Pole Pole Bwana by Jeanette Higgs

Pole Pole Bwana is a fascinating and highly personal African memoir by Jeanette Higgs, recounting her experiences of life in East Africa and offering an engaging glimpse into a period of adventure, travel and everyday life far removed from conventional surroundings. First published in 2013, this privately produced book combines reminiscence, humour, personal observation, photographs and illustrations to create an unusual record of African life.

The title, Pole Pole Bwana, draws on the familiar Swahili expression “pole pole”, meaning slowly or gently, immediately establishing the East African setting and character of the book. Higgs relates her experiences with warmth and humour, recording the people, places, journeys and unexpected situations that formed part of her life in Africa.

Pole Pole Bwana is particularly interesting for readers and collectors of Africana because it preserves a first-hand personal account rather than presenting a conventional historical narrative. Such privately published memoirs can provide valuable social history, capturing details of everyday experiences that are often absent from broader histories of the continent.

The volume is illustrated by Jeanette Higgs herself, with an additional Masai illustration by A. Kunzler, and incorporates photographs belonging to the author. It was edited by Lesley Higgs, with design, typesetting and reproduction by Sarah Swanson, and was printed and bound in KwaZulu-Natal by Pinetown Printers.

This is the 2013 first edition of Pole Pole Bwana, first impression, making it particularly appealing to collectors of privately published South African books, Africana, East African reminiscences, travel writing and personal memoirs.

Condition – Near Fine 

2013 paperback in Near Fine condition. Clean and exceptionally well preserved with minimal evidence of handling or use.