Parable of the Parrot
for Ngugi Wa Thiong'o and the Pan African Revolution
The king wanted parrots around him. He wants all his ministers to wear
parrot masks. He said he had to do the same for the previous king. He
only said what the king wanted to hear, nothing more, so he advised his
ministers to do the same. In fact, they must encourage the people to
become parrots. Yes, he wanted a nation of parrots.
Don't sayanything the kings does not want to hear. Everything said should be
music to his ears. And don't worry, he will tell you exactly what he
wants to hear in his regular meetings and public addresses to the
nation. Everyone will be kept informed what parrot song to sing.
Noone must be allowed to disagree with the king. This would be
sacrilegious and punishable by death. The king must be allowed to carry
out the dreams that come to his head. No one else should dream, only the
king.
In this manner, according to the king, the people can makereal progress. There shall always be ups and downs, but have faith in
the king and everything will be all right.
Now everyone sing thenational anthem, the king told the people. There must be a chorus of
parrots, a choir, mass choir singing in perfect unity. Let there be
parrots on ever[y corner of the kingdom, in every branch and tree. Let
all the boys sing like parrots in the beer halls.
Let the preacherlead the congregation in parrot songs. Let the teachers train students
to sound like parrots.
Let the university professors give goodgrades to those who best imitate parrot sounds. Let the journalists
allow no stories over the airwaves if they do not have the parrot sound.
Theking was happy when the entire nation put on their parrot masks. Those
who refused suffered greatly until they agreed to join in.
Thestate academics and intellectuals joined loudly in parroting the king's
every wish. Thank god the masses do not hear them pontificate or read
their books. After all, these intellectual and academic parrots are well
paid, tenured and eat much parrot seed. Their magic song impresses the
bourgeoisie who have a vested interest in keeping the song of the parrot
alive.
Deep down in the hood, in the bush, the parrot song is seldom heard, only
the sound of the hawk gliding through the air in stone silence.
--MarvinX
4/5/10
www.parablesandfablesofmarvinxt.blogspot.com
https://theblacklist.net/
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