Kenya
24
Orchardson-Mazrui, Elizabeth
The adventures of Mekatilili
Nairobi : East African Educational Publ., 1999. – 130pp
(Secondary readers ; 12)
ISBN 9966-25-004-2
Kidnapping - Christian missionaries - Anti-colonialism
This novel is based on the real story of Mekatilili Wa Menza, a girl famous for fighting
against the British colonialists. Mekatilili, a headstrong girl, is kidnapped and taken to
a Christian mission. But she knows of her calling, she feels that she will be a leader of
a people proud of its own culture and history. So she escapes and returns home to inspire
her friends and family. Fact and fiction intertwine as the plot unfolds against the rich
cultural backdrop of the Mijikenda people of Kenya. (8+)