IMPACT OF COLONIALISM IN NGUGIWATHIONG'O'S SELECT NOVELS

NgugiwaThiong'o is a renowned literary figure from East Africa. He is known for his description of colonial
issues in his works especially in his novels. He has exposed how the British colonial education annihilated
native language, native culture and native identity. This paper examines how the Britishers annihilated
native elements and the serious consequences of it. During the colonial and the post-colonial period, native
people suffered from 'white ache'. According to Nyamnjoh, " Whiteache is black man celebrating the negation
of himself"(65). Native people want to identify themselves with white people and hate their own black
identity. Native people feel that the Britishers are superior in terms of their culture and education, because
they have introduced the knowledge of literature, science and technology to them in the colonial school.
Ngugi in all of his novels highlights the impact of colonialism. In Weep Not, Child,Ngugi describes in a
detailed manner how the native land and native labour have been taken by the Britishers. This inhuman act
of Britishers paves way for the alienation among the native people. In The River Between, Ngugi is highly
critical of Britisher's conversion process. The Britishers introduced their own Christian religion in Kenya and
other African countries in order to destroy the native people's religion, native unity and native identity and
to dominate the native people . In A Grain of Wheat, Ngugi pinpoints the stark reality in Kenya. He also
exposes how the native men have been tortured in the concentration camps as their fellow country men
have formed Kenya's Land and Freedom Army ( Mau Mau) inorder to liberate Kenya from the clutches of
colonialism. All the men in Kenya have been taken to concentration camps and women including children
have been allowed to stay in their homes. More restrictions have been laid before them .Women were beaten
severely and forcefully raped and resulted in their inhuman death. During the colonial period, native suffered
a lot due to the various inhuman practices employed by the Britishers in Kenya.
Key words: : Colonialism, Mau - Mau, religion, Conversion, alienation, liberation, identity)