Something of Value (1957)

Leslie Denison: Crown Consul

Quotes 

• A White Settler - Henry McKenzie : What in the name of Almighty God are we trying to do to these people?

  Crown Consul : Preserve the law, Henry, that's all.

  A White Settler - Henry McKenzie : Law? Whose law? Not theirs, surely.

  Crown Consul : All men are equal before the law.

  A White Settler - Henry McKenzie : Except some are more equal than others.

  Crown Consul : That man is an accomplice to murder. H's admitted that.

  A White Settler - Henry McKenzie : But can we make him understand it? We take away their customs, their habits, their religion. We stop their tribal dances, we stop them circumcising their women. Then we offer them our way of life, something they can't grasp. We say, "Look how clean and rich and clever we are." For the Africans... different wages, different life. We mock their wise men. Take away the authority from their fathers. What are the children going to do? They'll lose respect for their elders and fathers... and when they do, look out. maybe they'll lose respect for our white Jesus too. Turn to something else for help... It won't be to us.

  Crown Consul : You understand , don't you Peter? If we don't make the African respect the Law... well, the next thing you know, he'll be wanting to rule this country.

  Henry's Son - Peter : Imagine that, now.

  [sarcastically says] 

  Henry's Son - Peter : Whatever could give him that idea?

• Crown Consul : Swear him in.

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : Which god, please?

  Crown Consul : The Christian God.

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : I worship Ngai, the god who lives on Mount Kenya. I will swear by our sacred Githathi stone.

  Crown Consul : Your word will suffice.

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : Oh, no, no. If I lie before this symbol of God... my children and their children and my home and my land will turn to dust. And when I die... I will have no life hereafter except to live forever in eternity... by the cursed hyena, cowardly eater of the dead. i speak the truth.

  Crown Consul : You're the father of the dead baby in question?

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : Yes.

  Crown Consul : Did you tell the midwife to kill the baby?

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : Yes. It was born feet first, it was cursed.

  Crown Consul : Then what was done?

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : What is always done according to custom.

  Crown Consul : Tell His Honor what that is.

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : We smothered the child and buried it under a pot.

  Crown Consul : You know that killing is against the law?

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : God says to murder is wrong.

  Crown Consul : And when you had that newborn baby smothered, was that not murder?

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : No. A child cannot join the tribe until he is 1 year old. Therefore, he's not really born until his second year. What was killed was a demon, not a child.

  Crown Consul : And then what did you do?

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : We sacrificed a young ram.

  Crown Consul : Mm. And that , I suppose, got rid of the curse.

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : No, no sir. Not yet. I am still here, therefore the curse is still at work.

  Crown Consul : Would you do the same thing if another child were born to you feet first?

  Karanja - Father of Kimani : [very slowly looks around at everyone]  Yes... yes... It would be my duty.