Natalie Cabinda

Their Gods Were Watching Me Natalie Cabinda

Their Gods Were Watching Me is a memoir that journeys into the world of a Cameroonian child. It is a blend of personal stories depicting several aspects of family life: sibling rivalry, love, marriage, divorce, and death; intermingled with poorly understood traditions, including the cultural and superstitious beliefs rampant in this third world setting. Replete with emotion, the memoir portrays the challenges of foster parenting when guardians are busy, inexperienced, or too poor to effectively nurture. It also details my educational journey, undertaken in spite of the cultural argument against the education of girls and the subtle dangers of sex, rape or child abuse. Set against the backdrop of both tumultuous civil war and peace time, the stories within reveal the challenges of poverty, child marriages, and the fears and uncertainties of youth. The memoir reads like a novel and offers readers a host of experiences that provide insight into the African psyche, from traditional celebrations and superstitious beliefs to herbal medicines.