In post-colonial Africa and the African Diaspora, issues of cultural traditions, material wealth, civilisation, Western education, marriage, family, love, identity and belonging raise political and economic concerns. So The Path Does Not Die, Pede Hollist’s debut explores the issues as themes in a pulsating and an intricately interwoven narrative. Through the life of the chief protagonist, Faniba, aka Fani, and her relationships in their complex and convolutedly interwoven maze, Hollist lays bare the contradictions and complexities of survival and belonging in a money-driven economy on both mainland Africa and the United States of America.

The writer’s prologue to the novel prepares the reader for the intricacies of the over-arching theme of home and belonging and their unusual demands. The prologue is an allegory of a village, Musudugu, far away and long ago, inhabited only by women. In the allegory men tried many times to conquer Musudugu but the brave and patriotic women defended their village. The village was also protected by the Virgin Girl, the daughter of Atala the Supreme. The Virgin Girl in return asked women to keep only one rule: darkness must never cover a man in Musudugu. Only male infants could stay with their mothers in Musudugu until their time of weaning from the breast. The narrator says that Musudugu is a place of harmony, of singing and dancing, and most of all, of caring and sharing. Those who cannot withstand its traditions and rules are free to leave, but they find themselves often returning for its harmony. The story of Musudugu changes when an unusual girl child, Kumba Kargbo is born. She demands to know why men are forbidden in Musudugu. After confronting the village elders she leaves to find out why darkness should not find a man in Musudugu. She meets Atala, the Supreme, who tells her to journey into self so that she may be at home among her people. Upon returning to Musudugu, Kumba destroys the village and mourns the harm and destruction that she has caused.

Immediately after the prologue, the story of Faniba Marah commences as narrated by a third person narrator who uses very accessible everyday language. The tension-filled narrative bursts into life through the heated argument between mother-in-law, Baramusu, and daughter-in-law, Nabou, over Faniba’s impending initiation with her age-mates.