Climbié – Bernard Dadié
Plot Summary
Bernard Dadié's Climbié is a long memory being shared with you by someone who has lived many lives in one body. The book follows the journey of Climbié, a young boy from Côte d'Ivoire, as he grows up, studies, travels, and learns what it means to be African in a world shaped by colonialism.
The story begins with Climbié's childhood in his village. We see how close-knit African communities were, full of songs, proverbs, and traditions. This early life feels warm and protective but also filled with rules and expectations. As he grows, Climbié goes to missionary schools, where he quickly discovers how education is not just about learning, but also about being reshaped into something that looks more European than African.
Through Climbié's eyes, we see the weight of colonial rule, how Africans were trained to admire Europe while forgetting themselves. Yet, we also watch his resistance. Climbié refuses to be a shadow of someone else. His travels take him beyond his home, and with every experience, whether it is facing racism, encountering poverty, or being dazzled by the wider world, he keeps asking: Who am I really? Who are we as Africans?
About the Author
Bernard Binlin Dadié (1916–2019) was an Ivorian writer, poet, dramatist, and politician, one of the great voices of modern African literature. Born in Assinie, Côte d'Ivoire, he lived through French colonial rule and used his pen to fight for memory, identity, and freedom.
He started his career in administration and culture, later becoming Ivory Coast's Minister of Culture. But beyond politics, his biggest contribution was his writing. Dadié wrote poems, plays, short stories, and novels. His works often mix autobiography with fiction, memory with history. He believed stories were a way to keep a people alive.
Climbié, his most famous novel, is often read as his own life in disguise, showing how a young African can resist colonial erasure by holding onto his roots. But he also wrote collections like An African in Paris, which reflects his experiences abroad, and The Black Woman, a powerful poem celebrating African womanhood.
Dadié lived to be more than 100 years old.
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