PAWA'S BOOK OF THE WEEK (WEEK 38): BAHO BY ROLAND RUGERO
BAHO! is a novel by Roland Rugero, a Burundian author written in French and translated into English by Christopher Schaefer.
It is the first Burundian novel to be translated into English.
The story is set in the fictional village of Hariho. It follows the story of a young mute boy named Nyamuragi who asked a young woman in rural Burundi for directions to an appropriate place to relieve himself.
Unfortunately, his gestures are mistaken as premeditation for rape.
To the young woman's community, his fleeing confirms his guilt, setting off a chain reaction of pursuit, mob justice, and Nyamugari's attempts at explanation.
The book explores the concepts of miscommunication and justice against the backdrop of war-torn Burundi's beautiful green hillsides
BAHO! is a many-faceted gem: small and brilliant. It sparkles with embedded stories and proverbs in Kirundi, the Bantu language of Burundi.
It is available on Amazon.com
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