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Kasia Parham
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Book
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Publisher | MacMillan | ||
ISBN | 978-998737352 | ||
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Reviewer
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Vicky
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Synopsis
The Emusoi Centre in Tanzania is a centre for young Maasai women -'Emusoi' is a Maasai word meaning 'Discovery/Awareness/ Realisation. Emusoi follows the stories of six very determined Maasai girls who, with the help of the Emusoi Centre, struggle against the traditions of their families and communities in order to get an education.
The Emusoi stories are also a testament to the vision, courage and determination of this group of exceptional young women. Each one realised the importance of going to school not only for herself, but for the future survival of her family and community. Coming from a culture where formal education of females was perceived as a threat, the Emusoi girls had to fight for their schooling. Even when their struggle led to division and heartbreak within families and communities, they refused to give up. On a deeper level, the book offers a unique insight into the dilemma facing the Maasai today: the tension between tradition and progress, between preserving the past and adapting for the future.
The Maasai are an endangered people. If they do not adapt to the modern world, their culture will die. Adapt too far, and their culture will die anyway. The Emusoi girls are at the very centre of the dilemma. They are torn between their conviction that the survival of their people depends on them going to school and their deep loyalty to a culture that does not traditionally have formal education.
Emusoi follows on from the success of "Dogodogo: Tanzanian street children tell their stories", with a Foreword by Cherie Blair (9780230722125). The excellent work of these sister projects has long been recognised by prominent individuals, companies, organisations and embassies from around the world, with (then) President George W. Bush and Mrs Laura Bush choosing to visit the Emusoi Centre while on tour in Tanzania in 2008.
Nana and Esupat
Review
Emusoi is an extraordinary book written by Kasia Parham and illustrated by Emmanuel from the Dogodogo Centre, with a foreword by Gareth Thomas, Minister of State, UK Department for International Developement.
In 1993 whilst on holiday, I was lucky enough to meet members of the Maasai Tribe in Kenya when they came to our very small hotel, to sing and dance for all of us tourists there. I found their music to be quite evocative and hypnotic and yes the warriors really did leap what seemed like 5 feet in the air! What I didn't know was the female side, because the men always talked about their rite of passage of killing a lion to become a man.
The women had no such rite other than female circumcision, but now here from Tanzania where the Maasai Tribe also resides, some of the girls are changing tradition in order to save the traditional ways of their tribes. It is not easy and there is a lot of opposition to their getting education - which to the westerner is seen as a right.
Emusoi - so beautifully illustrated tells the story of 6 of the girls and their personal struggles in their efforts for education. For the girls it is a very scary and frightening time, but this is where Emusoi steps in and if the girls can get to the school they will be given board, lodgings and an education.
The stories don't take long to read but they stay in your mind for a long time after. I recommend this book to everyone who would like to learn about a people, who never take for granted what we do, and who need help to save their tribe and culture.
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