PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR
I AM THE FOURTH GENERATION OF THE KARIMBUX FAMILY. THE KARIMBUX’S WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PIONEERS AMONGST MANY OTHER ASIAN FAMILIES TO HAVE SETTLED IN KENYA IN 1895. THEY MADE A GREAT NAME FOR THEMSELVES AND HAD A HISTORY THAT GOES BACK A LONG WAY.
THE BOOK HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN WITH INTENTION TO RECORD A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF KENYA, AS THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF LITERATURE REGARDING THAT.
AS A YOUNG CHILD, I HAD A STRONG URGE TO WRITE ABOUT MY FAMILY. NOT ONLY WERE THEY HEROES IN MY MIND, BUT THEY WERE TRULY DEDICATED TO KENYA, AND CONTRIBUTED TREMENDOUSLY TO THE COUNTRY AND THE COMMUNITY. OUR FAMILY HISTORY DID NOT COME EASY, MY FOREFATHERS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO BUILD THE KARIMBUX DYNASTY IN THE DAYS OF COLONIALISM.
MY GREAT GRANDFATHER, SETH IBRAHIM KARIMBUX WAS A COURAGEOUS AND RIGHTEOUS MAN. HE WAS A SELF-MADE GENTLEMAN WHO EARNED HIS RESPECT AND POPULARITY AMONGST THE CITIZENS OF NAKURU AND ITS' NEIGHBOURING TOWNS. HIS TWO SONS, UMARDIN AND YUSUF KARIMBUX FOLLOWED CLOSELY IN IBRAHIM'S FOOTSTEPS, AS DID MY FATHER, MOHAMED KARIMBUX AND MY UNCLE, YAKUB KARIMBUX.
THE EVENTS THAT UNFOLD ARE TRUE TO MY WORD AND ARE BASED ON FACTUAL EVENTS THAT CHARACTERIZED AND SHAPED A FAMILY.
READ ON AS THE TRUE STORY OF A MAN WHO CAME TO AFRICA IN 1896, UNFOLDS TO REVEAL A REMARKABLE STORY OF GENERATIONS, THAT WAS STARTED BY A BRAVE PENNILESS MAN.
IT HAS BEEN A SHEER JOY WRITING THE BOOK AND I HOPE THAT YOU ENJOY IT JUST AS MUCH.
THE NAMES OF SOME CHARACTERS AND PLACES COULD BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THEIR IDENTITY. THEY HAVE BEEN MARKED WITH AN ASTRIX.
SHAILLA MATLOCK-KARIMBUX
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to all the brave men and women, regardless of religion, cast, breed or culture who worked unselfishly and tirelessly in our great Country, Kenya. They gave us life and made us what we are today. I admire their strength, courage and fortitude, they were invaluable and contributed immensely to their families, country and society. Above all, their determination, ambition and commitment earned them respect and honor. These are the people who made a difference, they touched the souls of their families, friends, strangers and an entire Nation.
For my Father, you came as an angel, a guiding light, spreading afar your love, kindness, humanity, faith and wisdom. You remain an angel and a great mentor to me, always in my heart forever.
For my loved ones who have passed on, and whom I dearly love. They are with me in heart,spirit and mind.
Ibrahim Karimbux, Umardin Karimbux, Yusuf Karimbux, Mohamed Karimbux, Yakub Karimbux, Karmi Karimbux, Kalsoom Karimbux, Kharunisa Karimbux, Tehsin Karimbux, Talib Karimbux, Fatama Alam, Razia Swaria, Shamim Chaudry, Idris Chaudry, Sultana Gaffoor, Zubeda Karimbux, Hazra Saayid
You are the jewels sent down from heaven, the diamonds in the night sky, the beams of sunshine that light our way. You are precious gifts from God and we miss you all dearly.
I also dedicate this book to my immediate family, who have inspired me and encouraged me to follow my dreams
To my husband Chris Matlock, you are everything to me and much, much more. Thank you for standing by me and valuing the same passion of honoring one's family. Your love, support, faith and ideals mean everything to me. Thank you for reading the book and assisting me with ideas, you are my inspiration, soul mate and true love.
To my son, Aden Jones, who is my life and joy. Thank you for standing by me and giving me so much of yourself in kindness, support, understanding and love; without you I would not have had the motivation to finish this book. You are a most wonderful son who we love and cherish.
My Mother, Aziza Karimbux, for being such a special mother, grandmother, wife and
friend with so much love, kindness and compassion. Thank you for your continuous support and faith in me, you are a blessing and an extraordinary person. I love you so much. The love between dad and you was heavenly; it was a blessing and a beautiful gift from God that was truly pure and tender. You may have alzheimers now but you are still our very beautiful mother to us and we love you ever more. May God bless you always with eternal peace and love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I have known Shailla for many years. She approached me initially with the idea of her book in 2002, and asked me to write an introductory page, though I chose to remain anonymous.
When Shailla talked about her sentiments in writing a book dedicated to 'The memory of keeping her great-grandfather, Ibrahim's name alive', I listened with intrigue and excitement. She emphasized her aim was not to make money, but to satisfy a deep hunger of a vision she kept locked up for many years. 'It has always been a strong desire of mine to preserve and share the memories of my forefathers, and to pass their story down to the newer generations of our family, and also to our beautiful friends, so they too can appreciate the family roots; if I don't, then who will?'. She pointed out that, 'Not one book had been dedicated solely to a Punjabi Muslim pioneer, yet there are variable and excellent books written about notable African, European and Asian figures from other communities. 'I owe this to my family as a tribute for selflessly giving their life, love and hard work to us and so many others, I would not be where I am today, had it not been for them', I quote.
Shailla's quest initially begun in 2001 when she started tracing her family's history. She collected information through archives, articles, diaries, letters, documents and family members. In 2002-2003, she approached as many of her father's and grandfather's close family friends who lived in and around Nairobi, arranging to interview them and their families. With pen and notebook in hand, she took down meticulous notes, and completed the interviews equipped with thoughtful and relevant questions. I, for one was interviewed and had the honor of contributing to a noble and worthy idea.
Shailla completed a draft of her book on her return from South Africa in 2004, I had the pleasure of reading a beautifully written book, and thank her for inspiring myself and others in doing so.
I AM THE FOURTH GENERATION OF THE KARIMBUX FAMILY. THE KARIMBUX’S WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PIONEERS AMONGST MANY OTHER ASIAN FAMILIES TO HAVE SETTLED IN KENYA IN 1895. THEY MADE A GREAT NAME FOR THEMSELVES AND HAD A HISTORY THAT GOES BACK A LONG WAY.
THE BOOK HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN WITH INTENTION TO RECORD A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF KENYA, AS THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF LITERATURE REGARDING THAT.
AS A YOUNG CHILD, I HAD A STRONG URGE TO WRITE ABOUT MY FAMILY. NOT ONLY WERE THEY HEROES IN MY MIND, BUT THEY WERE TRULY DEDICATED TO KENYA, AND CONTRIBUTED TREMENDOUSLY TO THE COUNTRY AND THE COMMUNITY. OUR FAMILY HISTORY DID NOT COME EASY, MY FOREFATHERS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO BUILD THE KARIMBUX DYNASTY IN THE DAYS OF COLONIALISM.
MY GREAT GRANDFATHER, SETH IBRAHIM KARIMBUX WAS A COURAGEOUS AND RIGHTEOUS MAN. HE WAS A SELF-MADE GENTLEMAN WHO EARNED HIS RESPECT AND POPULARITY AMONGST THE CITIZENS OF NAKURU AND ITS' NEIGHBOURING TOWNS. HIS TWO SONS, UMARDIN AND YUSUF KARIMBUX FOLLOWED CLOSELY IN IBRAHIM'S FOOTSTEPS, AS DID MY FATHER, MOHAMED KARIMBUX AND MY UNCLE, YAKUB KARIMBUX.
THE EVENTS THAT UNFOLD ARE TRUE TO MY WORD AND ARE BASED ON FACTUAL EVENTS THAT CHARACTERIZED AND SHAPED A FAMILY.
READ ON AS THE TRUE STORY OF A MAN WHO CAME TO AFRICA IN 1896, UNFOLDS TO REVEAL A REMARKABLE STORY OF GENERATIONS, THAT WAS STARTED BY A BRAVE PENNILESS MAN.
IT HAS BEEN A SHEER JOY WRITING THE BOOK AND I HOPE THAT YOU ENJOY IT JUST AS MUCH.
THE NAMES OF SOME CHARACTERS AND PLACES COULD BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THEIR IDENTITY. THEY HAVE BEEN MARKED WITH AN ASTRIX.
SHAILLA MATLOCK-KARIMBUX
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to all the brave men and women, regardless of religion, cast, breed or culture who worked unselfishly and tirelessly in our great Country, Kenya. They gave us life and made us what we are today. I admire their strength, courage and fortitude, they were invaluable and contributed immensely to their families, country and society. Above all, their determination, ambition and commitment earned them respect and honor. These are the people who made a difference, they touched the souls of their families, friends, strangers and an entire Nation.
For my Father, you came as an angel, a guiding light, spreading afar your love, kindness, humanity, faith and wisdom. You remain an angel and a great mentor to me, always in my heart forever.
For my loved ones who have passed on, and whom I dearly love. They are with me in heart,spirit and mind.
Ibrahim Karimbux, Umardin Karimbux, Yusuf Karimbux, Mohamed Karimbux, Yakub Karimbux, Karmi Karimbux, Kalsoom Karimbux, Kharunisa Karimbux, Tehsin Karimbux, Talib Karimbux, Fatama Alam, Razia Swaria, Shamim Chaudry, Idris Chaudry, Sultana Gaffoor, Zubeda Karimbux, Hazra Saayid
You are the jewels sent down from heaven, the diamonds in the night sky, the beams of sunshine that light our way. You are precious gifts from God and we miss you all dearly.
I also dedicate this book to my immediate family, who have inspired me and encouraged me to follow my dreams
To my husband Chris Matlock, you are everything to me and much, much more. Thank you for standing by me and valuing the same passion of honoring one's family. Your love, support, faith and ideals mean everything to me. Thank you for reading the book and assisting me with ideas, you are my inspiration, soul mate and true love.
To my son, Aden Jones, who is my life and joy. Thank you for standing by me and giving me so much of yourself in kindness, support, understanding and love; without you I would not have had the motivation to finish this book. You are a most wonderful son who we love and cherish.
My Mother, Aziza Karimbux, for being such a special mother, grandmother, wife and
friend with so much love, kindness and compassion. Thank you for your continuous support and faith in me, you are a blessing and an extraordinary person. I love you so much. The love between dad and you was heavenly; it was a blessing and a beautiful gift from God that was truly pure and tender. You may have alzheimers now but you are still our very beautiful mother to us and we love you ever more. May God bless you always with eternal peace and love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I have known Shailla for many years. She approached me initially with the idea of her book in 2002, and asked me to write an introductory page, though I chose to remain anonymous.
When Shailla talked about her sentiments in writing a book dedicated to 'The memory of keeping her great-grandfather, Ibrahim's name alive', I listened with intrigue and excitement. She emphasized her aim was not to make money, but to satisfy a deep hunger of a vision she kept locked up for many years. 'It has always been a strong desire of mine to preserve and share the memories of my forefathers, and to pass their story down to the newer generations of our family, and also to our beautiful friends, so they too can appreciate the family roots; if I don't, then who will?'. She pointed out that, 'Not one book had been dedicated solely to a Punjabi Muslim pioneer, yet there are variable and excellent books written about notable African, European and Asian figures from other communities. 'I owe this to my family as a tribute for selflessly giving their life, love and hard work to us and so many others, I would not be where I am today, had it not been for them', I quote.
Shailla's quest initially begun in 2001 when she started tracing her family's history. She collected information through archives, articles, diaries, letters, documents and family members. In 2002-2003, she approached as many of her father's and grandfather's close family friends who lived in and around Nairobi, arranging to interview them and their families. With pen and notebook in hand, she took down meticulous notes, and completed the interviews equipped with thoughtful and relevant questions. I, for one was interviewed and had the honor of contributing to a noble and worthy idea.
Shailla completed a draft of her book on her return from South Africa in 2004, I had the pleasure of reading a beautifully written book, and thank her for inspiring myself and others in doing so.
THROUGH MY EYES............
I chose to write this book in a simplistic style and 'through my eyes'. The book has been subdivided into four sections.
Book One - The First Generation
Book Two - The Second Generation
Book Three - The Third Generation
Book Four - The Fourth Generation.
This is so exciting to me. Forty seven years ago we moved to Nakuru from the USA where we served with USAID. The first couple we met were your grandfather and grandmother who owned the hardware store in Nakuru and also had other properties. We are Norwegian Americans now living in the Chicago Area and our son, Scott, now City Attorney in Portland, Oregon is about to celebrate his 50th birthday. He was 3 years old when we lived in Nakuru. We loved your grandparents and their numerous friends who made this lonely American Family feel at home in Nakuru. We had a house up on Menengai Crater where we hosted glamourous parties with Asians, Africans, Brits, etc. all coming together for a grand time. I'd love to tell you more about your grandparents as they were people we have never forgot. My husband John and I are now ages 75 and 73 respectively. We have spent most of our lives travelling the world so now we are settled into enjoying our seven grandchildren. My e-mail address is: mona.moede@yahoo.com. Tel: 630-995-3487 USA. I want to buy your book. I wish I would have spent time with you before you wrote it-so many wonderful stories we could have shared. Mona Moede.
ReplyDeleteI remember you too! Will write to you and thank you for being in touch.
DeleteDear Shailla
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing this book, I have enjoyed it emensly, knowing you and your history I am gratefull that you came into my life
With love
Chrisje
Thank you Chrisje for your support and interest that I appreciate and cherish sincerely.
ReplyDeleteHey Shailla, just stumbled upon this.Hope i get to read the book at some point.My mum incidentally was from Nakuru,her father Dr Vaz was a good friend of your family and his sister used to tutor some Karimbux children.
ReplyDeleteIm off for a NY party with the Darbars and a Saidia Karimbux,any relation?
Byron
Thank you for your interest and I seem to remember your mother and your dad's name and it is great we have connected after so long! I do hope you read my book as I feel you will find it most interesting and appealing. It is available in both paperback and kindle version on Amazon.com. Keep in touch and lovely hearing from you!
Delete