PROCURANCE OF
IDENTITY:
TASHI IN ALICE
WALKER’S POSSESSING THE SECRET OF JOY
Dr. M. Aravindh
Assistant Professor
Department of English
Sona College of
Arts and Science
&
S. Jayamohan
Assistant Professor
Department of English
Sona College of Arts and Science
Abstract:
This paper explores
the evolving concept of identity through the lens of Alice Walker’s Possessing
the Secret of Joy, focusing on the protagonist Tashi’s journey toward selfhood.
Two primary approaches to identity—traditional and discursive—frame the discussion.
The traditional view sees identity as innate, stable, and biologically
determined, while the discursive perspective considers identity as fluid,
shaped by historical, social, and cultural forces. Tashi's transformation is
analyzed in relation to Kierkegaard’s philosophy of subjectivity and the five
principles of Nguzo Tano (Kujichagulia, Ujimaa, Nia, Kuumba, and Imani), which
guide her struggle for self-definition. Tashi initially seeks validation
through cultural conformity, undergoing female circumcision as a means of
belonging, but ultimately realizes that true identity emerges from within.
Through pain, resistance, and self-awareness, she reclaims her voice and
agency, embodying the principle of Ache Mbele—the power to make things happen
and move forward. This study highlights the intricate relationship between
cultural traditions, personal agency, and identity formation, demonstrating how
identity is not a fixed state but an ongoing process of
self-actualization.
Keywords: Identity,
Female circumcision, Selfhood and cultural conformity
In the evolution of the concept of the identity, there
are two approaches to the questions of what identity means and how it is
constituted. In traditional approach, one can be deemed to be born along with
his or her identity that appears to act as the sign of an identical harmony. In
this regard, identity is determined more likely as a naturalistic and static
formation that could always be sustained. This conventional view sees
individual as a unique, stable and whole entity.
In the discursive approach, identification is always in
the process of becoming rather than being, and it is constantly changing and
transforming within the historical, social and cultural developments and
practices. Identity is not biologically pre-given to a person, instead, he or
she occupies it, and more importantly, this occupation may include different
and multiple identities at different points of time and settings (Gergen, 1991;
Hall, Held & McGrew, 1992).
This paper focuses on the idea of identity as a process
portrayed in the central character, Tashi in Alice Walker’s Possessing the
Secret of Joy. The process Tashi undergoes in attaining ‘identity’ or
‘self’is studied in the light of Kierkegaardian Philosophy of Subjectivity and
the five principles (Nguzo Tano).
In the
novel Possessing the Secret of Joy Walker deals with the issue of
circumcision. Tashi, a young African girl of the fictional Olinka tribe grows
up in a small African village. Initially she escapes the customary ‘female circumcision’
because her mother was influenced by black American missionaries. But later the
teenage Tashi chooses to undergo an initiation ceremony of facial scarring and
female circumcision. But the consequences of Tashi's decision are devastating.
The novel examines the reasons for her decision and the consequences that flow
from it.
Soren
Kierkegaard, a nineteenth century philosopher, insists that a truly human
existence as a single individual is something one must attain. It is not given
with birth nor attained simply by growing older in a society but it is a way of
living that one must choose to actualize. This process of becoming subjective
is bound to the processes of decision and choice.
Unaware
that the process of bringing the individual to birth is essentially related to
human existence demanding a constant striving towards inwardness, Tashi
searches for her identity outside. But Mzee (Old Man) enlightens her that “you
yourselves are your last hope.” (Walker 53)
In Possessing
the Secret of Joy, Tashi does not have a fixed identity; rather she is in a
process of becoming. Tashi doesn’t have an identity before the ‘initiation’.
She remains an outsider in her Olinkan culture as she clearly states that she
wants “To be accepted as a real woman by the Olinka people: to stop the
jeering. Otherwise I was a thing.”
(Walker 122)
Tashi
longs to change her position as an outsider, and to become the woman “whom she
envisioned as strong, invincible, completely woman. Completely African.
Completely Olinka.” (Walker 64)
In
the course of attaining identity, Tashi follows the five principles (Nguzo
Tano): Kujichagulia, Ujimaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani. In Afro-American
tradition, these five principles limn the path of subjectivity, the creation of
an individual self.
Tashi
attempts to follow the principle of Kujichagulia, an internal
transformation of the African self from within. Kujichaguliagives energy
and orientation for self-transformation and internal development thereby
substantiating the process of giving birth to responsible subjects. Tashi too
is determined to be 'bathed' as she draws energy for the transformation from Kujichagulia
to succumb to the act of identification through circumcision to fit herself
into her society and attain the ‘self.’
At the
Mbele camp, Tashi is indoctrinated by their chieftain whom they call “Our
Leader” that “[they] must return to their purity of [their] own culture and
traditions. That [they] must not neglect [their] ancient customs” (Walker 117)
Tashi explains her decision to be circumcised
thus:
All I
care about now is the struggle for our people.....We had been stripped of
everything but our black skins. Here and there a defiant cheek bore the mark of
our withered tribe. These marks gave me courage. I wanted such a mark for
myself. (Walker 24)
She realizes initiation and scarification as
“the only remaining definitive stamp of Olinkan tradition.” (Walker 64) Though
the effort she makes to attain the ‘self’ is physical, the sense of belonging
that she receives as a result of the physical change is internal. This internal
transformation is cardinal in exercising personal freedom and in making responsible
choices and decisions.
The
principle of Ujimaa is about the cultivation and practice of
responsibility and conscience. The individual self should cultivate a sound
conscience, take responsibility for his / her decisions and life choices and
live with a sense of accountability, fairness and transparency.
Tashi
had imagined that she would be “terribly bold, terribly revolutionary and free”
but the receiving of the mark almost destroys her physically and emotionally.
Instead of being transformed into the woman warrior she had hoped to become,
she finds that “her own proud walk had become a shuffle” (Walker 65). Olivia observes that Tashi is “No longer
cheerful, or impish. Her movements now became merely graceful. Slow. Studied.”
(Walker 66)As a result, Tashi had to live with the consequence of the decision
she had made.
Though
she is mutilated or ‘flawed’, Tashi doesn’t make any effort to hide her wound.
The fact is that only the external scarification attracts attention from all
while the hidden scar remains unnoticed. Mbati notes of Tashi’s greatest gift
of maintaining transparency which other women fail to keep up as “I can see you
are flawed. You have not hidden it.” (Walker 272) The price that M’Lissa pays
for her opacity is death as Tashi’s sign says “If you lie to yourself about
your own pain you, you will be killed by those who will claim you enjoyed it.”
(Walker 108)
The
principle of Nia is directed towards the realization of a vision
where each individual self is able to determine and pursue their own goal which
is concerned with the well-being of the individual self and that of the
community. The importance of this principle is that an individual’s actions are
purposefully directed towards the path of the creative process whereby
undesirable political and socio-economic situations are transformed into new
possibilities.
As a
victim of mutilation, Tashi feels it is her responsibility to alert the
‘to-be-victims’ of the dangers of the practice. Tashi’s is determined to pursue
her goal which is the well-being of the community in which she is a part. On
her path towards her goal, she publicly displays sign that alerts young women:
You are
a young woman and your life is still before you. I am an old woman and my life
is already over. All I am good for now is alerting you to disaster. (Walker
108)
Realizing
her vision, Tashi acquires her ‘voice’ which she had lost to the brutal
practice of female genital mutilation. With Tashi’s ‘self’ emerging, Walker
steers her character to voice out the biting facts of the roughshod practice.
Walker
finds a strong connection between female genital mutilation and the AIDS
epidemic in Africa. Walker purposefully directs Tashi to have a panoramic view
of the socio-economic situations that has been the result of the vicious
practice followed in the name of tradition. Walker questions through Tashi “Who
infects the children? Why are there more little girls dying than boys?”
(Walker)
Tashi is convinced that the little girls who are dying,
and the women too, are infected by the unwashed, unsterilized sharp stones, tin
tops, bits of glass, rusty razors and grungy knives used by the tsunga.
Who might mutilate twenty children without cleaning her instrument. (Walker)
Tashi senses that M’Lissa is responsible for the
perpetuation of a practice that inflicts irreparable physical and mental
damage. To Tashi, M’Lissa as a tsunga is the epitome of the circumcision
and her death would pave way for new possibilities. So, Tashi plans to kill her circumciser
M’Lissa as revenge for the death of her sister Dura whose suppressed voice has
been haunting her, and for betraying everyone who has been a victim of her
knife.
In the
Principle of Kuumba (Creativity) an individual person’s physical,
mental and spiritual energies are harnessed for creative purposes. The
consideration of new philosophies and then critically examining, adapting and
assimilating valid elements from one’s own culture and tradition is the essence
of creativity.
Tashi’s
voluntary submission to the mutilation is just a step forward to follow in the
footsteps of her mother. Tashi’s lack of creativity is evident when she mimics
her tradition in creating a ‘mark’. But once she attains her ‘self’ she
rejuvenates and works to restore the same to forthcoming generation.
M’Lissa
is a foil for Tashi. M’Lissa fails to propagate her understanding of the
tradition as she readily succumbs to it while the scarred Tashi fights her way
back to admonish the future generation from following her footsteps. This is
evident when Tashi gifts the little sacred figure of Nyanda, a symbol of
restoration of the original whole unmutilated self to the universalised
‘unknown granddaughter’.
The
Principle of Imani (Faith): The principle of Imani
concerns the development of an attitude of confidence, self belief, optimism
and hope. It is the hope of the tomorrow which never ends. Imani comes
as the result of empowerment; this sense of empowerment brings about renewal of
creativity and self belief.
Optimism
and hope are prevalent right from the moment she decides to kill M’Lissa.
Walker makes Tashi choose the color blue which is “the sky, symbol of our
people’s faith in the forces of the unseen and their optimism for the future.”
(Walker 110) to write the signs.
Tashisays
that “Just at the end of my life, I am beginning to reinhabit completely the
body I long age left.” (Walker 110) She develops confidence to face death as
she feels “I was not able to comprehend death except as something that had already
happened to me.” (Walker 278)
She is
optimistic and tries to reconcile with all around her, even the dead Lisette
before her execution. At the end Tashi
dies joyfully. Her death represents a kind of emancipation and a final reunion
with her own self.
Tashi
undergoes initiatory experiences in an effort to find her identity and develop
a completeness of being. She discovers or rediscovers the hidden, beautiful,
whole, and free selves when she realizes that definition of the self must come
from within. It is found that the self that survives is not a self dictated by
others. With this new awareness of herself, she develops new identity. In this
process she seeksself identity, self-awareness and a new concept about living.
It is observed that the black women are trying to achieve
the concept of wholeness as defined by Proclus: first, the human world of men
and women; second, the earth of living organisms, including humans and animals;
and third, the universe, the magic circle of reunion and integration. Tashi
achieves personal wholeness first by seeking self identity. Then she moves onto
societal wholeness in which she lives with men in a society maintaining her
freedom and independence. She then moves further on towards spiritual
wholeness. Finally,Tashiachieves the Self upon her reconciliation of opposites,
resistance to lies, and acceptance of death for her “crime” of alerting other
women to her conviction that resistance to lies is the real secret of joy. She
has achieved “Ache Mbele”
Ache is
Yoruba and means “the power to make things happen.” Energy. Mbele means
“Forward!” in KiSwahili. (Walker 273)
Tashi has attained the power to make things happen and to
move forward. She wishes the same for Mbele and to the next generation.
Ache Mbele!!!
Works Cited
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pp. 18–36.
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Power of Identity. Blackwell Publishing, 1997.
Gergen, Kenneth J. The
Saturated Self: Dilemmas of Identity in Contemporary Life. Basic Books,
1991.
Gordon, Natasha M.
“Tonguing the Body: Placing Female Circumcision within AfricanFeminist
Discourse.” A Journal of Opinion, vol. 24, no. 1, 1997, pp. 24–27.
Hall, Stuart.
“Introduction: Who Needs Identity?” Questions of Cultural Identity, Ed
StuartHall and Paul du Gay, Sage Publications, 1996, pp. 1–17.
Kierkegaard, Søren. The
Point of View for My Work as an Author. Translated by WalterLowrie, Oxford
University Press, 1939.
Walker, Alice. Possessing
the Secret of Joy. Pocket Books, 1993