In Efua Sutherland's play The Marriage of Anansewa, Aya is Ananse's mother. She is the elderly woman who lives in Ananse's household and plays a significant role in the domestic life of the family. Aya provides a voice of wisdom and sometimes disapproval in the household, serving as a moral counterbalance to Ananse's scheming nature.
Aya is distinct from other characters: she is not a neighbour (she lives in the household), not Ananse's sister, and not his aunt. Her relationship to Ananse is that of mother to son, and this maternal bond gives her a particular authority and perspective within the story. She is present during the unfolding of Ananse's elaborate scheme to marry off his daughter Anansewa to the highest-bidding chief, and her reactions help the audience gauge the moral dimensions of his plan.
The correct answer is that Aya is Ananse's mother.