Blixen’s report gives an interesting angle on the relations between the Africans and Europeans. Rather than hate or prejudice Blixen makes it seem as if each party has a mutual interest or curiosity in the other one, at least in the beginning stages of colonization. The Africans appeared to be intrigued by the Europeans sense of justice, how they focus on the individual instead of repayment for a crime. Likewise, the Europeans were intrigued by the ancient customs of the Africans, such as their dances and the requirement of a dowry to marry. Blixen always maintained a favorable and pleasant view of the natives, unlike other Europeans who might have thought of the Africans as antique and unintelligent. Blixen also seemed to have an understanding…show more content… Blixen also illustrated the differences in how Europeans and Africans evaluate people. While Africans assessed people’s personalities and traits, Europeans appraised people by their intelligence and etiquette. Blixen also described Kenya as a paradise away from Europe. The wide-open landscape and rugged, free nature of Kenya had a liberating effect on Blixen who described Africa and the hunting safaris she went on as “paradisiacal”. The African groups, especially the Masaii and the Kikuyu, valued wealth as cattle and children. A man was not considered rich unless he had both cattle and children. European wealth was measured in possessions and currency, not necessarily offspring. Europeans were surprised at what they called an “outdated” custom of paying a dowry for a bride. For the Africans the bride dowry was a very important cultural feature and having a daughter was celebrated because of the wealth it could bring to the family. The Europeans and Africans had very different cultures and customs, however both of the groups lived in harmony with each other for a large portion of British…show more content… Scottish Protestants and French Catholics were the first two outside religions to have missions in East Africa, thus the Africans were first introduced to Christianity. The two missions play minor roles within the book, Blixen is friendly with both and often sends her workers and squatters to have injuries taken care of. The major Muslim presence in British East Africa was from Somali immigrants to the country. In “Out of Africa” none of the modern conflicts between Muslims and Christians were apparent, at least on Blixen’s farm. The Muslim and Christian Africans lived together in relative harmony, no real conflicts between the two groups ever erupted in the book. Some of the main characters, such as Farah, struggle with religion. Farah tells Blixen that he would like to spend time with the Christians and the Muslim Mohammedans so that he could decide what religion he wants to follow. Religion seemed to the Africans as a way to sort yourself with the Christian Europeans, or the Muslim Somalis and Indians. The concept of justice was very different between the Africans and the Europeans. The Africans relied on a system of cattle fines to punish misbehavior, while Europeans would focus on jail time and punishment on the individual. Whatever punishment the Kikuyu squatters on Blixen’s farm thought was just, they would always ask Blixen for the final
