The Blood of a Stranger

The Blood of a Stranger In this first play in the collection, playwright Raymond Dele-Charley critiques the exploitation of Africans who find themselves under a European power. The play opens with Maligu, the Chief advisor, announcing, from a letter he received, that an unknown white man would be coming to their village. He has of course convinced the corrupt priest, Soko, to prophecy that they should welcome this visitor. In a community that has not accepted visitors since the war, this is hard news to take. Visitors to them mean sickness, disease, and fighting. But because the people of Mando land believe that Soko has been sent this vision from their forefathers, they make preparations to welcome the visitor. Kindo, chief warrior and son of the King, feels something is amiss. He knows that Soko and Maligu are corrupt, and he is suspicious when Soko claims to have had visions permitting the stranger entry. The white man, Whitehead, soon reveals to Maligu that his true motive is diamonds. He has lied to the king, giving the impression that he would plant tobacco, build a school, and help the village. His real intention is to have the farmers unknowingly harvest the diamonds for him. Apart from being a very gripping drama, the play vividly exhibits key aspects of Sierra Leonean history and culture. The white man symbolizes Britain's rape of Sierra Leonean natural resources. In this play, Sierra Leonean people are presented not only as victimized, but also as complicit in the exploitation of their own people. Through the gifts of "strange tobacco" and alcohol, Whitehead takes advantage of the drugged natives and exploits their resources. With the help of Maligu and Soko, Whitehead also tries to rape Kindo's woman, Wara, but in the end his elaborate plans fail. Dele-Charley clearly makes the point that justice always wins out against oppression. http://www.amazon.com/