Understanding the poem ‘Kumukanda’ by Kayo Chingonyi | English

Starter quiz

In which continent would you find the country of Zambia, an important country to the poem 'Kumukanda' in the Edexcel Belonging anthology?

North America

South America

Asia

Africa ✓

Europe
Match each method to its example (Edexcel Belonging).

verb

⇔

a being or doing word ✓

alliteration

⇔

when one or more word begins with the same letter ✓

stanza

⇔

a verse of a poem ✓

adjective

⇔

a describing word ✓

repetition

⇔

the recurrence of a word or phrase ✓
In the poem 'Kumukanda' (Edexcel Belonging), the speaker immigrated as a child. What does it mean to immigrate?

to go on holiday in a foreign country

to have multiple nationalities

to leave your country of birth and live permanently in another country ✓

to work in one country, but live in another
Match these words to their definitions, all important to the poem 'Kumukanda' (Edexcel Belonging).

ritual

⇔

actions or words which form part of a ceremony, often religious ✓

initiation

⇔

event which sees someone accepted into a particular group ✓

dislocation

⇔

feeling out of place ✓

belonging

⇔

a feeling of acceptance ✓
The poems in the Edexcel Belonging anthology all explore themes. What is a theme?

a poet's use of methods, and their effects

images that are repeated throughout a poem

a big idea that is explored in a number of different ways ✓

metaphorical language and imagery are examples of themes

information about a poet which helps us understand their work
The poems in the Edexcel Belonging anthology all explore themes. Which of these is an example of a theme?

dislocation ✓

metaphor

stanzas

structure

anthology

Exit quiz

What does the title of Kayo Chingonyi's poem 'Kumukanda' mean? (Edexcel Belonging)

Zambia

immigrate

ritual

initiation ✓

Luvale
Match each stanza of Kayo Chingonyi's 'Kumukanda' to its focus (Edexcel Belonging).

Stanza one

⇔

the initiation ceremony of the Luvale tribe ✓

Stanza two

⇔

the death of the speaker's mother ✓

Stanza three

⇔

the speaker's feelings of disconnection to his heritage ✓
Starting with the first, put the events narrated by the speaker in Kayo Chingonyi's 'Kumukanda' in chronological order. (Edexcel Belonging).

1

⇔

The speaker says he did not participate in an initiation ceremony in Zambia.

2

⇔

The speaker tells us that, according to his tribe, he is not considered adult.

3

⇔

The speaker relates that he nursed his dying mother.

4

⇔

The speaker tells us that his mother died.

5

⇔

The speaker was not comforted when he stood by his mother's grave.

6

⇔

The speaker considers what he would have been like had he stayed in Zambia.

7

⇔

The speaker considers his connection to his ancestors.
In Kayo Chingonyi's 'Kumukanda' (Edexcel Belonging), what does the speaker say his "almost" father did at when standing next him at his mother's grave?

shouted at him

spoke to him in a foreign language

hugged him

shook his hand ✓

cried
In stanza 2 of 'Kumukanda' (Edexcel Belonging), the speaker says the Luvale tribe would consider him "______" because he didn't participate in the initiation ceremony traditional for young boys.

'unfinished' ✓
In stanza two of 'Kumukanda' (Edexcel Belonging), the speaker says he grew up not via an initiation ceremony but in "______".

'increments' ✓

Worksheet

Loading worksheet ...

Presentation

Loading presentation ...

Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

'Kumukanda' was written by Kayo Chingonyi, a Zambian poet who moved to the UK when he was six.
'Kumukanda' means initiation, referring to a ceremony marking the transition from boy to man in the Luvale tribe.
The speaker (seemingly Chingonyi) didn’t take part in this initiation so would be considered "unfinished" by his tribe.
The speaker reflects on how he grew up in other ways, particularly caring for his dying mother.
Stanza three sees the speaker think about feelings of connection and disconnection to his Zambian roots and ancestors.

Common misconception

The speaker calls himself "unfinished" because he didn't participate in the initiation ceremony.

The line says that his tribe would consider him unfinished, but doesn't explain how the speaker himself feels.

Keywords

Initiation - a ceremony or event which sees someone be accepted into a particular group
Initiates - a person being initiated, accepted via a ceremony, into a particular group
Pretensions - a claim to something, often an unsupported claim
Dislocation - feeling out of place; the opposite of a sense of belonging
Ritual - actions or words which form part of a ceremony, often religious