ACT 2.

The chorus continues their solemn funeral song, and no one in Edufa's house recognizes this cry as a calling for someone in their house. Edufa's stature is really displayed in this scene, in that, the chorus refers to him as, "[...] He-Whose-Hands-Are-Ever-Open." The village sees him as generous and eminent. In fact, they continue to describe him as, “Open Face Open Heart Open Palm, Edufa.” The relationship between Edufa and his wife Ampoma is seen as nearly perfect in the eyes of the community. This is displayed by the chorus stating that, “Woman of this house of fortune. Singing your husband’s praise is singing your praises too. Tender heart who nurses him to his fortune. Stand side by side […]” Ampoma seems to be his support. Her sincerity is clearly presented. The chorus somehow enters the gate that Edufa declared to be locked, as to not allow the outside in. They question Seguwa whether or not they may enter, and at first she is hesitant, but agrees to let them come in. Upon entering, they address Edufa as “the giver himself”, and ask about Ampoma. Edufa lies and says she is getting better, to protect his image of health and wealth of course. The chorus is invited to perform a ritual to bring comfort, health, and most importantly, cast away all evil spirits. Too bad they don’t know that the evil spirits are already present, because of Edufa’s carelessness. As they are leaving, the chorus is also invited to come again for dinner. Just as the chorus is leaving, Edufa’s friend Senchi is arriving. Senchi is a very charming and flirtatious man who cannot wait for the dinner he overheard Edufa inviting the chorus of women to. He is a simple, yet comfortable songwriter who does not have many riches. Because of the festivities that will be going on later in the night, Edufa orders that his baby sister Abena prepare dinner for them. Senchi has not found love, but sees something in Ampoma that he desires in a woman of his own. Sam described as an “idiot servant,” returns from a mission that Edufa has sent him on. He endured a lot on the way to the see “the man” who is later discovered to be the “diviner” who cast the spell for Edufa. With him, he brought back an owl which everyone seems to be dismayed about. Sam delivers strict directions from the magician himself, and Edufa must catch three special stones from the river, make a sign of the sun on his doorstep, and lastly, burn a small pouch.Edufa truly believes Ampoma is saved after completing this sacrament.



Analysis.
The way Edufa addressed his little sister to begin dinner preparation startled me, and therefore urged me to research how African women are treated in society. According to (http://www.africaguide.com/culture/weddings.htm), “[…] in marriage women are given to a man they do not know who is much older then themselves. The bride packs all her belongings and is dressed in her finest jewelry. At the marriage ceremony the father of the bride spits on the brides head and breasts as a blessing and then she leaves with her husband walking to her new home she never looks back fearing that she will turn to stone. This can be a very sad experience for the bride, who is 13-16 years old and may walk a long way to get to her new house. In order to ward off bad luck sometimes the women of the grooms family will even insult the bride.” This was very surprising and it really shocked me to read this. I do not in any way see how insults can bring good luck. As I kept reading Act II, something else amazed me. The chorus [referring to ampoma], says, “O lady, lady lying in a bed of silk! What kind of thighs, what kind of thighs must a woman have to earn a bed of silk?” Clearly, this quote shows how much value a woman has in society.

Another poignant point in Act II was how agitated Edufa and Seguwa were about Sam’s owl. I decided to discover why they were so critical. In Africa the owl is associated with witchcraft and sorcery. (http://www.crossroad.to/Books/symbols1.html) because they hunt at night, they are associated with secrecy and darkness. According to the Hottentot people of Africa, the hooting of an owl at night is an omen of death. (Myths Encyclopedia) “Among the Kikuyu of Kenya it was believed that owls were harbingers of death. If one saw an owl or heard its hoot, someone was going to die. In general, owls are viewed as harbingers of bad luck, ill health, or death. The belief is widespread even today. The witch doctors take owls and use their talons and beaks for medicines which help them harm other people - very powerful medicine. When owls enter the village, they are shunned or shot, in part because the larger owls such as Giant Eagle-Owls take chickens, but also because they are thought to induce disease merely by their presence. Owls are feared because when one cries by your house it means bad news. Then you must throw stones at it to chase it away.” (http://www.owlpages.com/articles) I guess the owl, also called the “spinner of fate,” is not openly accepted in the presence of people.

Edufa is instructed to “catch” the stones as not to let Ampoma “fall.” Catching the river rocks meant sparing her life. The sign of the sun is drawn on the doorstep, symbolizing, the fact that when Ampoma’s spirit walks in and out, Ampoma can feel rays from everywhere. In African culture, the sun gives life, power, strength, and energy. It radiates this power through its rays, and this is why the rays were drawn in every direction in which Ampoma could step. The burning of the satchel, symbolized...well I’m not sure what it symbolized. Maybe you guys could help me here.