Other editions of book Guanya Pau: A story of an African princess

The first book of long fiction by an African to be published in English, this novel tells the story of a young woman of the Vai people in Liberia. Guanya Pau, betrothed as a child to a much older, polygamous man, flees her home rather than be forced into marriage, and the novel recounts her subsequent efforts to reach the Christian community where the man she loves awaits her. Joseph Jeffrey Walters was a Vai man who converted to Christianity, and this, his only novel, is a remarkably complex work, embracing both Christian beliefs and a deep pride in his African heritage. This Broadview edition includes a critical introduction that locates the novel in the context of Vai culture and the history of African missions, and a rich selection of historical documents relating to the education of African women, the Vai writing system, and the author’s life.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

As regar ds their interests they have been unkindly treated too much flatteredt too little respected. They are sJ.ut up in a world of conventionalities, and naturally believe that to be the only world. The theory of their education seems to be that they should not be made companions of 7ne7i, and some would say they certainly are not. Friends in Council, B. I. ch. VIII Entered, according to A ct of Congress, in the year 1891, By Joseph J. Walters, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the aged text. Read books online for free at

Origins are often obscure and beginnings easily forgotten. The first novel ever published by an African has, until now, been lost in rare book collections, unknown to scholars and public alike. Now reissued a century after its first publication, Joseph J. Walters's Guanya Pau can be reread in the context of a varied and vigorous African literature. Its subject and the author's outlook make it remarkably modern. Guanya Pau deals with the desire of Guanya, an African princess, to escape a repulsive fate: betrothal to a wealthy man twenty years older than she. Worse, he is a polygamist, compensating for his own ugliness with the beauty of many wives. Guanya must combat his eagerness, her mother's wish, and a tribal tradition that is as entrenched as it is oppressive. When she cannot fight, she flees, encountering fierce anti-feminine practices everywhere she goes.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Excerpt from Guanya Pau: Story of an African Princess"It seems needful that something should be said specially about the education of women. As regards their interests they have been unkindly treated - too much flattered, too little respected. They are slut up in a world of conventionalities, and naturally believe that to be the only world. The theory of their education seems to be that they should not be made companions of men, and some would say they certainly are not."About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891 edition. Excerpt: ... ■chapter IV. KAI KUNDU'S VISIT. On the following day, Guanya Pau being now near her sixteenth birthday, within a few weeks of the time when her master would come to take her to his home, he came to the GregreeBush to visit her. His name was Kai Kundu, because of his short, stumpy form; he was homely beyond description, with nose and lips twenty-five per cent. in excess of the average African, with a face perpetually bearing the expression "I - don't-care - which-way-thewind-blows, I am Kai Kundu, the short, the ugly, the clumsy, Kai Kundu." He made an attempt to seat himself on the mat beside Guanya Pau, who immediately rose, went into the adjoining room, brought a bamboo chair, which she set at a more than respectable distance from the mat, thus avoiding all possible means of proximity between herself and his lordship. Looking up into her face with one of his characteristic grins, which made him look like a full-grown chimpanzee, he said: "Guanya Pau, I understand it all, you are yet young and inexperienced; your fair complexion has not yet been burnt by the sun's heat, nor your hands hardened by work. Your action is like that of many other maidens." Then thinking that she was persuaded of the truth of his assertion, because she made no reply, he again made an effort to bring his chair near, only to be told peremptorily that if he didn't keep to the distance she had assigned him, she would report him to the authorities for indecorum. Finding argument useless, Kai Kundu made himself comfortable, and grinned more than ever. The two together certainly resembled Dr. Talmage's "hawk courting a dove." Finally, he mustered up enough courage to tell her his purpose for coming to see her, winding up with "I have watched and cared for you,...

Origins are often obscure and beginnings easily forgotten. The first novel ever published by an African has, until now, been lost in rare book collections, unknown to scholars and public alike. Now reissued a century after its first publication, Joseph J. Walters's Guanya Pau can be reread in the context of a varied and vigorous African literature. Its subject and the author's outlook make it remarkably modern. Guanya Pau deals with the desire of Guanya, an African princess, to escape a repulsive fate: betrothal to a wealthy man twenty years older than she. Worse, he is a polygamist, compensating for his own ugliness with the beauty of many wives. Guanya must combat his eagerness, her mother's wish, and a tribal tradition that is as entrenched as it is oppressive. When she cannot fight, she flees, encountering fierce anti-feminine practices everywhere she goes.

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