As The Crow Flies

Wairimu Ithua shares on As The Crow Flies.

This is not a very long story but it is deeply impactful. Its depth and significance left me thinking about the story for a long time. “As the Crow Flies” by Joseph David Kimura popularly known as ‘JD’ was written by my late father-in-law. He was not only a history buff but a man who cared to know who he was by way of his roots, peoples and origin.

For anyone looking to read an amazing family story with an unlikely hero then this is the book for you. The story is about the clan leader Muriu, his lineage and how his family journeyed from the Central African Republic to settle in modern day Ndakaini. JD was able to trace back his lineage all the way back to the sixteenth century which he did through the years by talking to the older folk in the family. He tells the stories of why the family moved about, how they made tracks, why they moved, whom they married, the children they bore, the circumstances at the time and ultimately one begins to learn how their ancestral stories were significant in forming the family identity. In many ways, the story is one of heritage and legacy of one extended Kenyan family. Some of the stories are funny others scary and a few a little embarrassing. It gives JD’s extended family members a chance to know who they are, but also challenges not only them, but any reader to document who we are for posterity. The story leaves one with a thirst to learn more about other unsung heroes in our country who quietly (and others not so quietly) made a significant impact to the destiny of our country and yet their story remains untold.

At the time of JD’s passing, the draft of the book had more or less been completed. The final editing and structuring of the book have recently been completed by his cousin, age-mate and very close friend Joseph H Kimura, now in his seventies. The author’s reality is a poignant reminder of how easy it is to lose our stories as the generations pass.

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