Easter: Partaking of the Passover

Unleavened Bread

             Christianity is imbued with cultural practices, most of which are unknown to many of us in the contemporary church setting. This year’s Easter Holiday celebrations happened to be uniquely special for me. Having intermittently attended church service sermons at a predominantly local Afrikaner church for the last six months, I got the opportunity to be party to an evening family celebration of the Passover in the authentic Jewish manner.

Image courtesy of Google Images

             St. James church in Bloemfontein invited the Jews for Jesus members to display, educate, and partake of the Passover with the congregants in a symbolic gesture emblematic of both the redemption of Israelites from slave bondage in Egypt and that of us, the sinners, from the shackles of sin. Indeed, the occasion provided a wonderful opportunity to explore the depth of Christ's sacrifice through the Passover. https://youtu.be/d4XyYv991h4

             Regaling in the depths of captivating stories from the Old Testament, the Passover evening reminded me of the significance of sacrifice; the need for the spirit to be greatly tempered in order to ably persevere the tribulations that tempt many a feeble body to succumb to the weaknesses of the flesh. The Passover evening on this specific night underscored the need to remember how easy it is to give up, to whine, and to wish for an inglorious past thereby missing out on a future of great fulfilment: Israelites’ ingratitude in the wilderness vis-à-vis the promised land.

             The Jews for Jesus Passover should be a bold reminder of rootedness and the need for strong anchoring in communal mores that pitch human values at the epicentre of our interactions. For a Christian, certain traditions like celebrating the Lord’s table signifies selflessness and God’s love for humankind through the death of His only son for our salvation. The Passover is thus not only a referential point of identification for a Christian, but also a significant site of memory to remember God’s plan for us and to be re-membered to the bigger community of Christ’s followers.

             I refer to this continuum of cultural practice as a way of encouraging a spirit of cultural ownership and the need to celebrate our identities as Kenyan people. Although there might exist negative traditions that are detrimental to life and humanely possible interactions with other humans, there still lingers specific elements that are invaluable to who we are as a people. It is these that should find home in the definition of our cultural rites of passage, modes of identification, approaches to informal education, and become the bulwark of our ethnic pride.

             But I digress, the Passover Lamb is Jesus and the celebratory night is accompanied by a number of questions such as:

1.    Why is this night different from all other nights?

2.    On all other nights, we may eat either chometz or matzoh; on this night, only matzoh.

3.    On all other nights, we eat all kinds of vegetables; on this night, we must eat maror.

4.    On all other nights, we do not dip even once; on this night we dip twice.

5.    On all other nights, we may eat either sitting or reclining; on this night, we all recline.http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Exodus%2013.14

An explanation of these provides insights into the practice of the Passover but the overall message is one of love of a God who cannot forget us just as a mother would not forget the child born of her womb. His promises will be fulfilled at His own time and bidding but He will never forsake His own. http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Isaiah%2049.15

Wildlife Conservation in Angels of the Wild

Why Teen Literature is Every Young Person’s Love Story: Ng’ang’a Mbugua’s Angels of the Wild

Average book readers would easily testify to you how children stories enthralled their tender minds and tantalised their taste buds thereby setting off their love for poring through story books. Such persons would passionately and with a lot of abandon engage you with endless banter on how teen literature helped shape their world views and contributed immensely in fulfilling their childhood fantasies. Indeed, it is teen literature which brings the adventurous soul and spirit of a restless teen to a tranquil moment. Thus, it can be argued that this is made possible by the vicarious connection of the young mind with the boundless possibilities in fiction writing.

Image courtesy of Google Images

The key ingredient in teen writing is adventure. Psychologists have fronted the argument that the human brain is captivated by adventure since, innately, every human being desires to succumb to a reckless expedition bereft of the laws that govern human interactions. This would perhaps explain why some people love road trips, especially random ones that have not been painstakingly planned. It is this hunger for a sense of escape into the “unknown” that drives our desires to read adventurous stories. Some call it escapism literally!

Somehow, the reader imagines that s/he is able to traverse an out of the norm world that is probably and hopefully inhabited by “aliens”. Besides, teen literature appeals to young readers because it tends to respond to their immediate desires. Cornered into a structured adult world of dos and don’ts that hardly put into consideration their aberrant demands, teens are generally happy to read stories in which their age mates are heroes and individuals who appear to have a sense of freewill in their thinking and action – their free spirit like life dominates.  

It is this freewill and desire to do things in their own way that teens lack. It brings to mind kids love for the cartoon series Tom and Jerry in which roles are reversed and it appears that the mouse has clout and outmanoeuvres the cat. In this set up, the kids feel vindicated because they perceive the possibility of a world in which their hapless selves would be transformed to powerful individuals who call the shots and turntables over grownups. It is a world of reversals where laws of nature are defied and the impossible appear possible.

Mbugua’s Angels of the Wild may not be a story of a one-eyed ogre, it is neither a story of sci-fi equipment and destruction of aliens but it is a story of a young man’s quest to fight for wild animals’ right to life. In his characteristic nature, Mbugua attributes Birgen’s desire to protect the wild, especially elephants and rhinos, to a dream he has as a young boy. The dream motif is also found in his other novella Terrorists of the Aberdare. In this dream, a giant bird talks to Birgen and offers to take him for a ride because it wants to show him something; thereby arousing both Birgen and the reader’s curiosity. On this particular journey, Birgen witnesses first-hand the brutal massacre of an elephant and the callous extraction of its tasks.

The horrendous act fills Birgen with indignation. He is appalled by humans’ ravenous appetite for wild game and trophies without thinking about the decimation of the animals. Birgen can hardly conceptualise of a world without this nature’s beauty. He tries to think of a generation being taught in a history class of a species of animals that have become extinct and his soul is filled with extreme sadness. He vows to fight poaching. However, his noble quest is overtaken by events when he finds himself encased in a web of intricate activities that sees Birgen branded “Poachers” by his schoolmates. This is owed to his ignorant interaction with poachers, a Benjamin Saliti and others, who end up being nabbed and prosecuted in court.

Image courtesy of Google Images

Indeed, Saliti’s name betrays his cunning nature as it symbolises a betrayer. He preys on Birgen’s innocence and Tomsons, Birgen’s uncle, good nature and generosity to cover up his evil acts in Shaba Game Reserve. He ends up betraying their good course to preserve wildlife by aiding poachers thereby betraying the wild animals also by having them killed. On the one hand, the plot’s twists and turns are easy to follow and a young reader will easily identify and connect with the story. Besides, Birgen’s escapades in school appear factual and realistic something that would easily resonate with young school goers. On the other hand, Birgen’s emotional excitement about his uncle’s fiancée unearths his unfolding awareness about relationships and his own sexuality; thereby, it reveals his romantic expectations and affirms the average teen’s fantasies and aspirations. Read about Wangari Maathai and her conservation efforts here: http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/   

As far as school work and learning is concerned, Birgen and his fellow classmates represent a typical class setting with its juvenile rivalry, teasing, and the general sense of ease and play that pervades their environment. The thematic issues highlighted in the novella are current and the writer weaves the issues around other contemporary aspects such as Kenya’s new constitution and current economic affairs with the East like the Chinese trade relations. The writer, for example, mentions the three arms of the government, makes reference to counties and enables the reader to ponder over the challenges bedecking devolution in the nation such as politicking. Also, the novella subtly critics the Kenyan government’s blind engagement with the Chinese government without due consideration of the repercussions on our wildlife or any other wonky issues such as trade imbalances.   

Other names that have carefully been crafted in the text are Kumbuko, the history teacher whose name appears to borrow heavily from Swahili’s Kumbukumbu or Kumbuka, meaning memory or to remember; hence signifying his career. Also, the government prosecutor, William Wellington Wefwafwa’s name alliterates. Consequently, the musical touch on the name makes it memorable and helps to broaden the dramatic attributes of the character. In a way, one can argue that Angels of the Wild provides an apt story for young readers which not only entertains them but also moralises them on virtues such as hard-work, self-belief, and honesty. This is of course contrasted against vices such as greed, dishonesty, and wanton destruction of Mother Nature.

Image courtesy of Google Images

Therefore, this novella is likely to stimulate young people’s minds and ignite their passion to fall in love with reading. I submit that such kind of writing would be useful to mentor young minds on the importance of safeguarding the natural environment for posterity. It also helps instil good values by extoling the spirit of togetherness and the need to unify, face challenges and hopefully surmount them. This is best illustrated in the science congress project that earns the team from Shompole school commercial prospects through mentoring by General Electric. The simple language and structure would easily appeal to teens and young adults to immerse themselves into the world of literature and hopefully fall in love with reading. Read more about the author here: https://www.bigwriters.blogspot.com

Redefining Patriarchy

Reflections on Dr Mamphela Ramphele’s “Ndiyindoda! Yes, you are a Man”

Had I not attended the 2^nd International Leah Tutu Symposium held at Odeion, University of the Free State, I would have remained believing that masculinity is only a preserve of the ignorant! Yet, masculinity, which is at the root of questions and problems surrounding gender, identity and contestations thereof about defining gender equality, is a problem of the world at large. The deliberations that ensued in the course of the day shook me and left me quite afraid of where my country, Kenya, is hurtling herself towards in lieu of men, masculinity and feminism.

UFS Nelson Mandela Gate: UFS FaceBook Images
UFS is here: http://www.ufs.ac.za/homepage 

Mamphela Ramphele’s keynote address inspired me so much that I decided to pen a blog post in honour of her presentation whose title and content is the source of my reflections and summations. Drawing largely from African traditional knowledge, cultural practices and other social norms, she noted that the true spirit of Ubuntu demands that we have to make it our business to touch the lives of the people we encounter and not to bask in the limelight of dominance and oppression. But it was her discourse on masculinity; the expectations of the society about men that elicited animated rejoinders from the audience. Her paper was predicated on the Xhosa initiation phrase Ndiyindoda – shouted at the moment of circumcision meaning “I am a man” – I have become a man through initiation.

After listening to her, now I am more than ever convinced that what ails the society is the ideal alpha male figure that we have propped up and imagined that every man/woman should strive to become in the course of their life. It is this alpha male myth that we celebrate; a narrative that thrives on the triple heritage of dominance, power and control. I can surmise convincingly here that it is the biggest problem that bedevils Kenyan politics, economy and social life and perhaps that of Africa at large. Otherwise how can you explain the voracious appetite for pieces of land, political power and the widening economic and social gap between the rich and the poor; the men and the women? Besides, the alpha male narrative flaunts sexuality and sexual prowess through belittling and undermining other males as sissies, wimps, moffies, weaklings or losers.

It thus bears mentioning that if we are to correct this image, we have to define masculinity differently and teach young men that they can define themselves outside the realms of the alpha male figure. This definition must occlude egalitarian values such as amassing wealth, wielding power over others, being a hero etc. As such, the mere adoption of a constitution by a country, like Kenya for example, does not directly translate to upholding of human rights and other gender related issues.  Also, being initiated through circumcision does not necessarily qualify one as a man and neither does hoarding or having havens of wealth and money transform one into a man. Thus, civic education must be stepped up to teach young generations of the ethos and values that define a holistic society – the need to embrace the value system of a human rights culture.

Image courtesy of University of the Free State website

One of the best ways to begin conversations about questions of identity is at school. We have to create safe spaces for teachers and mentors to discourse on matters of gender, identity and sexuality. As many developing countries grapple with emerging issues of LGBTI, homophobic behaviour and other sexually oriented issues, we must find apt means to confront and deal with them. If this does not happen, the phantom of the alpha male will keep haunting humanity. It is good to note that education can help negate aspects such as subjugation, disempowerment and alienation which are a resultant effect of the ideology of dominance.

It is also worth noting that women end up being collateral damages of subjugation. When the narrative of the alpha male dominates a society, this leads to other males being ridiculed and in turn they turn their angst towards the women in their lives. In their bid to remedy their broken egos, the men turn to crime, violence, drugs and anything else that can help fill the void of the feeling of vulnerability. Consequently, they rape, batter, maim and other times kill women and children. An example given in the discussion demonstrated how a man murdered a woman and when asked why he did so he said that he wanted her to respect him and recognise that he is a man and that as a result the society would see him as a man and respect that!

Of interest to the discussion was the fact that the increase in adult shops and other porn related issues is tied to the alpha male narrative that projects man as an insatiable being. This leads to human trafficking and the casting of the female body as an object of male desire, conquest and satisfaction. As a result, misogynistic images thrive as men compete to outdo each other in showcasing their money and power; again reflecting domination. This raises the question: Why do men feel they have to control and command? How can we teach alternative masculinity? Thus, as long as we uphold the alpha male – where the winner takes all, we will continue to nurture conflict and violence amongst ourselves!  

It simply emerged that human rights is an issue that resides in the realms of an ideal world, one which is far removed from the reality of the problems on the ground. We need to teach men that they can be real and that there is nothing wrong with crying. The traditional notion of a tough heterosexual man who is privileged as a provider, protector and leader must be challenged. If not, the men who do not exude such valour will continue to be ridiculed and when they suffer inferiority complex all manner of psychosocial issues will break loose. The detriment of such a situation might explain the isolated cases of Kenyan men massacring their entire family and committing suicide. In fact, if unchecked, the moral stability of the country will eventually crumble leading to a society of lawlessness and anarchy – a phenomenon that is already common in parts of South Africa and other places such as the USA.   

Image courtesy of UFS FaceBook Page 

Questions around the triple burden of poverty, unemployment and inequality undermine identity formation. For example, a man who cannot provide feels inadequate. If a boy is born to such a man and he grows up being asked to man up, he will have a warped imagination of what masculinity is because he is already traumatised by his father’s figure of a man who comes across as a loser thus encouraging transgenerational trauma. This tells us that we are overburdening men by telling them to be men and yet we are not equipping them with the requisite resources to be so. The corollaries of such a situation are gender based violence, indulgence in substance abuse, suicide and other crime related matters.

Care must be exercised so that we do not define men only as providers, protectors and leaders without providing them with the means to actualise the same. If these men are disempowered, such a perception, of an alpha male, will lead to destruction of the self which can only spell doom for the society at large. We have to find a way of initiating men into manhood without setting them up for failure. Ramphele reiterated that boys need to be socialised to understand that they can be gentle, communicative, and caring persons who can express emotions. But we must protect this and dissuade ourselves from joining ranks with those who demean them for being so. Both men and women must see each other as complimentary as opposed to competitors. Indeed, women cannot abdicate their responsibility of protecting men and helping men to understand their identity as well as position in society and vice versa. Read more about Ramphele: http://whoswho.co.za/mamphela-ramphele-4739

Last but not least, the African culture had no alpha male and everyone was equal. Social gatherings were held with all the men sitting in a circle on equal apparatus without even the chief being elevated. In this setting, everyone contributed equally and was listened to with mutual respect. Therefore, we must refuse quoting things out of context or selecting social constructs that satisfy our selfish whims such as the bible verse that women must be submissive. Ramphele ended her speech by quoting Fredrick Douglass’ statement that “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men”. 

The Pitfalls of Economic Inequalities

Kinyanjui Kombani is the author of The Last Villains of Molo. He is a banker but also a creative writer. In this first novel, Kombani prophetically deals with the palpable scenario that is the flawed Kenyan electoral process. The hope for the country is ostensibly placed on the shoulders of a young generation in the hope that they are not tainted by the blood of tribal animosity that has dogged Kenya since independence.

However, in Den of Inequities, Kombani chooses to revisit the question of socioeconomic stratification. In this narrative we are compelled to come face to face with the ramifications of the ever widening gap between the poor and the rich. A den is a nest or as symbolised in this text it could be a hole in which all hell breaks loose without remorse. In fact, the main abode inhabited by the poor in this novel is a slum known as Mashimoni, literally a hell hole on earth. It is a place where crime is bred and the police have a field day exercising extrajudicial executions. I have gathered from my reading that the reader will have a hard time trying to distinguish what is factual from that which is fictional.  

The writer’s flair of description is evident in the narrative. In the opening chapter we are met with the following: “A hullabaloo of activity heralded the beginning of yet another weekend. The narrow, one-lane main road was bursting with the usual crowd; noisy winos staggering out of illicit liquor dens; mothers making last minute trips to the sukuma-wiki kiosks and charcoal dealers in preparation for supper; haggard-looking men and women trudging home from work and so on.” (p.1) This is the opening scene that heralds the typical Kenyan slum life that the reader will interact with throughout the narrative. 

In addition, characters are appropriately named. It is not uncommon to discover the use of pen names or shortened versions of names amongst slum dwellers. For example instead of Kamau the tenants of such tenements result to Kama, Oti for Otieno, Omosh for Omollo or Omondi amongst others. Whatever the reasons, one can only assume that it is an aesthetic way of trying to colour their lives with some essence of beauty and redeem themselves from the image of disfigurement brought about by poverty, marginalisation and political neglect.

Furthermore, such forms of characterisation can help the reader to unearth elements of deviant behaviour amongst people of the lower cadre in society. Having been socialised in a ghetto life reminiscent of police harassment where the first thing a police officer demands for is a person’s full name – majina yako yote kamili – the slum dwellers may have unconsciously resulted to using shorted versions of names or nicknames as a way of defying the rule of law. It could also be a conscious effort to preserve their identity against the debilitating effects of crime which is usually associated with slum dwellers. Thus, the use of a nickname or a shortened version of one’s name protects the identity of the character and maintains a boundary between who the person is in real life and the external parameters of identification brought about by association to/with crime. 

For example, Omosh is cast as a typical slum dweller. He is a casual labourer in the construction industry and as expected he cannot meet the economic needs of his nuclear family. He uses all his savings to buy medication for his sick toddler despite the fact that his rent is long overdue and he risks having his family spending their nights out in the cold. But even then, he never gets home with the medication. It is as though fate has connived with sickness and an unjust system to drive him to the precipices of suicide. However, an interesting twist of events transforms Omosh from an innocent poverty ravaged man to a cruel vengeance-laden individual.

The reader finds out that Omosh never gets to deliver the medication because some corrupt police pick him up when they mistake him for being part of a street brawl. The other three characters arrested together with him are released after bribing the policemen but Omosh has no cent on him. When he is advised to plead guilty to being drunk and disorderly, he ends up being sentenced to three months imprisonment by a judge who harbours bitterness for drunkards because his wife lost her life thanks to drunken driving by some young rich men. When later released, Omosh discovers that the local carpenter toppled his role as a family head. The psychological turmoil he experiences drives him to the forest to commit suicide but, whilst on the crag of hanging himself, somehow something snaps when he sees policemen on patrol and he bludgeons them to death as reprisal for what the law enforcers had subjected him to. This killing starts off a vicious cycle of killings that pits a special police unit –Operation Fagia (the final clean up) –and The Chama against each other.

On the other hand, Gosti, a sheng word for ghost, is the product of an absentee father. The narrative underscores the fact that the ghost of his absentee father will haunt him to his death. Having been a perpetual prisoner, Gosti comes home one day to find his filthy rich and obese father uncomfortably nestled on a stool in his hovel. Although their encounter is an uncomfortable one, they later strike a rapport when the father frames Gosti to be indicted for a murder he had not committed. He does this so as to conscript Gosti as his killing machine to eliminate political enemies. It is only much later that we discover that Gosti’s father was a member of a dreaded group – The Chama – which symbolises the dreaded infamous Kenyan Mungiki terror gang.

Image courtesy of the writer

The incongruity of the father-son relationship is emphasised in the father’s protuberant belly which makes it impossible for him to hug Gosti and hopefully cement their reunion albeit physically. His Mercedes car so conspicuously stands out such that the reader is compelled to see him as an unnecessary intrusion in the life of his son. Therefore, the text casts him as an outcast in the slum where his poor son has had to glean for morsels to feed himself and the wife whereas the father wallows in opulence. It is no surprise that Gosti ends up becoming a mugger/thief to make ends meet.

Police are stereotypically portrayed in the narrative. They are presented as corrupt, dehumanised and easily compromised. Through the text, we are able to visualise the way in which the police end up getting involved in corrupt deals or the way they extort money from thugs and other criminal gangs so as to provide them with protection. Moreover, politicians such as Aileen’s father have managed to scale the political ladder by adopting similar unethical trends. Consequently, all the characters in the text appear to have split personalities – double identities. For example Edward The Chama leader who falls in love with Aileen although she is not privy of his role in the outlawed group.

On her part, Aileen represents the spoiled ‘brats’ of rich families who dictate the social life in Kenyan universities. Her initial relationship with Alex, a campus rugby player, is reminiscent of young people’s fantasies and the utopian short lived relationships that are as quickly formed and broken as the young people’s tastes change. The disparity of rich kids on campus and the poor ones is glaring. Such disproportions are indicative of the economic gap between the rich and the poor in Kenya. These differences are somehow blamed for the broken moral fabric and the upsurge in insecurity.

The cover appears glossy and aesthetically appealing but the paper used to print the text is wanting. One can only hope that the economic inequalities explored in the narrative are not replicated in the form of a publisher who deliberately exploits the writer or the reader who buys the text. Also, although the text attempts to effectively explore serious issues, the plot and some characters could have done better with proper development. Essentially, the text warns us that if we don’t put in effort to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich, then we should be prepared to accept the attendant issues of insecurity, promiscuity and terrorist attacks amongst many other pitfalls. 
Read more about Kombani here: http://www.kinyanjuikombani.com/

Reclaiming Humanity: A Review of A Human Being Died that Night by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

On Friday 30^th January 2015, it was announced that Eugene de Kock, the former head of covert operations and death squad unit of the South African Apartheid Police popularly referred to as “Prime Evil” had been given parole. Eugene has been granted parole on what the judge refers to as in the interest of forgiveness, national healing and reconciliation. Furthermore, the judge notes that the next of kin of the victims of “Prime Evil” were consulted in arriving at this decision; also, Eugene has to abide by certain conditions set by the court upon his release.

Image courtesy of Google images

Eugene de Kock, mispronounced as Dikoko by black guards in prison as noted by Pumla, was sentenced to two life terms plus 212 years in prison for his activities as head of the infamous Vlakplaas police death squad targeting anti-apartheid activists. The highly decorated former colonel confessed to more than 100 acts of murder, torture and fraud before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which was established in 1995 to consider amnesty for those who confessed their crimes during apartheid. He was granted amnesty for most offences — including the 1982 bombing of the ANC's London offices — but was jailed for six murders that were found to have lacked direct political motivation.

The discussions around his imprisonment and possible parole have been characterized by divergent views. Some have considered his crimes against humanity too heinous to be forgiven whereas others have looked at Eugene as a symbolically repentant prisoner who is serving a term in prison on behalf of leaders who have refused to own up and take responsibility for the crimes committed by the likes of Eugene at their command. Pumla’s interviews with him led her to conclude that “de Kock was clearly angry that he had been made a scapegoat – that while he had been sought after as a master counterinsurgency strategist and treated like a hero under apartheid, he had become the most despised white person in post-apartheid South Africa.”

 Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela’s text A Human Being Died that Night is a true testimony of Malusi Mpumlwana’s prayer that what we need as human beings is forgiveness and healing because that is the only thing that can redeem us from dehumanisation. During the Truth and Reconciliation process in South Africa, he said: “When they torture you, you look on them and you say, ‘By the way, these are Gods children,’... and you know they need you to help them recover the humanity they are losing.” Although Pumla does not directly prescribe for de Kock to be paroled, her psychological insights gathered from her interactions with him whilst interviewing him in prison attest to these words by Malusi. Besides, Njabulo Ndebele argues that for South Africa to become free from the scars of apartheid, it must engage in the recovery of humans. Read about Pumla here: http://www.pumlagobodom.co.za/

This recovery of humanity can only be possible through forgiveness which Pumla defines as being characterised by supernatural powers: “There seems to be something spiritual, even sacramental, about forgiveness – a sign that moves and touches those who are witnesses to its enactment” (95). It is possible to argue that through forgiveness, the victim releases not just the resentment and anger but also the burden of carrying hatred and being weighed down by the feeling of vulnerability and hopelessness. The victim sets both the oppressor and himself/herself free from the bondage of emotional scars and trauma caused by crimes against humanity. Thus, s/he reclaims humanity and regains power by taking control of his/her traumatic past.

TFR Members 2014

Indeed, Pumla describes de Kock as a man who is paradoxically dead. She notes that “As behind-the-scenes engineer of apartheid’s murderous operations, he had been faceless and nameless. Now that he was exposed, his name was unpronounceable – as unspeakable – as his deeds [de Kock being referred to as Dikoko]. Using her skills as a trained clinical psychologist, Pumla sets out to hold a series of sessions with de Kock that are characterised by trepidation on her part. However, she eventually discovers that de Kock has a side of him that might be unknown to the rest of the world – the fact that he is human just like the rest of us. But, for de Kock “A human being died [one particular] night [when he got involved in a] murder operation” (51). The guilty conscience of the killing was so overwhelming that he had to discard his clothes and towels because he felt that death was clinging to him by way of a pungent smell that he couldn’t wash away.

Pumla’s interview sessions with de Kock help her to unearth how the latter is progressively sucked into the bitterness of the apartheid regime and subsequently he becomes their death machine, a highly feared man who spells doom for his victims. The conversations reveal that de Kock looks back with hindsight and regrets his involvement in the torture and murder of blacks. Although religion had taught them that they were fighting for what is right for the whites, de Kock gets shocked to discover a copy of a well-read bible, same as the one he uses, in the hands of a black man. Thereafter, he reckons that “We fought for nothing, we fought each other basically for nothing. We could all have been alive having a beer. And the politicians? If we could put all politicians in the front lines with their families, and grandparents, and grandchildren – if they are in the frontline, I don’t think we will ever have a war again” (78).

Eugene de Kock loses not only his innocence but his sense of self-worth as a human being. It is as a result of this that Pumla considers de Kock a dead man. When you lose your conscience as a human being and begin to rationalise your murderous acts towards fellow human beings, then you cease to exist by the mere fact that you cease to value human life. Unless the perpetrator of crimes against humanity owns up to his/her acts, then s/he remains in a state of limbo of denial and may never be redeemed from their evil acts. Pumla posits that “Typically, the perpetrator starts off with rationalization, to convince himself of the legitimacy of his acts, then he begins to communicate his rationalization to others. At this point it is no longer a rationalization but a “truth” that releases the perpetrator from any sense of guilt he may still feel about the evil deeds. If the enemy is doing the same thing he himself is engaged in, then he can’t be that bad” (23).

Eugene de Kock: Image courtesy of Google images

Part of de Kock’s redemption emanates from the fact that he was a crusader for the protection of children. He argues that his conscience would not have allowed him to see children suffering. Also, Pumla’s touch of his trigger hand helps him to connect with humanity by the mere fact that the gesture demonstrates empathy for his lost soul. His cry for a human touch to help rescue his dead soul from the evil that has swallowed it demonstrates his desire to recant his evil past. Besides, during the Truth and Reconciliation sessions, he notes that his confession helped him to shed off the burden of crimes he had committed that were weighing heavily on his shoulders. Indeed, his meeting with mothers and widows of victims he had tortured and killed not only brings closure to the women, but it also helps position them in a state of power over de Kock. Eventually when they choose to forgive him it is because they connect with de Kock as a human being. One woman says that she had forgiven de Kock owing to the empathy she felt for him and she hoped that when de Kock saw their tears he would realise it was not just for their husbands but also for him – that he can change and rediscover his humanity.

A Human Being Died that Night reveals the power of confession, forgiveness and reconciliation. Although there are many issues that require reparation for the South African nation to heal and forge forward in unity, a lot of sacrifice is required from both the victims and perpetrators of crimes against humanity. Full disclosure accompanied by genuine remorse and desire for forgiveness will help give impetus to the process of healing. Pumla notes that although it cannot provide solutions for all problems facing humankind, “dialogue does create avenues for broadening our models of justice and for healing deep fractures in a nation by unearthing, acknowledging, and recording what has been done. It humanizes the dehumanized and confronts perpetrators with their humanity. Through dialogue, victims as well as the greater society come to recognize perpetrators as human beings who failed morally, whether through coercion, the perverted convictions of a warped mind, or fear” (119). It is a text that provides a wealth of knowledge for communities and nations grappling with deep-seated decades of trauma and hatred to seek for a redemptive process hinged on forgiveness and reconciliation. Read about de Kock here: https://www.google.co.za/url?

Validating the American Dream: A Review of Hamse Warfa’s America Here I Come: A Somali Refugee’s Quest for Hope

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.

Ngumbe or Guturamira Invocation

Although it is not purely a preserve of the Gikuyu community, guturamira, the act of cursing someone by stripping is arguably one that has featured across the cultures of several African communities albeit expressed in different diction. At least, I have encountered its equivalent being discoursed about amongst the Akamba community in a number of contexts. In Kĩkamba it is commonly referred to as ngumbe.

Word has it that this curse is executed by a woman against someone who has irked her enormously or towards someone who has immensely acted against the norms and values of the community. It can be enacted singularly, meaning that it can involve the act of ngumbe or guturamira by an individual woman or it can be collectively executed by a group of women. Whichever the case, the woman/women are generally expected to be child bearers who demand respect owing to the stature that motherhood and other responsibilities have bestowed upon them.  

Ngumbe or Guturamira is considered to be a powerful curse, indeed the ultimate curse because it involves being exposed to a mother’s genitalia. The woman would face away from the victim, exposing her back then strip stark naked and bend backwards! It is an anathema which only few people in Kenyan communities can attest to having been witnesses to/of. Henceforth, the accursed victim is occluded from social events or activities of the given community – excommunicated!

There are many postulations regarding why the curse is despicable but it appears that as an adult it is excruciatingly painful to be compelled to witness the nakedness of your “mother”. It is a brutal act that violates ethics at its core. In this case the mother figure emblematises anyone whose age and social standing reflects the equivalent of someone’s biological mother. I can posit that perhaps a woman recoils into her maternal instinct so that when she is at the end of her wits she reaches for the life birthing tool to curse a person to damnation. It is a complete cycle – whatever gave birth to you ironically becomes a source of death so to speak – social death in this instance!

Although not commonly referred to, there are instances where old men have been implicated in ngumbe or guturamira. My knowledge on this is limited but I am privy to discussions amongst elderly men in my community who have hinted that an old man can also use his genitalia to curse. For the men, the stripping and exposure of genitals does not involve showing the back rather, they would do the act whilst facing the person one on one. However, the fact that this is uncommonly spoken about intimates that is not as prevalent as that by the women.

Historically, during the arrest of Harry Thuku in 1922, a woman by the name Mary Muthoni Nyanjiru was shot dead by colonial agents who might have been out of touch with probably “primitive acts and practices!” during a rebellious act of guturamira to resist Thuku’s arrest. But during the struggle for multiparty democracy in Kenya, guturamira served the purpose because the police recognised the cultural dynamics at play when the women, cornered and helpless, decided to invoke it as a means of self-defence and as a mechanism for survival and self-preservation.

However, the incumbent president, Moi, chose to read the act as a barbaric behaviour by women who had lost their minds. Never mind that his anger might have been specifically directed at the late Nobel Peace recipient – Wangari Maathai. In the end the women, whose sons were political prisoners, won their battle to have them released from political detention amongst them Koigi wa Wamwere. Naturally pressure from human rights groups such as RPP (Release Political Prisoners) and other international bodies helped to exert pressure on the government.

Therefore, the ngumbe or guturamira is a cultural practice whose invocation should spell doom and elicit dread. Am reminded of a cultural belief from a remote part of Ukambani where if an old man is extremely angry with you he chooses to point his finger towards anything else but the victim. I cannot substantiate the truth but rumour has it that if he points towards a tree, it dries up within days! Indeed we need to guard against behaviour and other acts that violate cultural norms so as to preserve ourselves against the shortfalls of ignorance and human fallibility.