A minha sobrinha Maria Luísa raramente nada no mar de Moledo. Mas aprecia bastante que os filhos esbracejem na crista das ondas, verificando por si próprios o que significa um "banho frio", que "faz bem à saúde". Ela justifica-se com os meus argumentos, mas escusa-se a adoptá-los para si própria. As jovens mães de hoje compreendem a necessidade da disciplina e da contrariedade – mas já vão atrasadas para tomarem o caminho da felicidade.
"(...) My daughter, she has no use for night runners. You know, her first language is not Luo. Not even Swahili. It is english. When I listen to her talk with her friends, it sounds like gibberish to me. They take bits and pieces of everything - English, Swahili, German, Luo. Sometimes, I get fed up with this. Learn to speak one language properly, I tell them." Rukia laughed to herself. "But I am beggining to resign myself - there's nothing really to do. They live in a mixed-up world. It's just as well, I suppose. In the end, I'm less interested in a daughter who's authentically African than one who is authentically herself." It was getting late; we thanked Rukia for her hospitality and went on our way. But her words would stay with me, bringing into focus my own lingering questions.
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