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RELIGION IN THE PLAY INHERITANCE: A play by DAVID MULWA

Many times when we talk about religion, we look at Christianity and other major religion in the world. Although this religions play major roles in literature, there are still many other religions that writers and playwrights also discuss in their works.

In this play, Christianity and Kutula traditional religion play a significant role. However, the role played by these two religions is negative.

The play clearly brings out how religion can be applied subjectively to the people. During the colonial era, Bishop Menninger made sure to preach about obedience and humility in order to make the people of Kutula submissive. Besides, he used the sermons to get to know the people especially the young generation. It is within his teachings that he came to learn that Lacuna Kasoo would make a fine leader for Kutula(pg15).

Menninger also observes that Princess Sangoi would be no bother since she was enamoured by the foreign religion. According to the Bishop, Sangoi would be lost in the corridors of academia to worry about leadership. He was wrong as can be seen in the play.

The teachings of humility and obedience seem to have stuck in Kutula even after independence. Coupled with traditional teachings, they have reduced the people of Kutula into fearful sufferers including the leaders. Although some like Romanus Bengo and Lulu are waking up to reality and condemning this act of cowardice, the rest are still in the murk (pg30-47.) Lulu has woken up to realisation that being godly does not mean being stupid and afraid and points it out to her mother. Her mother Tamina, is afraid of those in power that the only person she can raise her voice to is her daughter. She represents the voiceless who suffer under the laws meant to benefit those in power.

Traditional religion is propagated by Councillor Malipoa. Using his understanding of his traditional religion, Malipoa propagates male chauvinistic ideologies which are meant to satisfy Lacuna Kasoo’s insatiable lust for innocent girls. Malipoa postulates that in order for Lacuna to keep his position, he needs to appease the gods by sacrificing a pure untainted girl in the former king’s chambers. This tradition was meant to prey on unwitting parents and thus let the leader defile young women in the name of tradition.

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