Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa

The best memoirs not only render a life, but also a unique time and place. I can't think of a memoir that has done this more beautifully than Peter Godwin's Mukiwa, the first installment in his Rhodesia/Zimbabwe trilogy. By now, I've read all three, and this one is not only my favorite within the trilogy, but definitely my new favorite memoir, and quite possibly one of my favorite books. As a work of creative non-fiction, it's deeply personal, yet unsentimental. It's meticulously crafted and literary, yet still honest and raw. It's a kind of bildungsroman, set against the backdrop of a crumbling Rhodesia, yet it's so much more than a coming-of-age story.Divided into three books, Mukiwa tells the story of Godwin's rather charmed childhood in Rhodesia, his experiences as an adolescent serving faithfully, yet begrudgingly, in the national police force during the war, and his return to Zimbabwe as an adult, as he tries to make sense the choices he's made, the tragedy that has afflicted his family, the dissolution of Rhodesia and the lingering deleterious effects of colonialism.It's difficult to choose a favorite section, as they each contribute uniquely to the big picture of his life; however, I just can't praise the first section enough. In it, Godwin captures all the poignancy of childhood - any childhood - as well as the magical quality of his own very strange and wonderful life growing up in Africa. In reading this first section, I was reminded of a theme that Sandra Cisneros grapples with in her vignette "Eleven" - this idea that each year of our lives represents a self that doesn't melt into our current self as we go from birthday to birthday, but that, rather, the little eight year old self is still there, hidden away "Russian-doll style" within the nine year old self, which is still lurking inside the ten year old self, and so on, all the way up to our current age. The honesty and tenderness with which Godwin recounts his childhood years resonated quite deeply with the way I saw the world as a child - albeit, a very different world. His writing made me feel as though that former child is still very much a part of my current self. Children are simultaneously naive and perceptive, irreverent and compassionate - like the child who laughs at a drunken homeless man when he falls over in the alley, and then weeps bitterly when she learns he has no family to go home to and no bed to lie down in at night. As though he were some Freudian psychoanalyst, Peter Godwin so expertly draws that child out so that you are suddenly seeing the strange and hilarious characters of his own youth in that deliciously flippant, yet painfully tender, light, so unique to childhood. As he recounted events, I often found myself stifling what I worried was inappropriate laughter, only to find myself in tears on the very next page. And, as dark and tragic as this memoir is, there are a few memorable moments of levity and ironic humor.It's late, and I feel like this review is descending into cheesy madness really fast, so I think I may stop. It's very difficult to capture in words every feeling I have about this memoir. It's too good!

'Mukiwa' opens with a six year old boy describing what he sees of a local murder. So begins this enthralling memoir. This saga of a youth growing up in troubled Zimbabwe (Rhodesia at that time), is divided into three parts.Book I, which comprises half of the book, is seen through the eyes of a child and told in that voice. As such it is reminiscent of 'Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight' by Alexandra Fuller. Both authors grew up in the eastern highlands of Rhodesia, near Umtali and the Mozambique border. One is a boy's story, the other a girl's and the differences are largely stylistic. They were separated by about ten years and 'Dogs' focuses only on one family, with the bush war only in the background, whereas 'Mukiwa' gives a broader picture of life in the remote, often dangerous, areas of the country. A preschool boy accompanies his mother, a doctor, to various bush clinics where she is both GP and pathologist. Before long he can recognize not only dead bodies, but also malaria, TB, leprosy and other ailments. In this lonely place he forms close relationships with the various African staff and describes the harshness of their life there as well as the miseries of boarding school for a young child.In Book II, the author's hopes dashed that he cannot leave the country to attend university because of the compulsory conscription policy, finds himself in the midst of a brutal guerrilla war. His job is made harder by his ambivalent feelings as he frequently sympathizes with the `terrorists'. He leaves finally only when defeat is conceded.In Book III he returns to the country, now with a law degree from Cambridge. Joining a distinguished firm in the capital, he is put to work defending prominent, former `freedom fighters' of the Matabele tribe. The new Mugabe government, dominated by the Shona tribe, ignores the fact that the Matabele had fought alongside them to win the war and are now moving against them, re-establishing the age-old hatred and rivalry between the two groups. With a bitter-sweet outcome of the trial, the author decides to become a journalist with a London newspaper. In this capacity he is urged to investigate reports of genocide and acts of brutality in Matabeleland, again perpetrated by government forces. His reports are largely ignored by both the Zimbabwe government and the international community.Published in 1996, the book naturally does not cover the more recent atrocities metered out by Robert Mugabe. It is disappointing that very few dates are given, so that the whole story sort of floats in an indistinct time. However, it is ever-absorbing, sometimes shocking and by the last part, a totally gripping tale. I even thought it would make a very good movie.

In some respects this might be a white boy's account of growing up in Zimbabwe, sort of a counter part to Alexandra Fuller's "Don't Lets go to the Dogs Tonight, " a girl's account of life there. In fact they were raised in the same far east part of the country, but the Godwins were there ten years before. There is not the crazy, yet sympathetic antics of a mother that has had a breakdown, and Peter's father, unlike Mr. Fuller, had too much good sense to develop into an exciting character. That leaves it up to Peter Goodwin himself. And he certainly does the job. His own explorations and encounters with the curious Shona, curious other Africans, and curious whites are presented matter of fact, with lots of gritty detail.I also understand much better the tribal aspects among Zimbabwe's native Africans, particularly between the Shona, the Matabele, and the Manicas. Their dislike for one another began many years before the white tribe ever arrived, and persists long after they left.Among the many characters was Godwin's hippie cousin, Oliver, who traveled to Rhodesia with the notion that if he and his counterparts across the world could teach the whites of the country to treat the blacks with more understanding, more kindness, and more consideration, while providing them with a better irrigation system, lots more nourishing food, and better plumbing, Zimbabwe would evolve into a country where everyone could understand each other. Coming to understand the tribal background of Zimbabwe, and the many character sketches such as the one of Oliver are why I rated Mukiwa five stars.

I had to read this as I belong to a book group and one of our members chose it. I was not looking forward to reading it but I absolutely loved it. My appreciation grew as the story moved forward. A fascinating account of terrible times. What bravery by him and some of the people he describes (I cannot forget the elderly man who agrees to speak out about the terrible events. He has lost his family. He has nothing left to lose but his life and he’s prepared to give this to help stop the violence.). The maturity of Peter Godwin as a soldier dealing with local events was amazing. So wise for such a young man.I was appalled by his parent’s neglect of him as a young boy. Yes they had important jobs but he was just a little boy. Being hours late picking him up from school was dreadful. Getting special permission to send him to boarding school as he was so young was truly awful.

It is interesting that I came across this book at a time I am also writing my Memoir focused on the same period of time in Rhodesia. Where as Peter Godwin wrote from Mukiwa’s point of view, I am writing from a black woman’s point of view about the then 1960s Rhodesia. It would be interesting to exchange notes.Quite fascinating about some of the issues Peter wrote about. All credit to him for unbiased view of how he wrote his memoir. Enjoyed reading this.Emma Muparadzi

Peter Godwin's "Mukiwa" gives the reader a real insight into what is was like to grow up and live in Rhodesia in the 1960's and the 1970's. Poignant, insightful, humorous and tragic at times the book transports you along as childhood fears and doubts about living in the country prove to be correct and hurtle the author into a bitter and savage war that he knows deep down can only end one way. The way Godwin can so beautifully portray the physical beauty and wonder of growing up in the Eastern Highlands whilst skilfully alluding to the growing threats,fears and tensions stalking white Rhodesian society makes it impossible to put the book down. No other memoir of life in Rhodesia can touch "Mukiwa".

A very gripping read of a life of a white man growing up in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe.Reading about such an amazing child hood in an almost surreal upbringing, the reader has to remind themselves that this is not a work of fiction.The adult years follow on and the story flows nicely allowing you to get quite wrapped up in the story. As you know the character quite well at this point, the reader can almost be his shadow. Quite an intense and exciting life in such a turbulent country.

This is a beautifully written honest account of life as a white settler in Rhodesia from early childhood to becoming a adult during the ravages of UDI and the war of independence.I recommend the book to anyone wanting a clear picture of farm life in Rhodesia and post-colonial life in Zimbabwe with an unbiased view of the horrors of war and good and bad on both sides.