Kabongo

by Richard St. Barbe Baker

Biography of a Kiyuku chief.

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1955

Reviews

[Danielle Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is written as from a Kikuyu man in Kenya just on the onset of white settlement. And it is surprisingly sad and moving.
The memory of his boyhood and as he took his responsibility within his tribe speaks so much care for the soil and surroundings. A peacefulness between all and desire for all. And the entrance of the white man with their bewildering inventions and their complete disinterest in other societies way of working and forcing them to comply with their own way of doing things is pretty typical, sadly.
In fact the whole thing was quite sad. That at the end of his life this head of his large family, nearing the end of his life, could look over all the changes and the descent into famine and poverty produced by these rapid changes forces him to ask himself, Did they bring good? Well, yes they did, in many areas but their inability to respect the husbandry of the natives of their forests and their soil had also degraded both to a point where famine was the end result.
Yeah, it was a well written story from a simple village head of his family. But it was also just so, so sad. And should be a rebuke to the arrogance of those of us that think our society has the best way of being.
I doubt it!

[V · Rating 2 out of 5]

Came across this book when doing some research on Kenya for a short story. While Ricard St. Barbe Baker was writing this novel, the British were rounding up all the Kikuyu and forcing them into labor camps, but his book intentionally avoids such harsh indictments. I think his intention was to humanize the Kikuyu, but he ends up falling into some "noble savage" tropes. He clearly researched Kikuyu culture and religion, but the characters never felt very deep to me. Maybe because his goal here was humanitarian propaganda (which, sure, is a noble cause) he avoids looking at more complicated, sometimes ugly, psychology, which is what really makes memorable characters.

What I enjoyed the most about this book was the way the characters interacted with the setting. I can still picture the mugumo tree where the tribe performed their religious rites. As for what I was researching, I found his evocative descriptions of the African savannah really helpful.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me thankful that I've been to Africa, and terribly sad that nothing is not contaminated and sacred, really. Well, things are sacred. Many things are, but, y'know. This book read like a song.