Return To My Native Land

by Ian C. Dawkins Moore

As a young man I traveled to West Africa in search of my identity. I am a man of color, who was born in England. I visited West Africa in the mid-seventies before that area exploded into violence, and witnessed the displacement of its people. My adventure lasted 18 months, 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 on 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, then, is about my encounters with the ordinary and real people of Africa, and my perspectives of the underlying issues of the African societies that I experienced throughout my travels. These experiences were an attempt to find my place in Africa, and in the World. The histories and sentiments reported here are still very much true of an African mindset that is proud, energetic, and diverse in its view of the world.

Genres: Travel

274 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.