In Solidarity With Home: Transculturation as a Reconciliation of African Ethnic Binarism in Ama Ata Aidoo’s The Dilemma of a Ghost

Abstract

This article examines African binarism in Ama Ata Aidoo’s play, The Dilemma of a Ghost. The concept of binarism encompasses the nostalgic predilection for the homeland yet, the preconception of home depends on the way in which colonial hegemony appears. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to shed light on the latent circumstances which project onto this play, the inherent impetus of this binarism. The focus will be on Aidoo’s conceptualization of the African diaspora and how it has affected the cultural aspects of the Africans’ ways of life. To analyze these cultural issues, the methodology of this study utilizes the concept of transculturation. In essence, the concept of transculturation emphasizes a mix of two discrepant cultures. These cultures are different from each other yet similar in their sense of belonging to the homeland. This sense of belonging forges the reconciliation of two opposite ethnic races that belong to the same culture. As such, the study highlights the African diaspora depicted in The Dilemma of a Ghost as the primal cause of this transculturation. Consequently, it explores the African diaspora that resulted from forced migration imposed upon diverse national ethnicities that chose to live together in one place - They mingle with each other in the host country, which exemplifies an utterly different cultural facet. To cope with cultural differences, they co-exist with each other by dint of transculturation.