Pula

Historical Fiction/Political African Novel; This is not a history of what happened, but a story of what might have been had the Bechuanaland Protectorate under the British crown, gone the way of most other African states when it became independent and known as the Republic of Botswana. The peaceful change-over reflected great credit on both sides, was almost unique in post-colonial Africa and is an example to the rest of the continent. There was no violence, no bloodshed and relatively few recriminations. It is tempting to want to sentimentalise the close relationship existing between the darkskinned locals and the white incomers (still continuing today) which made such a remarkable power transfer possible. But, there were some, both blacks and whites, whose behaviour was far from conciliatory. Fortunately, their opposition failed to deny the success of this brave endeavour. Owing much - but by no means everything - to the small band of officials 'at the top' who carried out the delicate negotiations necessary to transform a neglected, dependent, tribal society into a free, multi-racial, democratic republic, it was a notable achievement. They succeeded because at all levels, crossing ethnic, cultural and religious divides, there were people who found in one another, as well as common human frailties, much to admire, respect and even to love. This story of a number of those folk revolves round two of them; one, African, black, female, religious and of little formal education; the other, English, white, male, agnostic and, in the European understanding of the term, highly educated. None of them has ever existed. But, to ensure a degree of authenticity, a few well-known historical figures have been mentioned in passing. Two sketch-maps include actual, and three invented place-names in underlined capitals - Kgakalalemetse, Kagisho and Thatamotsana. The village of Uppington Morley in Oxfordshire is also imaginary. Brief aids to pronunciation and a glossary are added. Against the backcloth of the twentieth-century rebirth of an African country, and its emergence into the third millennium, the characters in this story enshrine the adventure shared by the people of that time and place, their failures and successes, and the problems they are still facing together today.