Summary

Warĩĩnga is dressed for the party in a national dress. She admits that she sometimes feels guilty for dressing up, because “these are not times for decorating our bodies with necklaces and perfume” (242). However, Gatuĩria reassures her that “the struggle for national cultures is still a relevant struggle” (242). In the car, Gatuĩria continues to talk about the need for various national forms of culture: architecture, literature, technology, economy. He praises Warĩĩnga for her work in engineering. Warĩĩnga laments how Kenyan men frequently belittle women, although women participated actively in the Mau Mau war against the British.

When they arrive at the tea party, they see a number of the competitors from the Devil’s Feast in attendance as guests. The narrator pleads for “strength” and “the words” (247) to go on. When Warĩĩnga meets Gatuĩria’s father, she...