Abstract:
This paper examines Wangari Maathai’s autobiography, Unbowed (2006),
to demonstrate the central role played by women in the making of modern Kenya. At
the same time, we assess how autobiographical narratives may be considered as a
means of inscribing the self within the grand narrative of the nation-state. One
challenge encountered in the study of autobiographical writing in Kenya is not only
the dearth of critical material, but also the limited number of primary texts within this
genre. The problem becomes more glaring when one considers the number of such
publications by women writers. It is as if the writing of 'narratives of self' is a male
domain. Yet the role of women in the country's struggle for independence, and the
undying quest for democracy cannot be ignored. This is because women have been
at the forefront of these struggles and consequently in shaping the history of nationstates in Africa. It is within this context that Maathai's story becomes important as it
dramatizes how the experiences of the writer challenge the status quo in both private
and public life. Unbowed traces Maathai’s life from her humble beginnings as a
young girl growing up in a small village in central Kenya through to her arduous
journey in the struggle for environmental conservation, an effort that led to the
establishment of the Green Belt Movement and consequently to her being awarded
the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. Her story is invaluable as it demonstrates personal
resilience, courage and commitment in the struggle for justice and democracy in
post-independence Kenya.