With all the movies out lately conveying the wonder of all things British - "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", "The Iron Lady" etc. one film that won't be getting as much hysterical publicity is "The First Grader", a true story based on how one man was DENIED an education due to his participation in REMOVING the colonial English from Kenya.
The heinous crimes against Kenyans perpetrated by the "British Empire" must never be forgotten. Many movies today rely on over dramatic fantasy to illustrate something in life that never happened, using over paid "stars" to hyper-exaggerate reality.
HDD cannot watch anymore crappy hyper-Hollywood-ized drivel.
Recommending "The First Grader" HDD recognizes that learning from history is more important than escapism through the movie screen.
The Mau Mau uprising and ultimate removal of the British from so-called "British East Africa" was a victory for Jomo Kenyatta and his East African patriots. In 1952 he was arrested and served seven years in prison for "anti-colonial" activity while a member of the Mau Mau Society.
Finally as the English colonialists yielded to internal pressure from the native tribes who managed to unify around one mantra - "Get the English Out" of East Africa.
Kenyatta was made president in 1963 and ruled until 1978.
The man - right - represented in the movie - (see link) http://www.thefirstgrader-themovie.com/news/ - is an ordinary Kenyan from the Kikuyu people who is determined to learn how to read and write.
The true story involves Kimani Maruge going back to school against all odds and reveals the REASONS WHY HE had no access to education. Reading published stories on Maruge one is led to believe that his fame stems from his status as the "oldest pupil in the world", rather than pointing to the reasons why he had to return to school after such a hard, cruel and repressed life at the hands of the British in his own country.
The more important point here is that British colonialism destroyed countries like Kenya, impoverished its citizens and ensured tribal division would continue as a modus operandi to control the people and EXTRACT resources from the land.
Below is a map of the British Empire at its height!
And the decline - right -
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