Weapon by I. W. W. Citashe

This poem is rich in historical significance. The poem can be found in "An African Treasury" by Langston Hughes. There is not very much known about the individual poet, I. W. W. Citashe; however, the book was published during Apartheid in South Africa, 1960.

Slavery persisted in South Africa until 1910. After this time the British Government enacted the Land Act of 1913. This separated land into white or black throughout South Africa. Apartheid lasted from 1948 to 1994.

The line, "Your cattle are gone... Go rescue them," implies he was probably black. The line, "Leave the breechloader alone," refers to the Land Act, stating a better path to recovering possessions is by addressing Apartheid; instead of, trying to get their land back.

By suggesting the conflict will be won with "paper and ink" we can assume the author is Christian. Most people in South Africa, regardless of race, are Christian. He is offering a peaceful recourse, instead of, brute force. Citashe also identifies the "weapon" as diplomacy.

Many feared blacks would burn their homes and seeking vengeance for slavery; therefore, diplomacy and peaceful resolutions disprove accusation through actions. Some may assume Citashe was a master mind involved with the black revolutionaries. However, I feel differently. "Your rights are going!" The book was published in 1960; therefore, the poem is written before Apartheid. Threats of losing rights are on the horizon.

This makes his position interesting. In order to offer this plight he was acquainted to white people. He may have maintained a relationship with the family. His opinions developed listening to people discussing fears of blacks uprising and suggesting they would like slavery to end, yet had to protect themselves.

However, he or she is clearly a black person and was identified as being from South Africa. They may have laid the path for revolutionaries; however, I think they were an outsider. This poem is a message sent from a distance, containing aristocratic ideology. Citashe is probably mixed race and maintained close ties to the white population. The French-blacks and English-blacks had more rights. This poem is clearly an attempt to request and provide information in relation to the political turmoil in South Africa.

Often fear makes people vile and act out aggressively. They want to protect themselves. The pen is not necessarily mightier than the sword, yet it makes peaceful arbitration possible. Eventually people regained their possessions along with political rights. In fact, the willingness to understand, compromise and forgive was the biggest factor ending Apartheid. This person should be upheld with respect regardless of race.

Quirky Books
An African Treasury by Langston Hughes