PARLIAMENT OF OWLS RELEVANCE OF THE TITLE OF THE TEXT.

 

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PARLIAMENT OF OWLS.

The playwright of the parliament of Owls Asipo Sidang has used a cover for his book. The book has a drawing of a group of Owls-parliament. They are sitted together as one . In a reflective perspective, our society has its own leaders who  sit in the parliament and discuss issues which they know are fit to  manage and lead those they govern. The title of the play therefore reflects the political status in the country-Kenya. We have leaders who rule based on their own understanding and will.  The text should not be about the birds but it’s majorly about political leaders that we have in our country and hoe they rule those around them.

While reading the text, the playwright has used the birds as his characters in the story.  For a clear understanding of the text, it is better that we read the story looking at it on a human perspective and not relating it to the birds. We will come across a group of Owls which is in position of making laws and in power.

Looking at the cover of the play Parliament of Owls,  it has three Owls. One is bigger than the other two Owls. He is more supreme and powerful than the others. Called king Tula Nyongoro. He is their leader-the president of the birds. He is the one in the middle and on his two sides are the two others. They are the second in command.  Looking keenly,  there are other small birds that are flying around and they are almost invisible.

The setting of the play is on a dark moment. The birds are drawing in a darker theme background tells of the moment when the birds are flying. The black cover is a representation of the dark themes which are likely to be mentioned in the text. There is so much pain, suffering, injustices in the play.

Looking at the cover still, we can see that there are trees. This shows that the setting of the play is in the forest. Birds fly and patch on trees build their nests on trees as well. At the end of the cover after the dark background theme there is a moon. A source of light in darkness. When it is out, of course the darkness flies away. This is a clear show that in the middle of this darkness,  in the evils being in the darkness, injustices, murder, pain and suffering, there is some light at the end of the tunnel up there. This is a clear indication that there is optimism- hope even in the middle of all these happenings.

The setting of the play is in Kenya and most of the things that happen  in the story is a reflection of the situation in the current African  society.  It is a reflection. The leadership issues that are being raised are global issues.  

The text is satirical in nature. The playwright is trying to criticise, ridicule and correct the evils that are in the society and they need to be worked on so that the leaders and the readers do not remain the same. The playwright tries to paint how the Owls, moneybags are so dictatorial,  a lot of ills,  injustice, killings and violence.  

The book begins on a very sad note where there is a bird complaining about the killing of the other birds in the kingdom. Because they raised their voices they were killed. By the end of the day we are taken to parliament where they pass the moonlight law against the welfare of the other birds- day birds and night birds. It is only beneficial to a few birds. We found that some were bullied into passing  that into  law, others who tried to object were also thrown out. There is political assassination, blackmail and betrayal going on in the kingdom. So when we look at this text there is manipulation and intimidation especially from the political class. There is demonstration outside there when the birds are against the moonlight bill. The quest for justice comes in until a little bird  called Oyundi is able to find a way to get through what is happening in the Royal trees.

At the end of the text we see how the government is changed and there is no longer a parliament of Owls but a flock of birds with a more inclusive form of leadership.