A Maasai Shares his People: Facing the Lion

Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna

by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton with Herman Viola

This fascinating little book was written by a young man who travelled long distances in Kenya to attend school, spending long stretches of time away from his nomadic family. Eventually, he attended college in the United States and now teaches in the Washington, D.C. area, often leading groups of Americans on trips to Kenya. His is a unique voice to tell Americans what life is like for the Maasai. Late in the book is a fabulous conversation between the author and his mother, who could never really grasp his modern life of travel between Kenya and the United States.

Mater Amabilis suggests a study of Africa in Level 2 Year 2 (fifth grade), and I think this book is perfect for that age, though it's not listed in the syllabus.

It does relate a few difficult experiences. Once the author and a few other boys were tracked by poachers who definitely intended harm, but they ran for almost twelve hours straight to escape. The description of his initiation ceremony is also very clear about the process of circumcision.

The photographs provided by the author in the color insert are wonderful.

My other children did not read this book, but I'm going to assign it to Second Son next year. He reads very quickly so I think I can even add it to the books he'll already be reading without bothering him too much. You can read about some of the other books he'll read in this post.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links. I checked this book out from our library.

More Lovely Writing on Africa: Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass

Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass

by Isak Dinesen

Out of Africa is one of the optional additional reading book suggestions for tenth grade Geography in the Mater Amabilis™ beta high school plans (Level 5 Year 2).

Just like every other European living in or visiting Africa in her time (She lived in Kenya from 1914 to 1931), she is a product of her time. Much of the writing in the book would be deemed blatant racism by today's standards, but it wasn't when she wrote it. She often treats African people as if they are obviously inferior to Europeans, even when introduced to European technology. She compares them to both children and to wild animals.

However, in general Ms. Dinesen seems more sympathetic to Africans than others like Charlotte Mason does in her geography book. She lived among them for about fifteen years and learned Swahili so was able to converse in a relatively direct way. She often writes about how circumspect they could be, refusing to answer questions or explain behaviors, which is interesting even though it made mutual understanding more difficult. She includes many details about the African people on her farm and in the preserve bordering it that illuminate their lives, at least as they were in this time of European colonization.

Her writing about the country is wonderful. She loved her farm and that love shows in her words.

The great vault over our heads was gradually filled with clarity like a glass with wine. Suddenly, gently, the summits of the hill caught the first sunlight and blushed. And slowly, as the earth leaned towards the sun, the grassy slopes at the foot of the mountain turned a delicate gold, and the Masai woods lower down. And now the tops of the tall trees in the forest, on our side of the river, blushed like copper.

She was a hunter. One chapter includes a glowing and powerful description of one of her lion kills which may be distressing to a sensitive reader.

Ms. Denisen writes movingly of leave-taking when she is forced to sell her coffee farm.

Shadows on the Grass is a later memoir, touching on her years under Nazi occupation during World War II and her intermittent correspondence with those she left behind in Africa. It is not as long or detailed as Out of Africa. If you were only to choose one to assign or offer to a high schooler for African geography, Out of Africa is the better choice.

I've included this as an optional book on First Son's geography reading list for the year. I'm not sure he'd like it as much as The Flame Trees of Thika as it's longer, more feminine (you can almost imagine the young girl in The Flame Trees of Thika as either a boy or a girl), and more mature in its descriptions and topics. I think I also like The Flame Trees of Thika more, but since we own them, I have left the decision up to him. (I also have In Ethiopia with a Mule. Though I haven't finished reading it, it's also on his list as an option.)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post which contains my honest opinions. I requested this book from PaperBackSwap.com (affiliate link). Links to Amazon in this post are affiliate links.