Of Water and Spirit Critique

Every person is believed to be born with a mission. It is that person's duty to fulfill that mission for the interest of the community. "Malidona" in the Dagara language means "befriend with the stranger/enemy." This is Malidona Patrice Some's mission: to prepare himself and then come to the west to get acquainted with the "stranger" in order to investigate the white man's world. Malidona's mission, is predetermined by the ancestors. Individuals in the Dagara culture must comply with their mission, as explained by Malidona's grandfather in the following passage: 

This is Malidona's mission. He must get acquainted with the Western world in order to understand them. Then he must go back to his village and communicate his learnings to the community. 

Most of the elements and anecdotes described in this book are simply amazing and very insightful. But the fact that the Dagara culture associates life with a mission particularly caught my attention. This belief is the basic theme of the book. It made me wonder about my own beliefs and my own life mission. 

Another element which I found interesting is the one that relates, or perhaps emphasizes, to the philosophy of some African creation stories regarding nature and human beings. In the Dagara culture, plants and animals are placed as higher than humans. Most of the creation stories also make reference to this belief since most of the time plants and animals were created before man. Plants and animals are considered so important that Malidona's grandfather kept stressing that one must go to the "school" of plants and animals in order to learn and survive in life. For example, the medicine men, which are highly respected in this culture, value plants and animals greatly. 

Another precise characteristic that I admire about the Dagara culture is their relationship with elders. Elders are sincerely respected by the community. They are considered to be the most knowledgeable individuals among themselves. And, in fact, they are. Their relationship, and similitude, with children amazes me. It is a shame that this respect appreciation is not shared with the same intensity in our Western culture. 

Moreover, Malidona's description of ethical issues, such as respect, enhanced my appreciation and understanding of the text. Respect is a continuously emphasized theme in this book. This characteristic accentuates African cultural features which seem to be quietly disappearing in this Western world. The Dagara culture respects greatly their ancestor, their elders, their children, and their community as a whole.

In conclusion, most of Malidona's experiences made me wonder of what my life mission might be. At the same time it made me think about my own cultural beliefs and appreciation's. Malidona showed me a world way beyond imagination and, at the same time, believable. I experienced with him worlds full of magic, ancestral powers, respect, rituals and so forth. This text also made realize how little I know about other worlds, about other cultures. At the same time, it encouraged me to explore other cultures and understand new beliefs. What I liked the most about this text is that it encouraged me to perhaps find my own mission in life and, once I find it, to carry it through.

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