african culture and traditions - gelezen in het Engels

Written by Jennifer Makumbi who is living in Britain with her husband and son.

Kintu is an epic story from Africa which finds its origins in the oral traditions of the Luganda tribe in Uganda in 1650.

Kidda Kintu is the main figure in the traditional story. He leads his warriors and tribesmen across the land to a meeting with the King. Due to an accident on the road Kintu hurts his son, who dies and is buried in the bush. On their return to their homestead a curse is spoken over de tribe by the biological father of the boy.

The story evolves over the years and brings the old and the new Uganda together. The story brings a lot of African beliefs, rites and rituals to the fore. The book contains a lot of Luganda vocabulary but this is no problem to read the book as these are all explained in the sentence or through the context of the story.

Not only the past, but also the more recent history is highlighted and reveals which impact the dictators had and have on the life of the Luganda. A genealogy is provided which helps to keep track with the generations.

The author won the Campbell Prize from the Yale University in 2018.

The exposure through the book of African rites and traditions is worth the read. Recommended for all who want to know about other cultures and written in an entertaining language.