Page 35 - 2020 SoMJ Vol 73 No 2_Neat
P. 35
26 The Society of Malaŵi Journal
Q: What did he used to tell you about John Chilembwe before
he attempted his riot, as you put it?
A: He did not mention about him very often. At that time
Chilembwe minded about his future and was out in America, I
think; and when he came back my father was not in the village
at this time. I think he was away from 1896 when my father
used to be up and down [on various K.A.R. deployments] and
could never actually stay together and extend all his views to
one another of what one felt of the future.
Q: I understand that some of the K.A.R. went to fight against
Chilembwe’s followers. Did your father go?
A: No, by then my father was in East Africa. …
Q: What did he tell you about the 1914-1918 war? What was
his impression of the war?
A: His impression— He said he was a British subject already by
then. He knew there was friction between the British and the
Germans, for Germany also had a country in Africa which was
in East Africa but by then was German East Africa. …
Q: What did he tell you about the war of John Chilembwe?
A: He said it was nothing. He said if he were here he would only
ask for 15-20 soldiers and get hold of him. He thought he was
playing with fire, that’s what my father thought of him.
Q: Did he ever say anything about the war of John Chilembwe
being like the war against the Ashanti or anything like that?
A: No, No, those were advanced—
Q: Those were big wars?
A: Yes, those were big wars against what Chilembwe was
trying. He said it well.
Q: He said 15 or 20 men could go and get Chilembwe?
A: He could go and get hold of John Chilembwe. And he
wouldn’t have liked to kill him, but he wanted to arrest him and
make him a prisoner and tell him not to play with fire because
the British were not people to play with. …
Q: You said you had seen the 1914-1918 War; were you a little
boy then?
A: Yes, I was about eight …
Q: I had not realized you were as old as this and that you can
remember some things yourself.
