Batouala

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A first edition of the novel Batouala by René Maran. The green hardcover book has gold lettering [BATOUALA / by / RENÉ / MARAN] in the top right corner. The interior of the book contains 207 pages of text. The back interior page has an inscription, by hand in pencil that reads: [2 /134]. The back of the cover is blank. The novel tells the story of Batoula, the leader, or mokoundji, of a small tribe of Bandas living in Gabon under French colonial rule during World War I. The book provides a study of Banda folklore and daily tribal life under an oppressive regime.

Explore Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture ↗