Garram the Hunter by Herbert Best

First published: 1930; illustrated

Type of work: Adventure tale

Themes: Animals, friendship, and coming-of-age

Time of work: The late nineteenth century

Recommended Ages: 10-13

Locale: Africa

Principal Characters:

• Garram, a strong and independent young hunter on the brink of manhood
• Kon, Garram’s huge and faithful dog
• Warok the Leopard, Garram’s father, chief of the Hillmen
• Menud, a tall, gangly youth, who is an enemy of Garram and a traitor to the tribe
• Sura, Menud’s father and accomplice
• The Rainmaker, the Priest of the Tribal Cults and Warok’s uncle, whose advice and aid to Garram help him to save his father and his tribe
• The Emir, the chief of all the Fulani of the western plain and friend to Garram

The Story

From the first page, Garram the Hunter introduces the reader to the exotic world of the African hills and plains, setting the scene for this adventure tale. Though Garram prefers hunting alone with his dog, Kon, to hunting with the clumsy and inefficient boys led by the troublemaker Menud, Garram still loves the hills and his people. The development of events, however, forces him to leave his home.

When his father, Warok, dies, Garram will become chief of the Hillmen. A chief is expected to offer feasts for his people; in preparation, Garram barters the proceeds from his hunts with neighboring villagers for brass rods and cloth. These he hides in a cave near his village. When Garram arrives to deposit more riches, he finds that someone has stolen his treasures. There is no doubt in Garram’s mind that Menud is responsible.

Back at the village, the elders are in council. Sura’s hysterical harangue before the elders illustrates the fundamental differences separating himself and Menud from the true members of the tribe. Sura argues that jealousy over his wealth prevents him from sitting in the assembly. Warok’s quietly authoritative response contrasts with Sura’s accusations. Warok maintains that tribal law permits only those of tribal descent to sit on the assembly. The calculating Sura whines that the same law also dictates death to anyone found guilty of stealing from the tribe. Domestic animals have disappeared, and with Menud’s aid, Sura accuses Garram of the thefts.

When Garram returns to the village, he solves the mystery of the missing livestock and exposes Menud as a liar and thief. Garram produces the skin of a leopard he just killed, along with the skulls of many goats. He then calmly proves that Menud has burglarized his cache of bartered goods. In exonerating himself, Garram becomes the target of Sura and Menud’s revenge.

While Garram recovers from wounds inflicted by the leopard, he learns from the Rainmaker that Sura and Menud intend to use their wealth to gain control of the tribe and overthrow Warok. The Rainmaker advises that Garram leave, since the traitors would fear his eventual return. Underscoring his mature, noble, and selfless character, Garram, though loath to run, consents and sets out for Yelwa.

After his arrival in Yelwa, Garram, through an accident, meets the Emir, chief of all Fulani of the western plain. The Emir recognizes Garram’s natural nobility and befriends him. After some time, Garram learns the language of the Fulani and discovers a plot to assassinate the Emir. When Garram warns the Emir, he gains a valuable ally for life.

Garram leaves Yelwa when he receives word from the Rainmaker that Sura and Menud have imprisoned Warok. Garram helps free Warok just before the slave-trading Fulani of the east attack the Hillmen.

Garram fights valiantly in the battle that ensues; at that point he becomes an acknowledged warrior, no longer merely a boy. Near the end of the battle Menud attempts to betray the Hillmen, but the leader of the attacking Fulani suspects a trap and kills Menud.

Finally, the Emir of the western plain sends an envoy to pledge alliance with the Hillmen. The envoy is surprised to learn that the evil Fulani of the east have already been dispatched. As the Emir’s messenger departs, Garram falls into a restful sleep in his father’s hut.

Context

Though Best cannot be considered a major author, he was rather prolific in the adventure and detective genres. Best worked closely with his wife and illustrator, Allena Best (under the pseudonym of Erick Berry), and he credits her with helping to bring the Africa they both knew to life for the reader. Published in 1930, Garram the Hunter was named a Newbery Honor Book in 1931. This honorable mention is important because of the story’s content. Given the social context of the time, it was unusual that an adolescent novel about and from the point of view of a native African would be so widely accepted. The strength of the novel, and perhaps the basis of such widespread appeal, lies in Best’s firsthand knowledge of the land and the people of whom he was writing.

After World War I, Best had been posted as a British administrative officer in Nigeria, where he served several years. It was during this time that he had become acquainted with the hill people of West Africa, learning their language and customs. Best’s experience provided him with the opportunity to write an African adventure novel from the perspective of the native inhabitant, rather than from that of the white visitor; readers and reviewers found this change refreshing. Best wanted to write a novel with a black protagonist because he thought that the limited depiction of blacks during the time was too negative and unrealistic.

Garram the Hunter is not, however, without basic and serious flaws. Character development in the novel is quite superficial, and the natives are infused with qualities more appropriate to an official of the British Empire than to an African tribesman. Still, it is evident that Best knew well the land, the wildlife, and the native customs. That Best was able to communicate these elements and thus generate his readers’ interest in a minority group that previously had been virtually ignored is an important contribution to the development of literature for young readers.