Out of Africa

"Wamai" tells of the long proceedings to determine the compensation for the children killed and wounded in the shooting accident, focusing on the boy who was killed. My favorite line, from her description of the taking down of Jogona's relation of the events of his adoption of one of the children killed, is a fine example of Dinesen's penchant for misquotation of Scripture: "Here was something which Jogona Kanyagga had performed, and which would preserve his name for ever: the flesh was made word and dwelt among us full of grace and truth." It's from John chapter one.

"Wanyangerri" is the continuation, dealing with the proceedings on the other side, for the wounded child; his time in hospital, the disputes over the compensation for his injury, and the solution of the problem. Also in this chapter she tells of what happened to the boy who fired the gun, Kabero; his sojourn with the Masai, and his eventual return to the farm. I think the most interesting part of this chapter is her description of the various tribes, the demographics, of Africa; the Arabs, the Somali, the Masai, and the Kikuyu--in that hierarchy. Her narration of the history there helps the reader understand the interactions of the groups throughout the book, and her metaphors are, as always, a delight.