This book describes the arduous journey endured by Livingstone's African porters; a journey which was not acknowledged by the British government of the day. As a granddaughter of Mulutula, one of the African porters, I strongly feel the porters’ heroic selflessness towards their master cannot be ignored, yet it remains unacknowledged in most books written on David Livingstone.
Following the death of Livingstone in May 1873, the African porters carried his embalmed body over 1000 miles on foot from Chitambo to Zanzibar on the Indian Ocean coast so British authorities could have his body returned to his people in the United Kingdom. The African porters had removed his internal organs and buried them in a flour tin under a Moundu tree at Ilala village in Zambia. Livingstone's statue has since been installed at this location. The porters were bullied by Lieutenant Verny Lovett Cameron, who had been sent to find and assist Livingstone, and met the entourage in November 1873. Cameron failed to persuade the African porters to bury Livingstone at Unyanyembe where he had met them. In anger, he pretended to go to Ujiji alone, took Livingstone's boxes of medicine and equipment, and disappeared into the bush.
The second part of the book shows the wisdom of the African village leaders, and the way they maintained law and order. They passed on their knowledge to their children through parables based on their cultural inheritance. There are also stories about harmony and village celebrations. The book talks about village heroes and villains and gives examples of the harsh and brutal treatment levied on African villages through colonial laws which aimed to steal money from the Africans to enrich and grow European economies.
All the stories and examples in the book show that there was law and order in African villages before white civilisation was imposed.
The knowledge and wisdom imparted to youngsters at Katobole village led them to grow into responsible adults, most of whom have thrived in professional enterprises and fields. I, myself, granddaughter of Mulutula, one of the African porters, now live in the United Kingdom and have embraced a new career as a writer upon my retirement as a social worker.
