Research and reparations

Re “Victory for the Kikuyu” (Princetonians, Sept. 18): What a remarkable article!

Dad was a zoologist and studied zebra from 1968 to 1971 in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, and I lived in Nairobi, Kenya, at a Catholic boarding school from 1969 to 1971. One African girl was the only nonwhite girl in the school. I felt sorry for her because she was alone and because she could hear the girls muttering “bloody kaffir.” I was shy, but I felt deeply ashamed. 

It wasn’t until I read Caroline Elkins ’91’s book, Imperial Reckoning, that I discovered how cruel and horrible the British were in the Mau Mau rebellion. Of course, at age 11, I saw that the British were very condescending toward the Africans and was puzzled.

I’m just happy that Elkins’ research found a way to force the British government to apologize and to give $30 million in reparations. Good for them, and good for PAW!