Ribs
A common motif in the first part of the poem concerning the creation of the land is the mentioning of the ribs as being a central part on which everything was created. The ribs will eventually be the support onto which everything grows and develops.
Symbol for greatness
The narrator mentions the stone lapis lazuli in the first part of the poem and the presence of the stone has a symbolic meaning. The stone is seen by many as being the oldest mineral to ever be discovered and it was seen by many as having magical powers. For a long time, the stone has been associated with greatness and royalty and in this context it may symbolize how the African continent reigned over the other places in the world when it comes to evolution since many consider the African continent as being the place where everything started and the place from where everything came to be.
Salt as a symbol
Salt appears in every part of the poem and can be seen as being a symbol. Salt is natural accruing element in nature and is used by everyone in cooking. It is seen as being indispensable by many and thus it could be seen as being a primordial element. Salt is also a raw material that needs to be complemented by other elements in order to be consumed. Because of this, salt can be seen in this context as a symbol for humanity that took form from the beginning of time and yet it is something that needed help to become palatable by the general masses.
Symbol for the stubbornness of human kind
In the second poem, the author mentions Balaam, the Biblical character who refused to listen to God and who insisted he does everything he wants on his own terms. He is used as a symbol for stubbornness and in the poem, the author suggests that humanity turned slowly into a whole compilation of Balaams, people who refuse to listen and who only care about themselves. Thus, Balaam also becomes here a symbol used to describe the modern man.
Symbol for freedom
The last part of the poem is entitled Soweto. The name Soweto refers to a place in Africa where the black people upraised against the violence with which they were treated and retook their freedom. In this sense, the term Soweto is used here as a symbol for freedom as it marks the emancipation of the black society.
