Book: Between the Kola Forest and the Salty Sea: A History of the Liberian People Before 1800
Author: C. Patrick Burrows
Reviewer: Bior Bropleh, regional account specialist at Home Depot Inc.; Atlanta hub leader for AIESEC
Growing up in the coastal West African city of Monrovia, I could not help but feel that there was a gap in the history lessons taught in our schools. Other ethnic and linguistic groups in West Africa could trace their ancestry back hundreds of years, but for some reason it seemed as if ours began in 1822 when African Americans departed the shores of the United States and settled along the West African coast in the area now called Liberia.
In Between the Kola Forest and the Salty Sea Professor C. Patrick Burrows has delivered a truly riveting account of pre-colonial West Africa in a manner that evokes pride in the minds of those who have felt marginalized for so many years. His mixture of factual anthropological data delivered in a vibrant and witty manner is refreshing. I love his reference to the diminutive and unassuming ‘Kaykay’ dogs that seemed to be the pet of choice in so many Liberian households. Burrows demonstrates how this often overlooked breed is actually a descendant of the favorite dogs of ancient Egyptian royalty.
I think this book has come at a pivotal period when young children of African immigrant families are yearning for an identity. This book will play a vital role in helping these families understand the rich cultural heritage of West Africa. On a broader note, anyone interested in learning about the rich past of that region will appreciate this insightful work.
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