This is the extraordinary story of Mikidadi, an ordinary Tanzanian
from a remote coastal island, who became a Koran-school teacher,
charity leader, environmental activist and guardian of an extended
family. But this biography is not only about Mikidadi's life and
legacy, but also his times. He lived through transitions from
colonialism to independence, socialism to neoliberalism, a single-
to a multi-party state, and a local Swahili Islam to a more
globalized and politicized form. He also experienced the growth of
corruption, and the increasing role of Western NGOs and Islamic
charities. In considering how wider historical processes impacted
on Mikidadi, as life got progressively harder for his family, this
book seeks to counter some of the recent rewriting of Tanzania's
post-colonial history. Skilfully moving through the decades,
between events at national, regional and individual levels, between
three generations, and even adding a further layer of her own life
as an anthropologist, Caplan succeeds in writing an engaging,
accessible account that will appeal to both academics and students.
For at the centre of this book is an unlikely friendship that began
in 1966 between a 12-year-old boy and a 23-year-old woman, and
lasted nearly four decades, to be cut short by Mikidadi's untimely
death in 2002. Recollections of meetings, and extracts from
fieldwork notes and correspondence, bring a lively immediacy to
this exchange, in which profound cultural differences between
researcher and researched are transcended in interconnected lives.
"This clear and well-written book celebrates a life and its place
in history. It is an exemplar of public anthropology." - David
Zeitlyn, Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Oxford.
'An unprecedented ethnographic analysis of contemporary Tanzanian
history exploring how individuals, families and communities over
time perceive, act, negotiate and strive to adjust in the shade of
shifting political, economic and ideological conditions.' - Kjersti
Larsen, Professor, Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
'Clear, engaging, and insightful, this accessible biography
provides a rich entry point into African history and anthropology
through an intimate account of life in a coastal East African
village.' - Christine J. Walley, Professor of Anthropology,
Director of Graduate Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
'A model of participatory and ethical research, Mikidadi is an
invaluable resource for scholars, students, development
practitioners, and environment activists.' - Marjorie Mbilinyi,
Professor, University of Dar es Salaam (1968-2003); Principal
Policy Analyst, Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (2004-14)
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