Thiong’o Religion

Christianity Vs. Christianity

            The story “Wedding at the Cross” is a beautiful, romantic, and heartbreaking story written by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, born James Ngugi. (Ngugi 1691). Thiong’o’s story depicts to love crazed young people. The wife, Miriamu, came from a well to do Christian family, and the husband, Wariuki, came from poverty and a widowed mother. Prior to their marriage Wariuki met with Miriamu’s parents. “A God-fearing couple he and his wife were: they went to church on Sundays, they said their prayers first thing in the morning, last thing in the evening and of course before every meal” (Thiong’o 1693). The disapproval of this rich and powerful Christian man never sat well with Wariuki. “He would never forget that interview: he was never to forget the cackling throaty laughter as Douglas Jones and his friends tried to diminish his manhood and selfworth in front of Miriamu and her mother” (Thiong’o 1695). Despite the man’s disapproval Wariuki and Miriamu eloped. Wariuki was bound and determined to become wealthy just like his father in law.

            During the beginning of their marriage the two were utterly in love. “On Saturdays and Sundays he took her to dances in the wood. On their way home from the dances and the songs, they would look for a suitable spot on the grass and make love” (Thiong’o 1695). This was their religion, love. However, this was not enough for Wariuki. He wanted more. He moved his young wife to live with his mother while he went out and searched for work, fought a war, and began to make a living. Eventually over the years he was able to make a living off of the war. “So Wariuki prospered undisturbed: he had, after all, a fair start over those who had really fought for Uhuru” (Thiong’o 1697-1698). His success led to his new religion, the same religion his father in law celebrated, Christianity. He began to attend the church, and as his business and success grew so did his position in the church.

            Miriamu did not enjoy this. To her she had lost her husband. Wariuki changed so much that he even changed his name to Dodge W. Livingstone, Jr. “He attended classes in baptism and great was the day he cast away Wariuki and became Dodge W. Livingston, Jr. Thereafter he sat in the front bench. As his business improved, he gradually worked his way to the holy aisle. A new Church elder” (Thiong’o 1698). The day that he changed his name was the day that Miriamu’s husband died. However, she would not defy him, her love for him was too great. Instead she was a dutiful wife.

            Miriamu was not a woman to sit idly, “she enjoyed the touch of the soil: she enjoyed the free and open conversation with the workers”, and so she continued to work. (Thiong’o 1699). It was with these workers that she discovered the religion called “The Religion of Sorrows” (Thiong’o 1699). This religion was Christianity, but not the Christianity that her husband and father practiced. This religion was joyous, instead of the “mournful hymns” she heard “songs they themselves had created and used drums, guitars, jingles and tambourines, producing a throbbing powerful rhythm that made her want to dance with happiness” (Thiong’o 1699). This religion was the religion she and her husband had once had together, before he had wealth and power.

            Wariuki and Miriamu had love, and happiness, songs and dancing as their Christianity. However, Dodge W. Livingstone, Jr. and Douglas Jones had power and money has their Christianity. The two religions, even though they share the name Christianity, are very different. One joyous and free spirited, and one based off of money, success and status. At the end of the story Livingstone wants to renew his vows with his wife Miriamu to please his father in law. During the ceremony, when asked if she takes Livingstone as her husband Miriamu says no. “No, I cannot… I cannot marry Livingstone…because…because…I have been married before. I am married to…to…Wariuki…and he is dead” (Thiong’o 1702). The man she had once married had been free and loving and poor, but the man wanting to renew vows with her now was rich, conceited, and powerful. He was not the man she loved; his new religion had changed him, but not for the better.

Work Cited

"Ngugi Wa Thiong'o." The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Ed. Martin Puchner. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2013. 1691-692. Print.

Thiong'o, Ngugi Wa. "Wedding at the Cross." The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Ed. Martin Puchner. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2013. 1692-702. Print.