Here's a Glimpse: A Letter from 1953

From Photos for Blog

For a while now, I've been wanting to share a glimpse of what it is I'm working on, so here's the first of at least a few posts I want to share with you.

The above is the front photograph of a letter the British Government intercepted in 1953. The letter's written by Senior Chief Mbiyu Koinange who, at the time of writing, was a prisoner in the Marsabit camp during the Mau Mau rebellion/war/events. It's written to his eldest son, Peter, who was living in the UK at the time. Peter, because he was living in the UK at the time, was not imprisoned like 12 of his family members during the Mau Mau period.

It's a sweet and insightful letter from an elderly man to his son. Throughout the letter he shares little 'sayings' with his son. I'm guessing that these are things that the Chief would have said as his son grew up, but either way, they're insightful:

'The more you are together the happier you will be.'
[In reference to Peter spending time with other Kenyans who were in the UK at this time.]

'Surely no place like home.'
[In reference to the rough conditions in the prison camp.]

'Land is Life!'
[In reference to a petition sent to the House of Commons in July 1953, signed in thumb prints of blood by '158, 642 citizens of Kenya']

'we regard H.M. the King as a father trustee, and Land as our Mother, and that if and when either is disturbed we would cry and lament the [?more]'
[Reminding Peter of what the Chief had told His Majesty the King in 1931 when the Chief visited London.]

And, warmly, like one expect from a father to his eldest son of whom he is very proud, the Chief ends his letter:

'Your loving Father'

[Note: Can you tell why it is that I love what I'm doing! I have over 1500 images and 700 files to go through that include letters like this, overheard conversations in the Communist Headquarters, intercepted telephone calls, and the on going dialog between the Secret Service (MI5) office in London and in Nairobi.]