Return to My Native Land: Travels in West Africa

by Ian C. Dawkins Moore

As a young man, Ian Moore traveled in West Africa in search of my identity. He is a man of color, who was born in England. He visited West Africa in the early seventies before that area exploded into violence, and witnessed the displacement of its people.

My adventure lasted 18 month, and covered the countries of Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), Ghana, cote d'Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

An adventure like this probably couldn't happen today. The desert has encroached onto the south, and poverty has forced the increased migration of peoples from the savannah areas to the coastal countries. Violence has decimated some countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone, and the borders have become much tighter and more dangerous places.

This story is about his encounters with real people in Africa and his personal observations of the history and traditions of the African societies that he experienced throughout his travels. These experiences were a coming of age for Ian, and an attempt to find his place in Africa and the World.

Genres: Travel

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2006

About the author

My Biosphere

My name is Ian, in England born
My father’s from the islands, my mum’s from that shore
My youth was spent fleeing xenophobic bores.

I traveled to Athens and Timbuktu
I bathed in Alhambra, Granada too
I could never shake my brooding school.

My American wife dragged me here
My stepdaughter in tow, a brand new sphere
My opposition to the states took five years to clear.

I started again, from scratch in haste
I started to relearn a new verb, chase
I started to learn a new action, waste.

My endeavors were positive though painfully slow
My dues well paid, eventually did grow
My overnight success took many moons to glow.

I now serve the public civil and clean
I now work the markets and international scene
I now have great credit and a labyrinth machine.

My writing before covered prose and essay
My heroes are Baldwin, Soyinka and Essay
My novel attempts include travel and jazzy.

I read like a fish that swims in the night
I spend more on books than I have such a right
I meditate, cool out, and stay UN-Tight.

My dreams are to learn the heart of the word
My hopes are to chase that winged bird
My endeavors I pray are to teach and be heard.