#koja

“KOJA” Treehouse, Fiskars, Finland,

Designed by Kristian Talvitie,

Polish Refugees In Africa (1942-50), Far from the terror and misery of the Nazi and Soviet occupation

Jochen Lingelbach: ''The only written primary source from an African perspective I can draw upon is a short article in the Luganda newspaper 'Matalisi', published shortly after the Poles' arrival in Uganda in which the Polish refugees are described under four headings: first, they are 'extremely strong in build'; secondly, 'they do not practise discrimination'; thirdly, their language is 'nice sounding but extremely difficult to write'; and fourthly, there is 'a rumour that they are contented with life in Uganda and do not intend to go back to their country'.

(...) As John Onega of Nyabyeya put it repeatedly, 'they lived here nicely'. Onega insisted that Africans loved them and that 'people cried a lot when they left'. All interviews touched upon a comparison of the Poles with the British.

Patrick Kunambi, with whom I talked in Dar es Salaam, remembered the Poles who lived in Morogoro camp. He described the difference between the two groups as follow: while the Englishman does not like to mix with other people, the Poles were, by contrast, normal, ordinary people who got used to the people living here. British arrogance, aloofness and social segregation seem to have made a big difference in the perception of the two groups.

Edward Sinabulya described the relationship in a similar manner: 'The British were very proud. Nobody could come near them, they resented the Blacks so much. On the other hand, the Poles were receiving the Blacks, they received them with both hands. The Africans were nearing independence, they were starting to have independence thoughts, so the British feared that these Polish could be so intelligent as to start advising these people what to do. So that's why they tried as much as possible to keep them away'.

Urmila Jhaveri, an Indian Tanzanian, who grew up in Dar es Salaam saw lorries full of Europeans passing through the town. 'These unfortunate prisoners seemed hungry and traumatized. People in Dar es Salaam were wondering where these poor people had come from'.

Ochau Patio Caesar of Nyabyeya explained that the reason for their coming to Uganda was the strength of Catholicism there. Caesar, who is active in the Polish-built Catholic church, emphasized Polish religiosity as a reason for his admiration. 'After the church was built in Nyabyeya many people came; it was always packed, and the Poles prayed a lot.'

To Luhende, the Poles were 'too white' for the African heat and as such out of place.

Mukeera Kasule remembered the Poles as being very well mannered, and unlike the British, Poles ate together with Africans.