African culture is a broad term encompassing all allusions or references to African life in poetry. This includes elements of daily life, religion, politics, morals, social values, history, contemporary events, and future considerations.
There is no single way to define African culture as cultural practices vary by group, region, and country. Each ethnic group’s cultural practices and how they’re depicted in poetry vary regarding their perspective on the world and literary interests.
Some common elements of African culture found within poetry include a love for one’s family and country, respect for one’s elders, self-expression, understanding and respecting history, and much more.
‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’ surveys the cultural persistence of Black experiences, achievements, and hardships throughout history.
Langston Hughes’s poem deeply honors African culture, highlighting its foundational role in global civilization. Through references to the Nile and Congo, Hughes connects Africa’s rich heritage to the collective memory of African Americans, celebrating their resilience, ancestral pride, and cultural continuity as an unbroken river flowing through time.
I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
‘The Sea Eats the Land At Home’ is the story a small town that is destroyed by an angry sea and all the lives that are impacted.
This poem delves into African culture through its depiction of a community’s response to a natural disaster. Traditional elements, such as invoking gods and the communal aspect of the loss, are intertwined with cultural practices and beliefs. This connection provides insight into how African communities integrate spiritual and cultural responses to crisis.
‘You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed’ by Gabriel Okara is a meaningful poem about colonial mockery, celebrating African pride, resilience, and connection to nature.
The poem celebrates African culture by showing its richness and beauty through music, dance, and traditions. The speaker takes pride in their roots, even when they are mocked by the colonizers. Their connection to their heritage is strong and meaningful, showing how important culture is in shaping identity. The poem reminds us of the power of embracing and valuing cultural traditions, even when others don’t understand them.
‘Tea with our Grandmother’ explores culture, family traditions, and the role of grandmothers through everyday actions.
This poem reflects African culture in many ways. It uses words like "ayeeyo," which means grandmother in Somali, emphasizing the importance of family. The description of the grandmother's skin as "dark like tamarind flesh" celebrates her beauty and connects to African identities. The poem also highlights typical African traditions, such as grinding spices and making tea, as well as the importance of passing down memories through generations in African families.
Gabriel Okara’s ‘The End’ looks at how the past feeds into the future, using the end of a celebration to show the mix of holding onto traditions while moving forward.
This poem is deeply rooted in African culture, showing how traditions and heritage play a huge role in shaping the future. The “Back” nurturing the “child-Front” beautifully represents the way African wisdom and customs are passed down through generations. It reflects the respect African communities have for their roots, while also acknowledging the challenges of blending cultural traditions with modern life, creating a sense of balance and continuity.
‘Pianos and Drums’ by Gabriel Okara juxtaposes primal rhythms with modern complexities, exploring cultural identity and longing for authenticity.
This poem delves into the topic of African culture through the speaker's nostalgic reflection on primal rhythms and ancestral heritage. The imagery of the jungle drums evokes a deep connection to African traditions and roots, symbolizing the richness and vitality of African culture. This suggests a profound reverence for cultural heritage and identity, highlighting its significance in shaping the speaker's experiences and worldview.
‘A Different Image’ by Dudley Randall is an impactful, short poem that speaks about the contemporary world and a future without racism.
The poem celebrates African culture. It mentions the Benin Bronzes, which are important African art pieces. These bronzes represent pride and heritage. The poet wants people to see the beauty and importance of African culture. This helps to replace negative stereotypes with positive images.
‘For Our Mothers’ critiques Nigerian traditions, showing how women endure unhappy marriages and uphold customs, urging daughters to break the cycle.
This poem is written from the perspective of a woman who was raised in Europe—in Ireland—but also with traditional Nigerian beliefs. The poet, therefore, has a unique way of looking at their culture and traditions. Rather than just continuing these traditions, she would rather admit that they are not healthy and urge women to break away from them.
Nne, I can't do this any longer.
I cannot fold my arms and rest,
Watching lonely wives wrap their head ties so large,
‘Rural Worker’ by Gabriel Okara takes a look at the life of a woman living in the countryside in Nigeria, and the hard work that she does every day.
This poem looks at traditional life in rural Africa. The poem describes the hard nature of work and the connection to nature. 'Rural Dweller' describes the traditional home of the woman and how she has to get up very early for work. Okara mentions nature and contrasts it with some of the modern features that have found their way into the traditional world.
‘Bent Double With Weight’ by Gabriel Okara is a poem which looks at the struggles of the post colonial period in Nigeria and compares them to the struggles which the people now face.
This poem discusses how colonialism affected African people and how this oppression weighed heavily on them. The poem goes on to discuss the pride that they felt when they gained their freedom and how that pride was betrayed by corruption.
The fourth poem of ‘The Fisherman’s Invocation’ discusses how people can be brought together through their traditions.
In this poem, palm wine is mentioned. While this is not an exclusively African drink, it does help to place the poem within the context of African culture and the mention of the river Niger further demonstrates this. The culture of dancing and singing as a way to bring people together can be seen as an expression of African culture. Okara is showing the way in which cultural ideas continue and help to unite people, as well as shaping the future.
‘Contractors’ by Gabriel Okara is a poem that explores the ideas of corruption within large organisations, suggesting that everyone is trying to find profit for themselves.
In 'Contractors,' Gabriel Okara shows one aspect of African Culture that emerged after the end of the colonial era. As corruption and cronyism increased, especially in his home country of Nigeria, where natural resources such as oil and gas added to the problem, it began to become more of an issue for governments, and Okara explains how the situation works for the people.
‘Welcome Home’ by Gabriel Okara sees the poet telling Africans returning home that their idealised idea of the “Fatherland” might not be as true to life as they hope.
'Welcome Home' describes the culture and daily life that awaits people when they come to Africa. Okara describes the way that people have an idealized view of what awaits them, and how this is not the reality that they will find upon their return. Okara explains the problems that await them and how this culture has taken over. The poem is looking at the changes in culture since the end of the era of colonization.
‘Mass Transit Buses’ by Gabriel Okara is a short poem that uses the example of a mass transit system to show how promises by politicians are rarely kept and how corruption derails plans.
This poem deals with a certain aspect of African culture from the second half of the twentieth century when issues with corrupt institutions were affecting people in their daily lives. The poem looks at the human cost of these failures and what happens when these promises aren't kept.
‘The Right Season’ by Jackie Kay reveals how enslaved people found resilience and unity through music amidst enduring hardship.
African culture is subtly woven into the poem, as the traditions, rhythms, and communal singing passed down through generations become a source of strength. Although enslaved, these people carry with them the cultural practices of music and storytelling, giving them a sense of heritage. These elements are preserved through their singing, allowing them to feel connected to their roots and identity.
They followed the tobacco crops in the spring,
the cotton crops in the fall, all along the flat plains.
It had to be the right time, the right town,
where for the blues, people had enough money to spend.
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