I apologise for the irregular updates due to various laptop/internet issues that I won't bore you with. I think the poltergeist is still remaining at large.I've just finished a book called The White Masai. In many ways, this book is extraordinary, as it shed light on traditional African culture and the way of life there, which I didn't know much about. But I couldn't help finding the book somewhat grating from the word go. The author came across as someone truly annoying and that feeling lasted right till the end of the book.
It's a memoir of Corinne Hoffman, a Swiss woman who fell in love with a traditional African Samburu warrior Lketinga while holidaying in Kenya with her boyfriend (who became an ex on the flight home), and her journey of moving to the primitive African village and the life she lead there. And without knowing anything about him or having a common language (they'd barely spoken when they'd met), she follows Lketinga with feverish passion and determination. Her actions can also be interpreted as a trifle unhinged, stalker-ish or over-the-top. I'd describe it as an extreme case of tunnel vision.
To some, it is a hopelessly romantic story - a white woman relinquishing most of the mod-cons of the Western society in the name of love. Some also said it is a remarkable story of survival.
To me, it's neither. I see the story as a horrifyingly tale of a naive, self-centred white woman, who imposed herself and her Western culture on Lketinga and his Samburu community, displayed cultural insensitivity, and fled home to Switzerland when the going got tough.
Yes, she did experience it all - she ate like the locals (lots of unseasoned goat meat...yum yum), was offered goat blood, slept in a cow dung hut swarming with mosquitos without electricity and running water. She faced several life-threatening situations. But I had trouble feeling any sympathy for her. It was entirely her choice and decision to put herself there. She bitches and moans about the local custom and the cultural clash, but what did she expect? When you move to a new country, particularly at your own will, it would help enormously if you embrace the way of life at your chosen location, especially when it is a traditional African village. It would also be an advantage if you bother to do some research about the country you are moving to. Even though this was before the internet age, surely there were books, articles and videos available to her.
She basically showed a lot of disrespect to the African traditions that people there are very proud of and refused to conform. Considering that people in Samburu accepted her warmly and gave her support despite her often bewildering behaviour, I couldn't help but think that Corinne was ungrateful. Her whole damsel in distress attitude got very tired very quickly.
I concede that her perseverance is astonishing. But generally, she got what she thought she wanted at everyone's expense and at the end, went back to the comfort of the Western world.
I wonder what Lketinga and the rest of the Samburu people would have to say about Corinne and the effect she had on their community. It is a fascinating book, but it still left a bitter taste in my mouth. Rant over.
