While hosting members of Barack Obama's family at my home in the U.S., and working on their family autobiography and cooking book, I found myself opening up towards such a different culture.
Though I have traveled the world extensively, and interviewed heads of state in Africa, discovering East African culture gave me a lot of food to digest ...
Talking to Mama Sarah Obama and her family, about their roots, I found myself penning an extraordinary tale, which included elements, that are considered as criminal acts in the West.
Here are couple of examples:
A. Polygamy is an integral part of East Africa's culture until this day. Mama Sarah Obama was the 3rd wife of Hussein Onyango. The wives rotated in their role towards their husband, while Hussein was travelling. Her beloved step son, Barack Obama Sr. married Anna - a 17 years old American girl in Hawaii, while he was married (with kids) back in Kenya to a local.
While polygamy was normal in Kenya, bigamy is against the law in the West. And that clash ended Barack Obama Sr.'s marriage, as well as his opportunity to stay in the U.S. and finish his PHD from Harvard University in Boston, Mass.
B. Men in East Africa were used to beat their wives and treat them as lesser human beings. Some do it until this day. Doctor Rich Godfray, who has been travelling to Kenya and helping out the local hospitals, called me after he picked up my book. He had just visited Kenya, and was about to return there again with a colleague - a plastic surgeon ..Why? Because a woman was abused so badly, that she was now missing an eye, and part of her nose. She can not leave her little house ...
In Kenya - there are still men who believe, it is their right to beat their wives. Here - it is against the law. It is called: "Domestic Violence."
***
Since I was writing this autobiography (of the Obama family), from Mama Sarah Obama's point of view, I tried to understand more about their culture and values, instead of blocking myself by coming up with quick judgement and describe their culture as "cruel."
On the contrary, when I took my time, I found out some other elements in the East African culture, that made us in the West look cruel ...
For example: How they treat their elderly with so much respect! In the West - how shall I say it nicely - we have a lot to improve in this area.
There are other interesting elements in the Obama family's life and culture that we can learn from. Like their cooking. Mama Sarah Obama - like her neighbors - does not have a refrigerator. Yes, her grand son is the President of the United States... But Mama Sarah is able to manage it without one. In their culture, because of necessity, all their food has to be "fresh!": She grows her own vegetables and fruits in her own backyard. The milk comes from her cows. The fish from the nearby Victorian Lake. And she has free ranging chickens and other animals that she is raising for their meat. Everything is so simple, so healthy! So tasty!!!
***
Some of the best compliments, I received about these two books, are making references as to how much the readers could not put the books down solely because of the strong empathy, they developed towards Mama Sarah Obama, during the process of reading these books. Simply put, they were able to connect easily with a woman from such a different culture, feel her pain, appreciate her struggle and share her achievements ...
So why won't we adapt this attitude and willingness to learn about other cultures (and religions) into our daily life??
Here are the links for the Obama's two books:
Though I have traveled the world extensively, and interviewed heads of state in Africa, discovering East African culture gave me a lot of food to digest ...
Talking to Mama Sarah Obama and her family, about their roots, I found myself penning an extraordinary tale, which included elements, that are considered as criminal acts in the West.
Here are couple of examples:
A. Polygamy is an integral part of East Africa's culture until this day. Mama Sarah Obama was the 3rd wife of Hussein Onyango. The wives rotated in their role towards their husband, while Hussein was travelling. Her beloved step son, Barack Obama Sr. married Anna - a 17 years old American girl in Hawaii, while he was married (with kids) back in Kenya to a local.
While polygamy was normal in Kenya, bigamy is against the law in the West. And that clash ended Barack Obama Sr.'s marriage, as well as his opportunity to stay in the U.S. and finish his PHD from Harvard University in Boston, Mass.
B. Men in East Africa were used to beat their wives and treat them as lesser human beings. Some do it until this day. Doctor Rich Godfray, who has been travelling to Kenya and helping out the local hospitals, called me after he picked up my book. He had just visited Kenya, and was about to return there again with a colleague - a plastic surgeon ..Why? Because a woman was abused so badly, that she was now missing an eye, and part of her nose. She can not leave her little house ...
In Kenya - there are still men who believe, it is their right to beat their wives. Here - it is against the law. It is called: "Domestic Violence."
***
Since I was writing this autobiography (of the Obama family), from Mama Sarah Obama's point of view, I tried to understand more about their culture and values, instead of blocking myself by coming up with quick judgement and describe their culture as "cruel."
On the contrary, when I took my time, I found out some other elements in the East African culture, that made us in the West look cruel ...
For example: How they treat their elderly with so much respect! In the West - how shall I say it nicely - we have a lot to improve in this area.
There are other interesting elements in the Obama family's life and culture that we can learn from. Like their cooking. Mama Sarah Obama - like her neighbors - does not have a refrigerator. Yes, her grand son is the President of the United States... But Mama Sarah is able to manage it without one. In their culture, because of necessity, all their food has to be "fresh!": She grows her own vegetables and fruits in her own backyard. The milk comes from her cows. The fish from the nearby Victorian Lake. And she has free ranging chickens and other animals that she is raising for their meat. Everything is so simple, so healthy! So tasty!!!
***
Some of the best compliments, I received about these two books, are making references as to how much the readers could not put the books down solely because of the strong empathy, they developed towards Mama Sarah Obama, during the process of reading these books. Simply put, they were able to connect easily with a woman from such a different culture, feel her pain, appreciate her struggle and share her achievements ...
So why won't we adapt this attitude and willingness to learn about other cultures (and religions) into our daily life??
Here are the links for the Obama's two books:
"Mama Sarah Obama: Our Dreams & Roots"
"Mama Sarah Obama: Home Cooking Recipes"
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