GOAN FAMILY REVISITS KENYA-4
Marius Fernandes and his family outside the St Theresa’s Church at Laare, which the Fernandes family raised funds to build and renovate in the late 1950s.
PANAJI
Our family’s recent journey to Kenya was more than a mere vacation; it was a heartfelt pilgrimage retracing the steps of our grandparents. From the wild expanses of Tsavo to the vibrant coast of Mombasa, and finally to our birthplace in Laare village, this trip provided us with memories to last a lifetime. The natural beauty, historical richness, and warm hospitality we encountered made it truly unforgettable.
Our adventure began with a trip to Mombasa, where the bustling city meets the serene coast. We marvelled at the diverse landscapes and soaked in the history of this iconic port city. However, the most anticipated part of our journey was still ahead: returning to Laare, the village we left 57 years ago.
Ashley, my son, had to return to London for work, leaving my daughter, Gemma, my sister Maria, and me to continue our expedition. We returned to Nairobi to meet our gracious host, Professor Elizabeth Mazrui, who had meticulously planned our journey.
Our journey to Laare which is now a bustling market town, was punctuated with a stop in Meru County where our grandparents, our father and his siblings, spent their childhood days. Upon arriving in Laare, we were greeted by our guide Peter, a local teacher whom Professor Mazrui had connected with through her university contacts.
Peter proved invaluable, helping us locate where our ancestral home was and where our family were one of the first to open a general store serving this remote part of Eastern Kenya. Thanks to him, we reconnected with some villagers who remembered our grandparents, and visited the St Theresa’s Church in Tuuru.
The church held particular significance for me, as it was where I was baptized on June 14, 1959, by the revered Fr Soldadi. Visiting the church brought back vivid memories of my grandparents taking me there for checkups when I was stricken with polio. The villagers fondly recounted how my mother, Antonetta Fernandes, had sewn clothes to raise funds for building and renovating the church, a testament to our family’s enduring legacy in Laare.
We spent the night in a nearby motel where the evening turned very cold but not surprising as we were in the Eastern Highlands. We started reminiscing about our family’s past. Tales of tea and coffee plantations, the superb climate, and the turbulent times during Kenya’s struggle for independence and the Mau Mau uprising came to life.
Marius Fernandes and his siblings were born in this yellow building. In the 1950s, it was a simple tin-corrugated roofed shop which was run by their grandparents and later, their parents in Laare.
One particularly harrowing memory was a night when the village was attacked by ‘Shiftas’ from neighbouring Somalia. My father’s generosity in offering lifts to people on his trips to Somalia in his Land Rover had earned us the goodwill that saved our lives during that attack. It was also the place where our father was attacked by an oncoming rhino who knocked his front teeth off as he didn’t see him in the dark in his open top jeep.
The next morning, we journeyed back to Nairobi, stopping in Nanyuki, a town rich in history and prosperity. At the Equator line, we marvelled at the geographic wonder before visiting our friend Keith Pearson. Keith, the Managing Director of The Theatre Company (TTC), has been instrumental in bringing dynamic and adventurous performances to Kenya. He showed us around his vast property, where the distant Mount Kenya provided a breathtaking backdrop.
Our return to Kenya was an extraordinary experience. We met wonderful people, tasted the best of Kenyan cuisine, and enjoyed its superb music. My sisters, children, and I were deeply moved by our time there. This journey has not only reconnected us with our roots but has also strengthened our bond with a country that will always call us back.
Kenya, with its unparalleled beauty and rich heritage, remains etched in our hearts. We bid farewell and prepared to leave, Gemma my daughter was returning to UK while my sister Maria and myself were going back to Goa. On our journey back we carried with us a profound sense of gratitude and a promise to return to the land of our ancestors.
For more about our travels, visit our YouTube channel “GoanAroundTheWorld” where we share videos and stories from our journey. [Concluded]
[The writer is popularly known as Goa’s Festakar due to his pioneering efforts to revive and promote Goan culture through people-oriented festivals]
