CHECKING OUT ME HISTORY

Checking Out Me History - Context

John Agard Born 1949

John Agard is a Guyanese poet who moved to Britain in 1977. His mother was Portuguese and his father was Black. He often looks at black history in his poetry. This poem deals with how the Guyanese education system taught him about British History but not about his own heritage. At the end of the poem, Agard determines to learn about his own heritage and create an individual identity.

In this poem Agard refers to many historical characters. The chances are you will not have heard of the black historical characters. This is the point of the poem.

Nanny de Maroon, Toussaint L'Ouverture and Mary Seacole are heroes of black history who are only now beginning to be recognised as important historical figures.

The poem's theme is especially relevant given the recent campaigns to the reveal hidden aspects of British history and connections to slavery.

Checking out me History - Analysis

Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me

The creole language is a way for the speaker to assert their identity. The third person pronoun 'Dem' represetns the powerful who determine which aspects of history will be known.

Blind me to me own identity

The metaphor of bandaging and blinding suggests an inversion of what bandgaing is normally used for - healing. Here it is used as a form of oppression. The link between history and identity is established and will return at the end.

I carving out me identity.

The end of the poem is affirmative, almost celebratory. The poem itself, with its references to L'Ouverture, Seacole etc is a way in which Agard is uncovering and celebrating black history.