after it ends

[Lily Winter]

What do you think happens after the book ends? Does the father learn to accept new ways and does Namelok go to school?

[Cristina Kessler]

Supa Lily,

That's a great question, and I have been asked many times if there will be a sequel. That is still an unknown, but I do know that Namelok-ai goes to school and there are a few other surprises I have in mind.

Thanks for asking!

[Lily Winter]

Cool, I hope there's a sequel! You obviously do believe it's best for the children to go to school, but what about the other traditions you wrote about. Like the emuarare (I can't spell it, the womanhood initiation) --doesn't that involve unsafe surgery? What are your opinions on that?

[Cristina Kessler]

I believe that circumcision is a tradition that will be around for a very long time. The only way it will change is when mothers say NOT MY DAUGHTER. That will only happen when they have access to information, like the radio program in the book, based on a real radio program by a real Maasai woman. There are new orgainzations starting all the time where women are beginning to challenge the tradition. I don't beleive it's the place of foreignors to go in and say stop that - do this -
but I also believe that girls iun namelok's generation are the ones that will really begin the changes.

[Cristina Kessler]

Hi again Lily,

I want to answer a bit more. I do believe the father changes his attitude about many things. After his complete shame for what he did, and realizing that a lot of the problem was with himself, he has to open up to new ideas. He respects Namelok-ai for who she is and who she wants to be and that's major in itself.