Colonization

The colonization of Africa by Western nations is dramatized through the cultural wars which occupy the background of the novel. Kirabo grows up in Nattetta, a small rural village in which “traditional” Ugandan culture is alive and well. Kirabo lives without electricity or running water, her family makes all their own clothes, and they farm and trade all their food. When she goes to live with her father in the city, Kampala, she is thrust into another world. Her father’s home is modern and has running water and electricity, the food is store-bought and full of sugar, and the clothes are designed by professionals and fashionable. This transition showcases the two warring cultures present in Uganda during the late 70’s and 80’s.

The presence and prominence of the English language highlights the affects of colonization in Uganda during this time period. When Kirabo first meets...