| HM Productions Intl. All Rights Reserved |
| copyright 2008 by HM Entertainment Inc. |
| THIS SITE |
| MEJAMWANGI.COM |
 |  |  |  |  |
Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books, 2005.
150 pp., pbk. &cl., $9.95 (pbk.), $18.95.
ISBN 0-88899-664-0 (pbk.), ISBN 0-88899-653-5 (cl.).
Grades 5 and up / Ages 10 and up.
Review by Lori Walker.
****
Originally published in 1990 as Little White Man, Meja Mwangi's
story chronicles the problematic friendship of two boys, one
Kenyan and one British, during the 1950's Mau-Mau Revolt
that challenged British Colonial rule over Kenya. Mwangi's work
won the prestigious Deutscher Jugendliteraturepreis by winning
the hearts and minds of both youth and adult jury members,
no small accomplishment. The book combines adventure and
that first unforgettable taste of freedom and power, with a
powerful lesson in African history and the systemic impact of
violence that accompanies colonial rule.
The book begins with young Kariuki's growing fear that his
difficult life may be becoming more difficult, with the Mau-Mau,
Kenyan rebels fighting British colonial land owners being the
source of his village's growing problems. Someone has stolen
Bwana Ruin's rifle, and the white land owner has herded the
village that comprises his workforce into the cattle auction pens
to interrogate and intimidate. When Kariuki hears his father's
name called by one of the hundreds of white soldiers called in
stem the growing threat of rebellion, he believes he might
never see him again. But his father is Bwana Ruin's valued
cook, spared in order that Bwana Ruin's breakfast is not
delayed.
Kuriuki's life is filled with violence and injustice. He survives the
day-long imprisonment only to be beaten by the headmaster of
his school the next day for being absent from class. He also
endures beatings from his classmates, brother, and father. But
he finds his refuge in the rivers, pools and forests that
surround his home. One afternoon while watching a duck family
at the pond, Kuriuki is confronted by two Mau-Mau soldiers
who force him to deliver a message to his brother Hari. On his
way, he is intercepted by his mother and is sent to the pond to
collect water. Here he encounters Bwana Ruin's grandson Nigel,
unaware that the Kenyan boy is meant to be treated as a
recalcitrant labourer, rather than a friend.
Kuriuki is immediately aware of the risk posed by the cheerful
white boy, but he is drawn into a friendship regardless. The
boys share a
fascination of the land, its animals and adventure, but each
exhibits a naivete of the other's world, and, as they learn from
each other, their growing mutual respect further entrenches
their friendship.
The boys' hunting adventures are rich with danger and
suspense. Nigel learns which berries are lethal, how to conduct
himself around cobras, and all about the world of the Jimis, the
just barely domesticated dogs that accompany the boys on
their forest excursions. Undeterred by adults who warn both
boys to stay apart and several close calls in the forest, the
boys set their sights on hunting down Old Moses, the oldest,
meanest warthog in the forest. They take along Bwana Ruin's
guard dogs, Salt and Paper, which are as naive of the dangers
of the forest and its inhabitants as young Nigel. But Old Moses
does not pose the biggest threat to the safety of the boys.
Mau-Mau soldiers capture Nigel, and fearing he had abandoned
his friend, Kuriuki sets off to rescue him, at unimaginable
personal cost.
This honest, poignant story offer readers an invaluable
introduction to colonial history in Africa and the scars this
history has left on its cultures and people. Meja Mwangi's book
offers an opportunity to understand and discuss the roots and
legacy of racism, as well as create an awareness of how the
oppression that still exists in many forms impacts young
people around the world. It would be enjoyed as an
independent book choice or as classroom reading. As Judi
Saltman writes in the Riverside Anthology of Children's
Literature, "The best realistic fiction for children...has always
been distinguished by historical accuracy, precise observation,
emotional truthfulness, strong plot, and well-rounded,
sympathetic characters. And all the best stories for children, of
whatever type, have one common element:
They speak with a personal voice" (p. 668).
The Mzungu Boy exemplifies realistic fiction at its best.
Highly Recommended.
Lori Walker has a PhD. in Communication from Simon Fraser
University and has returned to school to indulge in a Masters in
Children's Literature at UBC.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to
cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association.
| For young Kariuki, life in a small village in central Kenya is one great adventure. And when he meets Nigel life becomes even more interesting. Nigel is from England and he has come to visit his great grandfather, the fearsome Bwana Ruin who owns the farm where all the villagers work. The villagers call Nigel the mzungu boy, and they view him with suspicion and fear. Nevertheless, Kariuki becomes friends with Nigel and the two spend happy days exploring the forest together. Then one day the two boys decide to hunt down Old Moses, the biggest, ugliest, oldest and meanest warthog in the forest. The hunt takes them deeper into the jungle than Kariuki has ever gone, and his beloved forest becomes a frightening place, filled with dangerous creatures, including the mau-mau, the mysterious men who have guns and are plotting against Bwana Ruin and the white soldiers. And when Nigel suddenly disappears, Kariuki realizes that it is up to him to save his friend. |
| The Mzungu Boy was listed among American Library Association's 100 top Children's Books for 2006 |
| ISBN 0-88899-653-5 |
| The Mzungu Boy groundwood books 2005 |
| Meja Mwangi's novel captures a child's-eye view of village life in Kenya in the late 1950s - a time of innocence, wild beauty, and the growing violence that would change the entire structure of colonial Africa. |
| The Mzungu Boy |
| "[The] Mzungu Boy, with its play of light and dark, innocence and experience, goodness and evil, is a superb achievement on the part of its author, Meja Mwangi." - Globe and Mail |
| "Mwangi's characterization is accurate and insightful..." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Reviews |