Pheroze Nowrojee retraces country history and culture in “A Kenyan Journey” book

British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner and Lawyer Pheroze Nowrojee

KENYA: Nairobi’s top lawyer Pheroze Nowrojee has launched the family account book- “A Kenyan Journey” -to narrate the country’s great history and exhibit Kenya’s rich culture.

Pheroze says the new book traces his journey from India to Kenya under the British colonial rule, the country’s great history and the rich way of life that shapes the citizens culture.

“Our ancestors did not leave eloquent writings, but they left eloquent lives. Those lives are as rich and eloquent as any words we admire in any political writing. It is our duty to read those lives, and turn their sacrifices into the national narrative and the national purposes they died for,” said Pheroze during the launch at Gina Din Kariukis residence Lavington, Nairobi Kenya.

Nowrojee further exhibits the country’s great history that has shaped the social and political landscape of the region at large regarded as the cradle of human kind.

“This book is about our ancestors, both family and collective. Family ancestors tell us our personal origins. This book asked and sought to explain why our family acted as it did in the past century,” says Nowrojee adding, “Collective ancestors tell us about our national history.”

As illustrated in the book, Nowrojee adds that ancestors explained what they believed was important to the future generations.

Afsana Khan, Muzzafa Khan and Ambassador Amina Mohammend attended the launch

“It is thus a public book, it is also a private book that also reflects the histories of many other families,” says Nowrojee.

The lawyer further recounts the arrival of missionaries, the construction of railway, the First and Second World War, the fight for independence, the 1982 attempted coup, the transition periods, the expansion of the political landscape and the amalgamation of the new constitution.

Over these stages of the country’s growth, he explains account after account the establishment of Kenya as a country, its growth and the current status. In detail, the book explores the country’s great culture and how people have interacted since pre independence.

Natalya Din-Kariuki says that the book places Kenya’s rich history and culture in much broader political contexts.

“The book asks philosophical questions about identity, language, empire, belonging, and exile. It explores how we change the places we travel to, and how the places we travel to change us,” she says adding, “What makes it so powerful, and such an important contribution to narratives of Kenyan history is that it tells us about a part of this history that has never received enough (or any) attention.’

Natalya Din-Kariki says that the book shows that historical writing is not simply of antiquarian interest, but that it has huge political potential.

“It digs up letters, postcards, photographs, legal texts, and other kinds of records in order to paint a vivid and detailed picture of a family and a nation’s experience. This book tells stories of older generations (often illiterate or otherwise disenfranchised) who were unable to record these memories for themselves, and that is where its real achievement lies,” says Natalya Din-Kariuki terming the book an inspiration.

The launch ceremony was attended by high commissioners, government officials, lawyers, judges and scholars among other people.