 |
| Cover of the text released before Christmas 2014 |
Langston
Hughes bemoans the American dream that for him once appeared relentlessly
deferred in his enlivening poem “Dream Deferred”. At the time of his writing,
it can be argued that most American citizens and especially those of Black
descent had systemically been marginalised from the American social, political
and economic opportunities. Hence as a Negro writer and one of the voices in
the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes abrogated himself the responsibility of being a
mouth piece of his generation and humanity in general.
Moreover,
there have been numerous writings related to the trope of the American dream
with Barrack Obama paying homage to it through his autobiography Dreams from my Father. Close at home,
Kenya, we have had Ken Walibora pen one in Kiswahili language Ndoto ya Amerika “The American Dream”. Thus,
it would appear that the American dream is strongly embedded in our imaginations
especially for those of us in postcolonial societies who gaze at America as the
epicentre of our economic liberation.
It
is not surprising then to read about the success story of a young man with
Somali roots having discovered self-actualisation within the realms of the
American dream. America Here I come: A
Somali Refugees Quest for Hope is the memoir of Hamse Warfa, a Somali
citizen and a former refugee in Dadaab, Kenya. It has been published by
Sunshine Publishing USA, 2014. This memoir describes the miraculous escape of
Hamse and his family from the war-torn Somali, cheating death, scavenging for
food as refugees in Kenya and the eventual asylum in the USA.
It
adopts a simple structure: language and sentences which aptly capture the
emotions and varying temperaments of the numerous conditions that Hamse’s
family have to contend with especially in their dangerous trek from Somali to
Kenya. The images of the war demonstrate the ravages of civil strife and its
effect on families and especially children. The memoir is laden with traumatic
experiences especially when a child witnesses the decimation of his family
right before his eyes: Whilst lying and pretending to be dead, a young man
brushes with death thus, “This one isn’t dead!” says a male voice. He [the boy]
can feel shadows crossing over him. Having held his breath for far too long, he
is almost giving up now.” The psychical impact of such and others much later as
narrated in the text serves to illustrate the demeaning nature of war.
America
Here I come is characterised by tensions, fear and the horror of death. It
is a narrative that brings hunger pangs to reality and it reminds us how
demeaning it is not to be able to fend for your loved ones. Exploring issues of
masculinity, gender and postcoloniality, the memoir vivifies the aspects of
alienation that can be resultant effects of patriarchal, political, social and
economic misalignments. It is a warning that a dehumanised being is capable of
derangement and committing acts of human rights abuse.
Clan
affiliations in Somali have been indicted for hard-line positions that have
contributed to the fragmentation of the country and fuelled the civil war. The
main culprit is seen as selfishness which the protagonist sees as a consequence
of capitalist economies. Both the civil war and the piracy in the Indian Ocean
have been interlinked in an effort to educate the audience that there are many
underlying factors at play in the destruction of Somali as opposed to the
common myths peddled through the media.
Levels
of marginalisation are appropriately captured through different lenses. For
instance, there is one time that the narrator and his family are treated as
second class refugees something that a reader would not consider in all
probable circumstances. The memoir goes ahead to demystify the myth that all
Somalis are terrorists. In fact this is one myth that contributes to the
suffering of the narrator and his family because they are perceived with
suspicion almost everywhere they go in their quest to settle down and
rediscover peace.
Issues
of race are not overlooked either. It is surprising that the narrator and his
family feel like outcasts whilst in Nairobi whereas one would imagine that they
would be welcome especially amongst the Kenya-Somalis. Hamse shows that human
beings use any means possible to discriminate against each other – creed,
religion, race etc. Much later, and in America specifically, the question of
race and religion re-emerges and the family has to persevere to overcome
insurmountable challenges so as to comfortably fit in in an alien country and
amongst strangers.
This
is a story of endurance and sheer determination. Hamse and his family are able
to find their footing, get educated and establish their livelihoods in America.
The memoir suggests the possibility of the American dream that is embedded in
personal sacrifice, humility and love from loved ones. The narrator says: “Fortunately,
faith in God, personal decisions I have made, love and guidance from family,
friends and teachers have prevented me from letting circumstances dictate my
life”. This is the spirit that culminates in the narrator’s achievements even
as he strives to attain the highest possible human endeavour possible within
his career prospects.
Hamse’s
memoir spells hope and forgiveness. It is a story that behoves reconciliation
and peace for the Somali nation. In between the narrative, the reader also
gleans the virtues of honesty and hard work. As a result, the memoir doubles up
as an inspirational story that can be used to mentor others even as it
pedagogically inculcates good morals amongst both the young and the elderly
from all walks of life. I posit that, Hamse Warfa’s America Here I Come: A Somali Refugee’s Quest for Hope validates
the feasibility of the American dream.
