Communalism as an Afican sensibility in THE AFRICAN CHILD by Camara Laye

        Communalism can be defined as loyalty to one's ethnic group interest. Communalism is greatly demonstrated in the novel,as people are loyal to the ethnic group's interest. There are four episodes in the novel which greatly showcase communalism are the gold smith episode,konden Diara,circumcision and rice harvesting.
       The gold making process pulls the entire community into a kind of small village festival,and all present apprentices,relatives,neighbors and praise singers. The praise singer,inspired by the goldsmith's efforts and intoxicated by the joy of creation composes his most powerful songs and also is the gold Smith inspirer by the praise singer to work on. This shows communalism as an African sensibility.
      In the circumcision ceremony,a sense of communnalism is vividly demonstrated in the gold smith episode is created again. Late characteristically describes circumcision. The circumcision is meant to bring him into a realm of adulthood. This circumcucision process is also a work of communalism,everybody took part in the ceremony,neighbors,uncles,well wishers etc with the boys to be circumcised. Sometimes a family friend will give the praise singer a coin and begins to talk/praise/admonish whoever he wants among the boys. Food were prepared even by step mother for the children. Every one had a role to play.
       The rice harvesting is also another episodic example of communalism. In Tindican,at his Grandmother's place,he and his age mates harvested rice along with his uncle. The sense of communalism was so powerfully demonstrated,the harvest threw people together,every one lent a helping hand.
       Thus Camara Laye portrayed Africans as people who practiced communalism.