In the Belly of the Congo
This novel tells the story of Tshala Moelo, who was born in the Belgian Congo, daughter of King Kena Kwete III, and sent to Brussels in 1958 to be part of a display at the Brussels World’s Fair. It continues as her niece Nyota arrives in Brussels in August 2003 to try to discover the cause of Tshala’s death in 1958.
The author was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); he connects Tshala with generations of her ancestors and their myths, their worldview and beliefs. He also follows her tale through some of the turbulent years of colonization by the Belgians when young people in the cities tried hard to survive astride two cultures, the ancient and the modern. When Tshala is shipped to Brussels in 1958 her two worlds, native and “civilized,” collide.
The novel takes many wandering paths to emerge at a conclusion. This may be the style of storytelling traditional in the author’s native Congo and should be respected as such. It leads one to consider the difficulties of translation from such a different worldview, with all its complexities of concept and context, into English.
Nyota’s quest to find the truth about Tshala’s death is the narrative used to convey the author’s ideas about colonialism, specifically as it existed in one African country during the 20th century. Despite this focus, the reader is led to examine more closely colonialism and its effects worldwide. We, in North America, are slowly awakening to the effects of colonialism on our native populations.
While not an easy read, I found this thoroughly satisfying, leading me to new areas of thought and consideration. One seldom reads fiction about Belgium and what is now the DRC. That, in itself, makes this novel unique.
