Poisoned chalice or happy cocktail: Ciku’s take on polygamy in Maa culture
TITLE: Cocktail from the Savannah
AUTHOR: Ciku Kimani-Mwaniki
PUBLISHER: Self (audiobook format by eKitabu)
REVIEWER: Mbugua Ngunjiri
AVAILABILITY: shop.eKitabu.com and ‘On eKitabu’ app
PRICE: Ksh350 (Audiobook); Ksh699 (eBook); Ksh1,000 (Print).
In traditional Maa society, what did an African man do when his wife was unable to bear children? This was a no-brainer, really; assuming the man was fertile, he would seek out other women who could get him children and thereby ensure his lineage did not vanish.
Despite modernization, sections of Maa society still approve of the same old ways of their ancestors. Whether the official wife approves it or not is another matter altogether.
Masikonde, a university-educated CEO of a successful tour outfit, is under pressure from his parents to get a second wife, since his wife is unable to bear children. His father justifies the need for a second wife with the fact that their Maasai culture allows polygamy.
Sinta, Masikonde’s wife, though exposed to modern life – she runs a popular YouTube channel – is surprisingly not opposed to her husband marrying another woman. Being a Maasai too, she respects her people’s way of life. Not that she would have stood a chance in the face of her forceful father-in-law, anyway. Besides, she reasons that since she can’t get children of her own, why stand in the way of her husband getting children with another woman?
Her consent is double-edged, though; she secretly hopes that her husband’s philandering ways would be tamed inside the institution of a polygamous marriage.
Welcome to the interesting world of Cocktail from the Savannah, a riveting tale crafted by Ciku Kimani-Mwaniki. The book is set, not in a village outpost, but in a thoroughly modern Nairobi setting.
Masikonde finds himself with a “headache” most men would secretly wish for - being pressured, not just by his parents, but his wife to get a second wife.
While he makes useful noises about respecting the wishes of his wife, in case she does not approve of him getting a second wife, behind the scenes he makes moves on a woman – a single mother – he met at the construction site of a new home he has been putting up without the knowledge of his wife.
This other woman, contrasted with the sophisticated Masikonde and his wife, is a thoroughbred kienyeji – unexposed and unspoilt.
Terian comes with quite a substantial baggage; she has been nursing the father of her child, who is paralysed from neck down, thanks to an accident. His chances of recovery are next to none. That is not all; Terian and her husband, Saitoti, had eloped so she could escape from being forced into marriage with an old man.
Terian, like Masikonde, is also battling with a dilemma of her own. Saitoti, aware of his deteriorating condition, asks her to look for a man who can take care of her financial and bodily needs. That is not all; he also asks her to “assist” him to die. Saitoti’s odd request, though understandable, appears to smoothen the way for Masikonde and Terian to get married, or does it?
The author, with her deft pen, sets the stage for the ultimate dilemma. Culturally, ethically and morally, the two lovebirds cannot be together while Terian’s husband is still alive. Although she does not overplay it, Ciku subtly challenges culture and societal norms; why is it okay for Masikonde to have two wives, yet the same cannot be extended to Terian – why can’t she have two husbands?
There is also the small matter annulling Terian’s betrothal to the old man, that led to her elopement. Since her father had received cows from that man, culturally she is still married to him. In effect, she has to manoeuvre through two “marriages” to belong to Masikonde.
Masikonde assigns his PA, Moraa, the duty to “clean her up” so that Terian attains the standards expected of a woman worthy of being married by a CEO.
Lately, there has been this craze among Kenyan men who feel that unsophisticated women are the ideal wife material since they cannot administer “character development”, the likes of which modernised women are known to dish out.
Appearances can be deceiving, though. Terian, as she waits to be married to Masikonde, allows a different man to “eat” from her honeypot. So, who between a modern sophisticate and a kienyeji serves up the most potent “character development”?
Does Masikonde, after all he has done for his new wife, deserve such shabby treatment? Could it be the author’s way of telling polygamous men or aspiring polygamists that they can’t have their cake and eat it at the same time? Better still, why does the author let Terian get away with it?
Ciku builds up her narrative to an unexpected climax but it nevertheless has a happy ending.
Aside from the plot, the real beauty of this book lies in the enchanting writing that drags the reader from the first page to the last, through the twists and turns, amidst the easily relatable and likeable characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book.
Ciku is among the leading lights of independently published authors, who are making a quiet revolution in the Kenyan book sector. The thoroughness of the writing and editing of this book puts to rest the oft-expressed fears about the quality of self-published books.
Poisoned chalice or happy cocktail: Ciku’s take on polygamy in Maa culture
TITLE: Cocktail from the Savannah
AUTHOR: Ciku Kimani-Mwaniki
PUBLISHER: Self (audiobook format by eKitabu)
REVIEWER: Mbugua Ngunjiri
AVAILABILITY: shop.eKitabu.com and ‘On eKitabu’ app
PRICE: Ksh350 (Audiobook); Ksh699 (eBook); Ksh1,000 (Print).
In traditional Maa society, what did an African man do when his wife was unable to bear children? This was a no-brainer, really; assuming the man was fertile, he would seek out other women who could get him children and thereby ensure his lineage did not vanish.
Despite modernization, sections of Maa society still approve of the same old ways of their ancestors. Whether the official wife approves it or not is another matter altogether.
Masikonde, a university-educated CEO of a successful tour outfit, is under pressure from his parents to get a second wife, since his wife is unable to bear children. His father justifies the need for a second wife with the fact that their Maasai culture allows polygamy.
Sinta, Masikonde’s wife, though exposed to modern life – she runs a popular YouTube channel – is surprisingly not opposed to her husband marrying another woman. Being a Maasai too, she respects her people’s way of life. Not that she would have stood a chance in the face of her forceful father-in-law, anyway. Besides, she reasons that since she can’t get children of her own, why stand in the way of her husband getting children with another woman?
Her consent is double-edged, though; she secretly hopes that her husband’s philandering ways would be tamed inside the institution of a polygamous marriage.
Welcome to the interesting world of Cocktail from the Savannah, a riveting tale crafted by Ciku Kimani-Mwaniki. The book is set, not in a village outpost, but in a thoroughly modern Nairobi setting.
Masikonde finds himself with a “headache” most men would secretly wish for - being pressured, not just by his parents, but his wife to get a second wife.
While he makes useful noises about respecting the wishes of his wife, in case she does not approve of him getting a second wife, behind the scenes he makes moves on a woman – a single mother – he met at the construction site of a new home he has been putting up without the knowledge of his wife.
This other woman, contrasted with the sophisticated Masikonde and his wife, is a thoroughbred kienyeji – unexposed and unspoilt.
Terian comes with quite a substantial baggage; she has been nursing the father of her child, who is paralysed from neck down, thanks to an accident. His chances of recovery are next to none. That is not all; Terian and her husband, Saitoti, had eloped so she could escape from being forced into marriage with an old man.
Terian, like Masikonde, is also battling with a dilemma of her own. Saitoti, aware of his deteriorating condition, asks her to look for a man who can take care of her financial and bodily needs. That is not all; he also asks her to “assist” him to die. Saitoti’s odd request, though understandable, appears to smoothen the way for Masikonde and Terian to get married, or does it?
The author, with her deft pen, sets the stage for the ultimate dilemma. Culturally, ethically and morally, the two lovebirds cannot be together while Terian’s husband is still alive. Although she does not overplay it, Ciku subtly challenges culture and societal norms; why is it okay for Masikonde to have two wives, yet the same cannot be extended to Terian – why can’t she have two husbands?
There is also the small matter annulling Terian’s betrothal to the old man, that led to her elopement. Since her father had received cows from that man, culturally she is still married to him. In effect, she has to manoeuvre through two “marriages” to belong to Masikonde.
Masikonde assigns his PA, Moraa, the duty to “clean her up” so that Terian attains the standards expected of a woman worthy of being married by a CEO.
Lately, there has been this craze among Kenyan men who feel that unsophisticated women are the ideal wife material since they cannot administer “character development”, the likes of which modernised women are known to dish out.
Appearances can be deceiving, though. Terian, as she waits to be married to Masikonde, allows a different man to “eat” from her honeypot. So, who between a modern sophisticate and a kienyeji serves up the most potent “character development”?
Does Masikonde, after all he has done for his new wife, deserve such shabby treatment? Could it be the author’s way of telling polygamous men or aspiring polygamists that they can’t have their cake and eat it at the same time? Better still, why does the author let Terian get away with it?
Ciku builds up her narrative to an unexpected climax but it nevertheless has a happy ending.
Aside from the plot, the real beauty of this book lies in the enchanting writing that drags the reader from the first page to the last, through the twists and turns, amidst the easily relatable and likeable characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book.
Ciku is among the leading lights of independently published authors, who are making a quiet revolution in the Kenyan book sector. The thoroughness of the writing and editing of this book puts to rest the oft-expressed fears about the quality of self-published books.
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