Gabriel Mahia

In a world where the ghosts of colonialism still haunt the very soil we tread upon, where every inch of land whispers tales of identity and struggle, there lies an unspoken kinship between the hills of Kenya and the streets of Palestine. It begins with a murmur, a whisper carried on the winds of history, a voice that speaks of lands lost and identities forged in the crucible of conflict. It's the voice of the Kenyan highlands, echoing through the valleys, reverberating with the cries of the Mau Mau—a voice that finds its reflection in the alleys of Gaza, where the echoes are just as fervent, just as desperate for recognition. Every morning, as the world stirs awake, there's a routine—a global one—of people laying claim to their birthright. From the Kenyan farmer who rises with the sun, tilling the land that was once soaked in blood, to the Palestinian teacher who traces the lineage of her students to lands they've only seen in stories, there's a ritual of remembrance, a...

In a world far removed from the comfortable discussions held in academic circles and the polished corridors of power, there lies a rich, tumultuous tapestry of history often left unexplored. As we navigate through the norms of modern education, a daunting question looms: How do we teach the complex, often harrowing histories of lands that have borne the scars of conflict? The haunting narrative of Mau Mau in Kenya, the unyielding spirit of Gaza, and the tale of numerous other conflicted lands unfold through the annals of history, awaiting a discerning eye. The blog title, ‘Education as a Lens: Teaching the Complex Histories of Mau Mau, Gaza, and Other Conflicted Lands,’ beckons us to delve deeper, to unravel the narrative threads that bind the past to the present, and to explore how education can serve as a powerful lens through which to examine, understand, and perhaps, to heal. As dawn breaks, the daily routine of a teacher begins. With a steaming cup of coffee in hand, the day's...

In the vast expanse of human history, the marks left by colonial rule resonate through time, echoing in the modern-day conflicts we witness. The skeletal remains of colonialism continue to haunt the landscapes of many nations, whispering the tales of oppression, resistance, and the indomitable spirit of humanity. In this narrative, we shall traverse through the dusty roads of Kenya during the Mau Mau Uprising to the contested lands of Gaza, examining the persistent dissonance of post-colonial reality. As I wade through the pages of "Britain's Gulag" by Caroline Elkins, I am transported to the rugged terrains of colonial Kenya, where the spirit of resistance against the British rule roared through the valleys in the form of the Mau Mau Uprising. The harrowing tales of oppression are not confined to the past; they reverberate through the ages, finding a resonant frequency in the heartbeats of Gaza. The ink of history may dry, but the pages keep turning. Every morning as I b...