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6/27/1955 - Reflections of a Generalist by David E. Reed

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS DER New York City Reflections Geeralist Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Mr Rogers There number social scientists Kenya Some anthro pologists there field Despite century British administration nothing known about tribes colony Another researcher economist wrking certain hitherto unexplored problems discipline Still another apolitical scientist delving important period political history ofKenya European community The findings these researchers ought highly important original contributions funds knowledge their respective disciplines British administrators others interested In East Af affairs But while position discuss tribe another report specialty question arises Who going about going present unified picture people problems conflicts trends colony A paper anthropological findings another economics certainly valuable persons particular discipline academic people pieces living whole called Kenya Whether reader academic person wants background against which special intrests should viewed Journalist editor needs things shape particular World government official formulate policy businessman wants invests would impossible obtain picture reported piecemeal friends concerned various topics ithin various disciplines They generalist The generalist specialist discipline generalist devotes himself understanding people understanding important issues affecting their lives Naturally cannot effect specialist penetration depth important situations territory The orientation different trying reports broader forces territory This pieces together others He original specialists broader scope His knowledge information about whole operation In Africa there particular America eralists There dearth information understanding going continent Few corentators close acquaintance African affairs various reasons attention nation journa nrority areas Far East Europe But Africa rapidly moving position importance western world informed discussion Judgment increasing As Africa continues rapid strides toward modern civilization markets opening western goods question economic arises There military strategic considerations Africa And perhaps overshadowing other matters there tricky question colonialism discontents We Americans condemn colonialism flatly taken account judging colonialism The issues created colonialism Africa America attitude toward become crucial matters years At stake loyalties Africa millions To Conunism practically headway Africa Its emergent people still firmly oriented toward western culture stern political institutions But danger exists continued discontents would prompt elsewhere The generalist would difficult study Af Saharan The latter nearly three United States conditions another called Europe Six European nations speaking languages either colonies administer United Nations trust territories Saharan Africa In range Britain Gambla strip territory along river million square Sudan Politically black Gold Coast experiments multi racial government Tanganyika finally white supremacy South Africa There variety called African Negro Bantu Nilote Hamite tribes Bushmen found Saharan Africa At least initial concerned generalist particular territory Africa closely allied group territories mainland British East Africa His study Later course position apply training insights examining situations other territories The method eneralist basically different Journalistic reporter In I stepped airplane Nairobi July withou knowing single person there I letters ntroduction Most letters never people concerned Having straight Egypt chilly equatorial highlands Kenya I shivered afternoon breeze boarded airport passed through African locations worst slums I wound downtown Nairobi hunting hotel I previously books I could dealing Eas Afr otherwise I might plunked moono It totally strange anything experience I thought I could easily dreaming During coming weeks I spent great getting acquainted Kenyans races economic social educational levels They selected eclectic fashion I wanted possible unforced course social conversation hinking wanted lived In sense approach novelist I dining Muthaiga Club talked members colony Legislative Council people European Electors Uniono I propped chair against walls crowded downtown offices talked lawyers businessmen I gossiped journalists tramped around earth coffee plantations chatted sunburnt tcting white farmers I tagged along tense sometimes trigger happy young Kenya policemen combed Nairobi Mau Mau suspects I horseback riding British Army officers I District Commissioners Agric culural Officers Veterinary Officers teachers engineers merchants We talked about weather horse races Nanyuki where leave So So chassis shocking Mombasa alked about Kenya about white settlement Mau Mau Kikuyu about hemselves about their Jobs Other times I lavish Indian parties nibbled samoosas listened young Indian lawyers Just school England compla about color about settler political domination about Just curry Nairobi restaurant these I talked Asians little shops waited every minutes while darted penny suspici African listened again Justice common sense heaven tears invoked because speakers color owning I dined Indian diplomats their homes obsequious Indian servants constant attendance I lunched around dirty tables rooms Indian shops miles I around campfires night under meager shade thorn trees talked African chiefs African peasant farmers I dined educated Africans Nairobi restaurants there always European found necessary stare through I District Commissioners I should So So because African constructive cheeky I introduced yassuhing Junior official In cases I invited African house night praising Jcmo Kenyatta skies With Africa there would politness first nervousness comes talking white But maybe because British maybe because treated another another species confidence grows pouring feelings And other times lined Kenya coast Indian Ocean breaking gently glistening white I would Arab house Sometimes there would rustle black veiled wives withdrew sanctity purdah maybe black African neighbors would serve fruit would laments fallen aristocrat The foregoing account I acquainted people Kenya perhaps overlong report though represents incidents I I hundreds relationships period months acquiring understandin people More spent during introductory months later I specific research problems though lesser extent process continued I East Africa means letters European African Asian Arab friends continues still Places known Durin troductory months I traveled around Kenya great Most trips pursuit specific information either opportunities countr flrst I toured Kikuyu Reserve sometimes alone sometimes military police patrols With Army I spent three Aberdare mountain range rises western Kikuyuland Other times I explored lower altitudes Mount Kenya another traditional Kikuyu boundary I traveled every White Highlands roads panoramic Rift Valley heart three trips northern frontier desert often camped night listening great composure hyenas howling beyond campfire light I chassis creeping boulder strewn escarpment remote Baringo I toured length breadth fertile DER43 Nyanza province I visited towns Kenya coast first ancient Arab state Lamu Somalia border Witu under German suzerainty Malindi another Arab holiday resort Mombasa thriving where ships await their goods western factories Africa finally lagoons forgotten Arab Persian settlements south coast All I covered miles years plane I I00 river ocegn vessel African finally bliterous miles During periods Nairobi I local newspap magazines great there I spent library reading works Kenya lesser extent other East African territories These included journals early explorers historical accounts studies anthropologists poltical scientists others general works journalists academic people colonial servants At point I would number specific questions I people government elsewhere often personal friends acquaintances Inevitably these conversations would provoke further readings The introductory period really given introductory later phases overlapped considerably I devoted examining specific topics These three number Kikuyu Mau Mau white settlement settler politics Arabs Islam The first subjects always closely intertwined cannot studied without other It relationship between Kikuyu settlers produced Kenya major problems crises including recent years Mau Mau given colony peculiar characteristics In studying three topics I everything I could related subject visited areas concerned talked knowledgeable people possible later began conclusions Some later newsletters based conclusions The writing newsletters itself rewarding activity The researcher helped greatly clarifying ideas subjects rigorous discipline putting paper As Journalist newsletters valuable experience writing easier never And I irateful opportunity newsletters along ideas observations others During eighteen months I trips other British East African territories I spent month tagging along District Commissioner remote backward distrct central Taaka There I obsPNe operation colonial grass roots level district uncomplicated things white settlement urbanization racid progress African nationalism Mau Mau I visits Zanzibar second visit I spent three weeks house guest leading Arab nationalist there What I learned Zanzibar valuable itself useful studying Kerva Arab community Islam The Kenya coast might added nominally possession Zanzibar close continuous contact between places I spent several weeks Uganda comparing completely different historical development adjacent Kenya The months spent inquiring conditio territories outside British East ACrica These included Somalia backward ltalian colony receive independence rudder United Nations auspices I60 Nigeria developed territory Britain West Coast policy government being implemented Congo where strong vigorous policy minded government determined avoid bedeiled other colonial powers DER Outside studies extremely beneficial after intensive studies territory Using methods insights developed territory generalist become acquainted basically different conditions where conditions similar basically different policy approaches The experience helps shape insights gives perspectives considering matters African colonial problems generIo I particularly interested I Co because though Kenya white settler element rising group exceptional Africans copes entirely different chance avoiding troubles which Kenya falleno Thus sense Congo presented opportunity seeing historical might Kenya To I these years richly rewarding It given training about examining social conditions It start continuing process building knowledge about Africa It given intensive writing experience And helped broadening outlooko My thanks deepest gratitude Institute Current World Affairs Mr Rogers Ford Foundation Sincerely David E Reed