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At a meeting of the Ganiga tribe, Joe and his ally, tribal elder Popina Mai, speak about the plan for Ganiga to work on the plantation. The coffee prices are falling and Joe Leahy needs their help. The next morning, many arrive to work and Joe explains how he wants the work to be done and the price he’s paying. They do the job but the following day, no-one turns up.
Curator’s notes
Bob Connolly, in an interview on the DVD, speaks about the difference between Ganiga and the Western way with respect to notions of work. The Ganiga did not usually work on the plantation even though they were joint owners. They were not concerned with wealth creation but with personal and tribal obligations and relationships, ceremonies, bride-price and competitive exchange transactions. The Ganiga were self-sufficient in food as their land was very fertile and they had all the materials at hand to build their houses. They were the landowners. To work both Kilima and Kaugum plantations, Joe Leahy hired people to work as labourers from less fertile parts of the highlands who couldn’t grow their own food.
