by Willie Hill
In his book Colors: The Ancient African Connection to the Crips and Bloods, author Willie Hill takes exploring the roots of these street gangs no lightly. The book depicts the epic struggle of two young warriors, both of whom are descendants of two distinct groups.
Tuuwee, the crowned prince of an exiled Cuuzan tribe whose close connection was to the color blue, and the ferocious warrior Luba Zandi who had dreadlocks of the red Ikeely clan, the two warriors suffer the same fate as they embark on their journey towards freedom just to face condemnation to the foreign lands of America in the end.
The story takes place in central Africa and details the events from approximately in the 1800s with the banishment of Tuuwee’s clan before his birth and goes on to tell the story of how things progressed from there until his imprisonment by his power-driven uncle, Dugawduu. The United Federation of Kongolia is on the verge of destruction due to
the Great War between ancient African tribes against the dangerous
forces of the European white sharks.
The story is told with a strong allegiance to ancient beliefs and events. With clear, detailed, and fascinating words, the author did a splendid job in creating this fictional ancient world! The chapters are characterized by vivid phrases of action and passion, narrating gripping events. Clearly displaying his expertise and the depth of knowledge on the dreadful African colonization he has imparted to the story, it feels like as if I’m watching a movie while reading this book.
Bloods and Crips have always been at odds with one another for the longest time. As far as the opposite cultural colors of red and blue are concerned, they are known for being in perpetual disagreement. This historical fiction has succeeded its purpose in capturing the attention of youngsters and allowed them to develop a better grasp on the value of community that the Bloods and Crips were built on.
– The Moving Words Review
Official entry: The Most Moving Book Award, Jan. 3, 2022
