A Dance of Forests: Wole Soyinka
SUMMARY OF PART ONE
The play begins with a short prologue spoken by Aroni the lame one which establishes the connection between the two sets of characters placed in the two different time frames of the play, the first the present, during the Feast of the Human Community and the second the past, during the reign of Mata Kharibu. Aroni also briefly introduces the concepts of Ogun and Eshuoro and how they are presented in the play. By way of transition to Part One Aroni speaks of the totem pole, the "symbol of the great re-union" that Demoke, the son of the Old Man, has been chosen to carve.
After the prologue the Dead Man and the pregnant Dead Woman appear on stage and wonder whether they have come to the right place. They ask for help and directions to Adenebi the Council orator, Demoke the carver, Obaneji and Rola the courtesan, all of who refuse. Thus within the first few minutes of the play we have met almost all the main characters. As a result of the behaviour of the living characters the two dead characters feel they should not have obeyed the summons to appear in the world of the living. After the exit of the dead pair the four living characters sit down and start talking. They talk among other things of the totem that Demoke has carved and which is now the centre of attraction. The reappearance of the dead pair makes the living wander off stage in order to avoid contact.
The next section (there are no acts and scenes in this play--stage settings denote changes in locale) is an exchange between Aroni the lame one and Murete a tree imp about the festivities and rituals that are about to begin to celebrate the gathering of the tribes, among them the welcoming of the dead. Aroni wants to extract information from the mischievous and unwilling witness, Murete, as to who it has seen passing by him (Murete is hidden in his tree home). We learn that the dead pair has been sent by Aroni as a result of the request of the living for some representatives of their illustrious ancestors. Aroni informs Murete that one of the four living characters who has passed by Murete's tree is a servant of Ogun.
Once Aroni exits and Murete disappears inside his tree to continue spying, Agboreko, the Elder of the Sealed Lips, enters and tries to coax Murete out of the tree and extract information, only to be told that he has to return later. Next it is Ogun's turn to enter and get information from Murete--this he does by the simple means of forcing a lot of alcohol down Murete's throat. We learn from Ogun that it is Demoke the carver who is Ogun's servant among the living characters. There's also some talk of Eshuoro, a wayward cult-spirit, whom Murete drunkenly threatens to bite if he comes anywhere close. Before leaving Ogun says that he will not forget that Demoke had injured the araba tree, Eshuaro's favourite, while carving the totem pole.
After Ogun's exit the four living characters we have encountered before, Demoke, Obaneji, Rola and Adenebi, reenter and begin their conversation by conjecturing about the identity of the two dead persons. Obaneji reveals that he knows quite a bit about people's secrets because he has been a senior filing clerk for the Courts. Rola begins to taunt him but Adenebi interrupts and says there should be no unpleasantness since they have to spend time in each others' company. Obaneji explains some of the interesting parts of his job, such as the records for motor lorries, for which he owns a passion. There was one such lorry, the Incinerator, for which the concerned official took a substantial bribe and changed the capacity from forty to seventy. Once it caught fire only five of the seventy on board managed to escape. All of the passengers were on their way to the gathering of the tribes.
Obaneji asks Adenebi to find out some information for him. The characters launch into an argument as to how the bribe-taking official ought to be punished. Demoke says he'd much rather die from a fall from a great height as did his assistant on the totem pole rather than be burnt to death like the unfortunate lorry passengers. Adenebi refuses to answer how he would wish to die. Rola answers Obaneji's question with a kiss. When Obaneji refuses to respond to her advances she taunts him saying he is not a man. Obaneji retorts by saying that she is so promiscuous and so cruel that the graveyard is full of her lovers. As a result of this exchange Demoke guesses that Rola is none other than the infamous Madame Tortoise. He confesses that she dominated his thoughts when he carved the totem. Rola attacks Obaneji for revealing her identity. Adenebi is disgusted to be in her company and shocked at her brazenness. Rola asserts that she regrets nothing and if her lovers killed themselves that was their problem. She is proud to have used her physical assets to acquire wealth. Adenebi accuses her of ruining thousands in order to amass her riches Demoke asks Rola if she was aware of the legendary Madame Tortoise.
The dead pair enters and the Dead Man speaks of how he'd always wanted to return here to his home. Demoke wants to know if the carver who fell to his death from the totem blames Demoke. The dead pair leaves in despair of being saved by the living. saying. "May you be cursed again."
After they leave Demoke confesses that he pushed his apprentice, Oremole, off the totem pole. Unable to bear being taunted by the boastful Oremole, servant of Oro, and "fawner of Eshuoro," and unable to tolerate being prevented from trimming the araba tree, Demoke pushed Oremole off the pole and then cut off his head.
A man's voice is heard calling Demoke, and Obaneji leads them away in the wrong direction. Ogun enters and admits that he imitated Demoke's father's voice just now. Ogun takes Demoke's crime on his own shoulders because Oro is his enemy and Oremole was Oro's follower. It was Ogun who made Demoke raise his hand because Oremole would not allow Demoke to bow the araba tree's head and master wood with his iron axe. Ogun tells Forest Father, masquerading as a human being (Obaneji) that he'll not desert his son at the moment of trial and punishment.
As Ogun leaves the Old Man enters with two councillors and lots of beaters. The Old Man asks after his son Demoke but the councillor tells him that he has seen Adenebi, not Demoke. Adenebi enters and says he hears they're looking for "some shady characters." The Old man says yes. They have no cages or nets to capture them-just driving them away will be enough. The Old Man says they have to drive away their guests because the wrong people have come-statesmen were asked for and executioners came instead.
The Old Man orders petrol to be poured all over the forest because the dead cannot stand the smell. Then he changes his mind, realising that the whole forest would be burnt down. Instead, he orders that an old wagon, the Chimney of Ereko, be driven through the forest, polluting it with smoke. The Old Man is sure no ghost can survive the Chimney's smoke.
Adenebi is confused by the Old Man wanting to drive away the very guests he has invited. He recalls the ambitious plans for the gathering of the tribes--the building of the totem pole, the bringing home of the "scattered sons" of their "proud ancestors," be they sages, conquerors, philosophers, mystics, warriors, even from hell if need be. The Old Man says that their plans have misfired and instead of great people, "slaves and lackeys" have come to accuse their hosts in the land of the living and undermine the whole celebration. Adenebi goes on and on about how he had expected the great heroes of old to appear while the Old Man restlessly waits for Agboreko to come and report what information he has got from Murete. Agboreko enters and reports that the dead pair, so full of their own woes, has been taken under Aroni's wing so they won't trouble the living. The dead pair is closely related to Madame Tortoise. Murete has refused to reveal where Aroni will hold his court. The Old Man asks Agboreko if Oremole, Demoke's apprentice, is among the dead and if the dead pair will accuse Demoke on Oremole's behalf. Agboreko does not know. The Old Man then asks if Forest Father works along with Aroni, and Adenebi asks about Forest Father and the others are amazed that he does not know of him. Agboreko leaves to try and get more information from Murete. As Adenebi leaves he tells the Old Man that he saw Demoke in the forest and that there were two others, besides himself, with Demoke. When the Old Man asks him if he heard anything or met anyone else, Adenebi says there were two "unpleasant looking" "mad creatures" who followed them around and made him sick. He also discovered that the woman with them was Madame Tortoise. In order to avoid being seen with such a disreputable woman, he left. The Old Man becomes very agitated to learn that his son is in the company of Madame Tortoise and he conjectures that the fourth person (Obancji) must be Eshuoro, thirsting for the blood of the slayer of his servant, Oremole. He calls out to Agboreko who enters almost immediately. The Old Man and Agboreko conjecture who the fourth living being could be. The Old Man is convinced it is Eshuoro while Agboreko surmises that it could even be Forest Father himself. The Old Man becomes impatient and agitated, and Agboreko tries to calm him down by reciting proverbs.
The beaters enter along with the flogger who clears a space for his whip which he then freely uses. The dancer, the dancer's acolyte and the Dirge-man begin their work. The Dirge-man asks for room for the dead and Agboreko makes his prophecy with the help of the divination board, the bowl and kernels. But his prophecy-"The loft is not out of reach when the dust means to settle"-does not satisfy the Old Man The Dirge-man and Agboreko take turns in making a number of statements referring to figures in Yoruba myth. The Dirge-man repeats his request for leaving the dead enough "room to dance." The Old Man makes fun of Agboreko's meaningless platitudes ("Proverb to bones and silence" is a particular favourite). Suddenly a lorry appears, its headlights flashing-it is the Chimney of Ereko. Agboreko mistakes its roar for thunder. It is now Agboreko's turn to laugh at the Old Man for believing he can get rid of the dead with such toys.
The crowd panics at the sight of the Chimney and tries to flee. Adenebi is knocked down and trampled. He cries out for Demoke and Madame Tortoise, whom he now terms his "friends." An assortment of forest creatures and spirits pass across the stage grumbling and holding their noses because of the petrol fumes from the lorry
Obaneji, Rola and Demoke enter. Obaneji once again asks Adenebi if he has found out the information he required-who was responsible for the deaths of the sixty- five lorry passengers. Adenebi says he wants to be left alone. Obaneji, Rola and Demoke go to the welcoming of the dead. After hesitating. Adenebi runs after them.
