God’s Bits of Wood

Niakoro is the elderly biological mother of Bakayoko. She lives in a family compound that includes Fa Keita (an elder male), Assitan (Bakayoko’s wife) and Ad’jibid’ji (Assitan’s biological daughter and Bakayoko’s stepdaughter), and a number of younger wives. Niakoro serves as the voice of institutional memory. She is troubled by her perception that traditional cultural practices (e.g., women decorating cooking gourds) are being abandoned. While she is treated with deference by the younger women, Niakoro senses that she is being usurped in terms of authority and power, and that her advice and opinions are considered to be irrelevant by the rest of the group. Unlike her son, she opposes the concept of the jury trial of the strikebreaker, Diara, indicating that it is shameful to humiliate a basically good man in public; however, her opinion on this issue is not taken seriously. She is, however, an influence upon the life of her young granddaughter, Ad’jibid’ji, who spends great energy attempting to answer the philosophical question posed by Niakoro: “What is it that washes water?”

An earth-mother archetype, Niakoro dies of injuries inflicted upon her by local police and militiamen when she protests the apprehension of the elder, Fa Keita. While her physical death may be considered symbolic of the demise of past cultural mores and beliefs, she remains an influential figure in the life of Ad’jibid’ji. 

Fa Keita, a highly religious and spiritually advanced elder, is a Gandhi-like character who resides with Niakoro and her family. He attends the jury trial of the strikebreaker, Diara, only to secure Ad’jibid’ji’s vow that she will not attend future union meetings. He gives a lengthy, philosophical soliloquy at the trial, in which he cleverly manipulates the union workers to adhere to higher principles when determining the fate of the strikebreaker, although he had wished to refrain from involvement in this judgment. 

Fa Keita is arrested at the family compound and incarcerated, along with other strikers, in barbaric conditions. Part of the torturous nature of this experience is his inability to pray properly. When he attempts to do so while lined up with the other inmates in the prison yard, a sadistic commandant hurls the older man forcibly and literally impales him upon a barbed wire fence. He represents martyrdom for the cause and the epitome of a selfless, idealistic individual who refuses to resort to bitterness and vindictive behavior, even when subjected to brutality by those who seek to oppress him.  

These male characters are also union leaders. While they seek to emulate Bakayoko on many levels, they are not always in agreement with his reasoning. Doudou, in particular, realizes that it is often less difficult to negotiate when Bakayoko, who tends toward reactive impulsivity, is not present.

Ramatoulaye is the matriarch of a Dakar-based family compound known as N’Diayene. It is clear that she considers herself to be responsible for the survival of the other members of her extended family. Consequently, she attempts to negotiate, barter, and demand supplies intended to prevent the starvation of the group.

Ramatoulaye is victimized by her egocentric, selfish brother, Mabigue, who refuses to assist her in her attempt to obtain credit or food. When his pet goat rampages through N’Diayene and eats the scant remaining food, Ramatoulaye kills the animal for food to feed the children. Ethical and charitable, Ramatoulaye is horrified when one of the women who protests her arrest is killed by force from the water hoses used to disperse the group.

N’Deye’s character represents the conflicts experienced by young African women living on the historical cusp between cultural traditions and the potential independence afforded by education. Initially horrified by some traditions in her own culture (for example, polygamy), N’Deye becomes disenchanted by European traditions when she overhears disdainful, disrespectful epitaphs bantered about by white administrators discussing the African population. Conversely, she is infatuated with Bakayoko; despite her previous contention about the “barbaric” nature of polygamy, she is devastated when he refuses her offer to become his second wife.

N’Deye’s evolution involves her re-acquaintance with her own culture and its traditions. She has always considered herself somewhat removed from the daily functioning of the compound. After her disillusionment, she abandons her previous narcissism and devotes herself to helping foster the next generation. 

Houdia M’Baye and Mame Sofi are two women residing in the N’Diayene compound. Houdia is the widowed mother of nine children, the youngest of whom is named Strike, by Mame Sofi, as a result of the fact that Strike’s father was killed during the strike. Houdia is killed by a fire hose when participating in a demonstration intended to secure Ramatoulaye’s release from the police station. Mame Sofi is a strong-willed woman who organizes the other wives to protest and retaliate against the authorities by fashioning homemade weapons and protesting in the streets.

The young blind woman is initially the mother of infant twins; however, one of the children is trampled and killed during a strike-related riot. Maimouna is philosophical, intelligent and self-sacrificing. Upon completion of the women’s march to Dakar, she remains in the N’Diayene compound with her infant childwhile also nursing the now-motherless infant, Strike. Maimouna sings constantly and composes extemporaneous ballads that are used by the author to present commentary on the railway workers’ strike.

Penda is the self-centered, adopted daughter of Dieynaba, who allows her to reside in her compound. It is inferred that she supports herself through prostitution and claims to hate men. Prickly and short-tempered, she becomes close to Maimouna and is protective of her. Penda undergoes an epiphany when the union leaders recognize her potential and assign her to the strike committee, at which time she undergoes a transformation and appears in public wearing a carbine belt, rather than traditional garb. Penda is martyred for the cause and Bakayoko reflects that he respected her, considered her a true friend, and would have requested her to become his second wife, had she survived.

A railway ticket collector, Diara voted that the union go on strike; however, he returned to work for the railway even while collecting the compensation provided by the strike fund. He ruminates during the public humiliation of his trial as to why he had committed this act. In addition to being labeled as a strikebreaker, he bears societal retaliation due to the fact that he forcibly removed many native women who attempted train travel from the cars. His nephew, Tiémoko, is a devoted follower of Bakayoko and seeks to conduct the trial in an appropriate, professional manner; however, the young union member experiences guilt ensuing from his participation in the punishment of his uncle.

Monsieur Isnard is a railway supervisor whose racist attitudes are so ingrained that he is unable to recognize them for what they are. He considers himself to have sacrificed and suffered for the welfare of the native workers, although the text would indicate that this is not the case. When he shoots and kills three young boys who were railway apprentices, due to his erroneous perception that they were shooting at him, he experiences a degree of guilt and remorse, along with extensive rationalization of his act. His wife, Beatrice, is self-involved, sees the native population as almost animalistic, and is unable to accept the concept of a changed social order. When it becomes clear that the locus of power is changing in African society, she flees from the family home and commits suicide.

A young, idealistic, recent transplant to Africa, Pierrot (aka Pierre) expresses interest in learning more about African culture and becoming personally acquainted with local residents. Beatrice behaves seductively toward him when he visits the family home.

Initially portrayed as a chronically-intoxicated misfit, Leblanc is a disillusioned, yet idealistic, character. During a dramatic scene with the other railway supervisors, Leblanc states that he has made large, anonymous contributions to the railway strike fund.

Both these young men are members of the group of railway apprentices who are idle during the strike. Eventually, they procure food for their families and evolve into young revolutionaries.