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A set cast if characters was commonly
used with definite attributes for each animal. The Elephant was
infinitely wise, the Lion powerful yet vainglorious, the Hyena both
malevolent and moronic, and so forth.
Written literature—in Swahili and later in English—developed
in the early 20th century, when these languages were adopted for
use in schools throughout the colony. On the coast, writing was
introduced with the Arab influence, resulting in a detailed historical
record, but also in early literature. The Swahili culture has a
strong tradition of poetry, with long and beautifully complex poems
worked within a rigid metre that dictated the amount of syllables
in each line. Despite these restraints of form, the subjects are
beautifully expressed and lyrical. Love poetry, often highly erotic,
is frequent, as is political and social commentary. Poems are often
framed as challenges and distinct arguments, still using highly
creative language.
The colonial experience in Kenya prompted a great deal of literary
output, from the accounts of the early explorers. Great example
of their contribution are- The Maneaters of Tsavo
by JH Patterson's, The Green Hills of Africa by-
Ernest Hemingway's, Red Strangers and The
Flame Trees of Thika by- Elspeth Huxley, West with
the Night by-Beryl Markham's , A Tourist in Africa
by- Evelyn Waugh, White Mischief – by James
Fox, Born Free by- Joy Adamson's , and The Tree where Man
was Born by- Peter Mathiessen's
The American photographer Peter Beard has produced several books
about Kenya. The best of these is The End of the Game
a beautiful and important book about wildlife. Italian born Kuki
Gallmann has lived a long and remarkable life in Kenya, and her
autobiography I Dreamed of Africa was a major bestseller.
The book is a lyrical account of her life on a ranch in Laikipia,
filled with vivid descriptions of natural beauty, the pain of emotional
loss and the joy of freedom.Another recent account of life in Kenya
was Francesca Marciano's The Rules of the Wild
a romantic novel set in the expatriate circles of modern day Nairobi.
There are plenty of novels, plays and biographies by contemporary
Kenyan authors, but they can be hard to find outside Africa, despite
being published by African branches of major Western publishing
companies. The Heinemann’s African Writers Series offers a
major collection of such works but they are generally only available
in Nairobi and Mombasa. Two of Kenya’s best authors are Ngugi
wa Thiong’o and Meja Mwangi. Ngugi
is uncompromisingly radical, and his harrowing criticism of the
neocolonialist politics of the Kenyan Establishment landed him in
jail for a year (described in his Detained – A Prison
Writer’s Diary), lost him his job at Nairobi University
and forced him into exile. Meja Mwangi sticks more to social issues
and urban dislocation, but has a brilliant sense of humor that threads
its way right through his books.
Some titles worth reading by Ngugi wa Thiong’o include Petals
of Blood, Matigari, The River Between, A Grain
of Wheat and Devil on the Cross. He has
also written extensively in his native language, Gikuyu. A recent
title by Meja Mwangi includes The Return of Shaka, Weapon
for hunger and Cockroach Dance. Most of
these titles are published by Heinemann, although some have since
been reissued.
Popular modern Kenyan fiction consists of short stories and novels,
with recurring themes of escape from poverty, triumph over adversity
and ultimate redemption. Mweja Mwangi's book Going Down
River Road is a much loved tale of life in urban Nairobi,
written in a pacy, sometimes racy style.Writing in Kenya is on the
rise, and various schemes including a nationwide literary competition
are working to support and encourage the young Kenyan authors of
the future. |
