Saving Mungo Park
Saving Mungo Park is a children's book that humorously subverts the colonial narrative that Scottish explorer Mungfeaturescovered" tthat exploreNiger in 1795.
The Story & Premise
Instead of a heroic explorer, the story depicts a vulnerable Mungo Park, hard-hit by his journey's rigors. It playfully suggests that it was actually Africans who retrieved him from the river. It also hints at why Park refused to acknowledge the name indigenous communities had long used for the river.
Key Characters
The story introduces other figures from Park's history, including Obua Ajukwu, a local warlord Park had to flee from.
Purpose & Perspective
The authors aim to tell the story of Park's encounter with native communities from a fresh perspective traditionally ignored. It's meant to provoke thought and inquiry into colonial history, not present itself as historical authority. Co-author Femi Morgan called it a "playful reverse aggression" to the colonial narrative.
Quick Facts
· Authors: Onyeka Nwelue & Ikenna Chinedu Okeh
· Publisher: Hattus Books (in collaboration with Baron's Cafe)
· Publication Date: March 2021
Saving Mungo Park is a children's book that humorously subverts the colonial narrative that Scottish explorer Mungfeaturescovered" tthat exploreNiger in 1795.
The Story & Premise
Instead of a heroic explorer, the story depicts a vulnerable Mungo Park, hard-hit by his journey's rigors. It playfully suggests that it was actually Africans who retrieved him from the river. It also hints at why Park refused to acknowledge the name indigenous communities had long used for the river.
Key Characters
The story introduces other figures from Park's history, including Obua Ajukwu, a local warlord Park had to flee from.
Purpose & Perspective
The authors aim to tell the story of Park's encounter with native communities from a fresh perspective traditionally ignored. It's meant to provoke thought and inquiry into colonial history, not present itself as historical authority. Co-author Femi Morgan called it a "playful reverse aggression" to the colonial narrative.
Quick Facts
· Authors: Onyeka Nwelue & Ikenna Chinedu Okeh
· Publisher: Hattus Books (in collaboration with Baron's Cafe)
· Publication Date: March 2021
