumba (oh-LEWM-bah), the principal warrior of the Chiolu village. A short but muscular middle-aged man, he is respected widely as a brilliant strategist in warfare and is equally respected for his skills with the knife and bow. Although he is not yet an elder, his suggestions on tactics in battle and his views on negotiations for peace are frequently followed by the chief and other elders. A devout, even zealous, believer in the gods, he looks up when he walks. He spends much of his time at home in ritual meditation and possesses a vast collection of charms and amulets to protect himself during battle. Olumba's manner before the villagers reflects dignity and an even-tempered judgment, but inwardly he wrestles with fits of anger and despair. His pride as a warrior yields to the best interests of Chiolu when he swears on oath to the gods so that they might judge the rightful village's ownership of fishing rights to Wagaba Pond. As the influenza epidemic strikes both Chiolu and Aliakoro villages, Olumba becomes physically emaciated and mentally disoriented, wrestling with spirits who attempt to kill him. Although he survives a final attack by Wago, his hollowed eyes look out over a village decimated by the deadly virus, making the triumphant judgment of the gods meaningless in the wake of the community's many victims.
Wago the Leopard-Killer (WAH-goh), the principal warrior of Aliakoro village. A skilled hunter renowned for his three leopard skins, he is brave and strong but sometimes so aggressive that he is outwitted strategically in battle. In peace negotiations, Wago shows little respect for the elders of his own village and even less for his enemies, often punctuating discussions with loud boasts, rude insults, and thinly veiled lies. He is an excellent stalker, capable of intense concentration on his prey. The middle-aged Wago's deep-set eyes embody his stubborn determination, regardless of the wisdom of his views. He shows little respect for his gods, preferring to rely on his own strength and swiftness; when his physical abilities fail him or his crude style of negotiation collapses, he resorts to a weird, condescending laughter. Impatient when the gods do not kill Olumba as a result of his oath, Wago pretends to be a leopard and attacks the ailing Olumba, only to be mortally wounded by Ikechi. He escapes to Wagaba Pond and commits suicide by drowning himself, thereby rendering the judgment of the gods insignificant: The Chiolu people will not fish in water polluted spiritually by an act of suicide.
Ikechi (ee-KAY-chee), a young and inexperienced Chiolu warrior who apprentices himself to Olumba. Boyishly impulsive, he is known for his great speed as a runner; in his first battle, he runs down an enemy from Aliakoro and kills him, earning the right to be initiated as a warrior. When courting the chief's daughter Chisa, Ikechi displays his good humor and his respect for tribal customs. In battle, he is anxious, often grinding his teeth, but brave and loyal. When he confronts Wago and warriors in alliance with those of Aliakoro, he flees, using the good sense that Olumba has taught him to exercise should he face odds that he cannot overcome. As Olumba and other villagers become ill with influenza, Ikechi shadows him protectively, saving Olumba's life when Wago attacks him in an effort to thwart the judgment of the gods.
Eze Diali (AY-zay dee-AH-lee), the chief of Chiolu village. Adorned in peacock feathers and exuding dignity even in his walk, the short but nimble old chief commands the love and the respect of his people. Known as a rational and fair-minded leader, Diali seeks and honors consistently the advice of Chiolu's elders and warriors, but he constantly second-guesses his decision to go to war over the fishing rights to Wagaba Pond. Earnestly desiring an end to the war, Diali attempts negotiation several times to bring an end to the killing. As the war continues and the influenza progresses, he becomes frail and ill, but he remains genial and gentle toward his people, often spending long hours playing with his children. Something of a fatalist, Diali resists a temptation to subvert the strength of Chiolu's warriors by pursuing the kidnappers of his own daughter Chisa.
Eze Okehi (AY-zay oh-KAY-hee), the chief of Aliakoro village. Still strong and well preserved, the aged, white-haired leader starts the war with Chiolu, encouraged by the aggressive arguments of Wago. Although determined to win the fishing rights for Wagaba Pond on behalf of his people, Okehi honors the divination of Igwu, who claims that Aliakoro has offended the gods by kidnapping Eze Diali's daughter and Olumba's wife, Oda, who is pregnant. Because the two women have been sold into slavery and their return is unlikely at best, Okehi agrees to Olumba's oath as a means of resolving the five-month war. During the six-month period of Olumba's oath, Okehi's health deteriorates, and Wago's influence dominates the village.
Anwuanwu (ahn-wew-AHN-wew), the dibia, or shaman, of Abii village. Far more powerful and learned than Chiolu's dibia, Achichi, he is renowned for producing protective amulets and using herbs and roots to develop cures. Especially trained to subvert curses imposed by other dibias, Anwuanwu discovers Igwu's curse on Olumba and helps battle Igwu for Olumba's health during his oath.
Igwu (ee-GWEW), the dibia of Aliakoro village. A wrestling champion in his early years, the stocky, middle-aged dibia uses “male” and “female” drums to perform his divinations. Although he believes that fishing rights are not worth the loss of human lives in warfare, Igwu consents to invoking a deadly curse so that he might subvert the judgment of the gods on Olumba's oath; only Anwuanwu's intervention prevents the death of Olumba in his fall from a palm tree. Despite supporting Aliakoro by provoking Olumba's fall, Igwu fears Wago's aggressive dominance of Aliakoro and causes him to fall ill. Igwu's divinations, however, like those of the other villages' dibias, cannot stem the disastrous epidemic of influenza.