New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Understanding the poem ‘Kumukanda’ by Kayo Chingonyi

I can show understanding of the poem 'Kumukanda' through annotation and an exploration of its big ideas.

New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Understanding the poem ‘Kumukanda’ by Kayo Chingonyi

I can show understanding of the poem 'Kumukanda' through annotation and an exploration of its big ideas.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. 'Kumukanda' was written by Kayo Chingonyi, a Zambian poet who moved to the UK when he was six.
  2. 'Kumukanda' means initiation, referring to a ceremony marking the transition from boy to man in the Luvale tribe.
  3. The speaker (seemingly Chingonyi) didn’t take part in this initiation so would be considered "unfinished" by his tribe.
  4. The speaker reflects on how he grew up in other ways, particularly caring for his dying mother.
  5. 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

Consider how you will read the poem with your pupils, and how many times. Would further glossary words support their understanding? What further questions might help you gauge their understanding of it?
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of the poem 'Kumukanda' by Kayo Chingonyi published by Aitken Alexander Associates in 2017. You can find it in the Edexcel Belonging anthology.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
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
Correct answer: Africa
Europe
Q2.
Match each method to its example (Edexcel Belonging).
Correct Answer:verb,a being or doing word

a being or doing word

Correct Answer:alliteration,when one or more word begins with the same letter

when one or more word begins with the same letter

Correct Answer:stanza ,a verse of a poem

a verse of a poem

Correct Answer:adjective,a describing word

a describing word

Correct Answer:repetition,the recurrence of a word or phrase

the recurrence of a word or phrase

Q3.
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
Correct answer: to leave your country of birth and live permanently in another country
to work in one country, but live in another
Q4.
Match these words to their definitions, all important to the poem 'Kumukanda' (Edexcel Belonging).
Correct Answer:ritual,actions or words which form part of a ceremony, often religious

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

Correct Answer:initiation,event which sees someone accepted into a particular group

event which sees someone accepted into a particular group

Correct Answer:dislocation,feeling out of place

feeling out of place

Correct Answer:belonging,a feeling of acceptance

a feeling of acceptance

Q5.
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
Correct answer: 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
Q6.
The poems in the Edexcel Belonging anthology all explore themes. Which of these is an example of a theme?
Correct answer: dislocation
metaphor
stanzas
structure
anthology

6 Questions

Q1.
What does the title of Kayo Chingonyi's poem 'Kumukanda' mean? (Edexcel Belonging)
Zambia
immigrate
ritual
Correct answer: initiation
Luvale
Q2.
Match each stanza of Kayo Chingonyi's 'Kumukanda' to its focus (Edexcel Belonging).
Correct Answer:Stanza one ,the initiation ceremony of the Luvale tribe

the initiation ceremony of the Luvale tribe

Correct Answer:Stanza two ,the death of the speaker's mother

the death of the speaker's mother

Correct Answer:Stanza three ,the speaker's feelings of disconnection to his heritage

the speaker's feelings of disconnection to his heritage

Q3.
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.
Q4.
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
Correct answer: shook his hand
cried
Q5.
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.
Correct Answer: unfinished
Q6.
In stanza two of 'Kumukanda' (Edexcel Belonging), the speaker says he grew up not via an initiation ceremony but in " ".
Correct Answer: increments