Fred & Alex

epresentation
FRED & ALEX

Africa
Africa is a continent. It is the
second largest continent in the
world after Asia. There are 54
countries on the continent of
Africa.
The largest African countries are
Algeria, the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Sudan and Libya. The
largest African island is called
Madagascar.
Africa is the hottest continent
on earth. It consists largely of
dry forest areas, savannas and
deserts. However, there are also
cooler, Mediterranean areas in
the north of Africa and there
is even snow on some of the
highest mountains (e.g. the Atlas
Mountains). The highest mountain
in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro. It is
located in Tanzania.
The longest river in Africa is the
Nile. The Nile is one of the longest
rivers in the world.
Central and West Africa are home
to the second largest rainforest
in the world. It is up to 90 million
years old. There are also huge rainforests
on the island of Madagascar.
Numerous animal species live
in them. Some have not yet been
discovered by humans.
Africa is home to many large
mammals such as elephants,
hippos and rhinos.
Africa is rich in raw materials.
These include gold, diamonds,
precious metals, crude oil and
natural gas.
AFRICA
Continents
Continents are parts of the earth.
We divide the earth into seven
continents: Africa, Antarctica,
Asia, Australia, Europe, North
America and South America. Each
of these continents is divided into
different countries.
Cameroon is a country that
belongs to the continent of Africa.

Population groups
Indigenous peoples have lived on
the continent of Africa for more
than 20,000 years.
Today, Africa is inhabited by
people from different population
groups. Each population group
has its own culture and usually
also its own language. In total,
there are around 3000 population
groups in Africa.
The term ‘tribe’ is a colonised
term and should not be used.
CAMEROON
Cameroon
Cameroon is a country in Central
Africa.
There are around 200 different
population groups in Cameroon.
There are three major populated
cities: Bafoussam, the coastal city
and economic capital Douala, and
Yaoundé, the political capital.
The official languages are French
and English. However, more than
250 other languages are spoken.
Cameroon is a very diverse country:
there are modern cities and
traditional villages. There is a
coastal region, high mountains,
rainforest, savannah and desert.
The main crops grown in
Cameroon are cocoa, coffee,
bananas, rubber, cotton, sugar
cane, maize and rice. The country
is rich in oil and ores and exports
a lot of timber.
Mount Cameroon is one of the
oldest active volcanoes in the
world and is the highest mountain
in West Africa. The largest lake in
the country is Lake Chad.
Cameroon is home to a large
number of animal and plant
species. Unfortunately, many of
the mammals are hunted and
are therefore threatened with
extinction.

epresentation
Would you like
to know more?
Would you like to know more
about Fred and Alex?
You can find additional information
under the baby bottle symbol.
Do you know how a baby is born?
You can find out more under the
symbol of the sleeping baby.
Would you like to know more
about the country of Cameroon
and the continent of Africa?
You can find more information
under the symbol of the lion.
You can find quotes and proverbs
under the speech bubble symbol.
Quotes are sentences that a person
has actually said or written.
Proverbs are sentences that tell us
ancient wisdom.
Representation in children’s books matters simply because all children
deserve to see themselves in the literary portraits of society. This gift becomes
an acknowledgement and celebration of each child’s existence.
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, who taught children’s literature, sees books as
mirrors which can act as reflections of ourselves and our world. She further
describes books as windows and sliding doors which give us the chance to look
and walk into worlds that reflect the lives of others.
As societies, we should therefore work to create books that offer diverse
stories, with diverse characters, who are given complex and positive
personalities and circumstances. Diverse, positive and multidimensional
depictions of characters, not only have the power to make children feel
acknowledged and celebrated, but also provide real and imagined heroes
they can identify with.
Diverse stories and characters give all children the opportunity to engage
with diversity even if their immediate context does not always offer such
interactions. Diversity in books reminds children that although people are
different, we all share a common humanity, equal value and equal status.
This can inspire children to go into the wider world with positive ideas and
images of themselves and of diversity and differences around them. This will
serve them in the encounters they make along their life’s journey.
I therefore celebrate this book and all other books, authors and illustrators
who make it their mission to give all children the gift of love and affirmation
in book form.
Michell Sibongiseni Mpike
Did you know that feelings are
essential for survival? Do you
know all your feelings?
Under the symbol of the crying
eye you will find important
information about feelings and
the associated needs.
A book by Frédéric Alexander Mpogue Amougou
Text by Frédéric Alexander Mpogue Amougou and Philippe Zwick Eby
Illustrations by Vivian Mineker
Edited by Sarah B. Zwick-Eby and Philippe Zwick Eby
Translation: Rhoda Ingrid Ambassa Adoube and Frédéric Alexander Mpogue Amougou
Expert advice: Rhoda Ingrid Ambassa Adoube, Dipl.-Psych. Sarah B. Zwick-Eby and
Kathrin Meckel
Diversity advisor: Guilherme Biri Francisco
Full of love, Alexander Mpogue Amougou †
© editions mālama
www.editionsmalama.com
ISBN 978-3-949326-25-7

FRED & ALEX
a book by Frédéric Alexander Mpogue Amougou
Text by Frédéric Alexander Mpogue Amougou and Philippe Zwick Eby
Illustrations by Vivian Mineker
Traduction by Rhoda Ingrid Ambassa Adoub and Frédéric Alexander Mpogue Amougou
editions mālama
representation

Marguerite Maompoam
Marguerite Maompoam was born
in 1950 in Abong Bang, Cameroon.
She belongs to the Maka population
group. Marguerite is the
third wife of her husband. Together
with the other two wives, she
formed a large family and raised
35 children.
Once upon a time there was a woman called Marguerite.
She lived in a small village called Benebalot.
Marguerite had many, many children.
Maka
The Maka are a population group.
They live in a rainforest zone
in the south-east of Cameroon.
Their name means ‘people of the
tall grass’. The Maka have their
own language, Makaa, and their
own religion. The Maka live from
agriculture, fishing and hunting.
During German and French
colonialism, the Maka were forced
to work on plantations.
Colonialism
Since the 16th century, European
countries such as Spain, Great
Britain, France, Portugal, Denmark
and the Netherlands have travelled
to other continents (Africa, Asia
and America) and bought land
there or conquered it by force.
They called these lands colonies.
The conquerors took control over
the inhabitants. They did this
primarily to subjugate the people
living there and exploit the land.
This is called colonialism.
From 1884, Cameroon was first
a German and then a British and
French colony. Cameroon has
been an independent country
again since 1960.

One day, Marguerite felt the desire
to have another child.
It was to be the last.
Reproduction
Reproduction means that living
beings produce their offspring.
Reproduction occurs in humans,
animals and plants. Reproduction
is important because otherwise
all living beings would eventually
die out. There are many different
types of reproduction.
The offspring of humans are
called children. Children can be
conceived by a person who has
egg cells in their body together
with a person who has sperm cells
in their body. A child is created
when an egg cell is fertilised with
a sperm cell. This fertilisation can
happen in different ways.
Fertilisation
The egg cell can be fertilised by
the sperm cell when a person
with egg cells and a person with
sperm cells have sex with each
other. Sometimes doctors insert
the sperm cells into a uterus. Or
the egg and sperm are brought
together in a laboratory and then
reinserted into the uterus. The
uterus is the place where the
fertilised egg (the embryo) can
grow into a child.
Sex
A sexual relationship (or sex)
means that people come together
for pleasure and/or reproduction.
Sexual intercourse is often an
exchange of tenderness and love.
During sexual intercourse, sperm
can leave the testicles via the penis
and enter the vagina. If an egg
is going from the ovary to the
uterus, it may be fertilised by one
spermatozoa.

Frédéric Alexander
Mpogue Amougou
Frédéric Alexander Mpogue
Amougou was born together with
his brother Alexander Mpogue
Amougou on 17 February 1997 in
Benebalot, Cameroon. The two are
fraternal twins.
Alexander was born with albinism.
His twin brother Frédéric is the
youngest of his siblings.
This is their true story.
Few months later, Marguerite gave birth.
‘It’s twins!’ the midwives cheered.
Twins
Twins are siblings who are born
at almost the same time.
There are identical and fraternal
twins:
Identical twins are formed from
one egg cell and are therefore
completely similar. They always
have the same biological sex.
Fraternal twins are formed from
two eggs and look similar to other
siblings. They can have different
biological sexes.
There are also triplets, quadruplets
and so on.
Birth
Babies grow in the womb of a
person with a uterus. They are
born after about nine months of
pregnancy. At birth, the baby is
pushed out of the womb through
the vagina.
Childbirth is very stressful. That
is why there are doctors and midwives
who help the mom and the
child to go through.

Marguerite called her twins Fred and Alex.
They were very, very similar.
But they were different in one respect.
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic (hereditary)
pigmentation disorder.
The term albinism is derived
from the Latin word albus (white).
Albinism means that a person‘s
body produces fewer or no
melanins. Melanins are pigments
(dyes) that are responsible
for the colour of the skin, hair
and eyes. This means that people
affected by albinism have lighter
to very light-coloured skin,
light-coloured eyes and whiteblonde
hair. People with albinism
get sunburnt more quickly
and can therefore develop skin
cancer more easily. They should
therefore protect themselves from
sunlight.
Inheritance
An egg cell contains a lot of information
about the body it comes
from. A sperm cell also contains a
lot of information about the body
it comes from. This information
(characteristics) includes, for
example, the colour of the eyes,
skin and hair, the shape of the
face and the blood group. When
an egg is fertilised, all this information
is mixed together. Some
characteristics are passed on via
genes, others are not. This is why
every person is different.
Skin color
A person‘s skin colour is primarily
determined by the amount of
melanin in their skin.
If a person has a lot of melanin,
their skin is darker in colour.
A person with little melanin
has lighter-coloured skin. The
amount of melanin in the skin is
genetically determined.

Family
A child needs a family in order to
grow up. Families can look very
different.
Parents are people who look
after one or more children. In
some families there is a couple
consisting of a mother (or mum)
and a father (or dad). Sometimes
there are two or more mums and
sometimes there are two or more
dads.
People who look after children on
their own are called single parents.
Sometimes grandparents, older
siblings, relatives, friends,
neighbors or so-called foster
parents also take on the role of
parents.
Fred and Alex were inseparable.
When they took their first steps, they held each
other’s hands tightly.
They fell down together and got up again together.
‘Ohana
‘Ohana is Hawaiian and means
‘family’. However, ‘Ohana does
not only include related people,
but also people you trust or love.
‘Ohana are people who stick
together and are there for each
other.
‘Ohana are all people who mean
something to you.

Anxiety
Fear is a feeling (an emotion).
Most people and many animal
species recognize this feeling.
Fear is usually perceived as an
unpleasant feeling. We feel fear
when we feel threatened or in
danger. Sometimes our heart
beats faster or we start to sweat.
Sometimes we feel like fleeing the
situation or running away.
Fear is an important signal from
our body and can sometimes even
save our lives.
Example:
Fred is afraid of snakes. He doesn‘t
really know why. When Fred sees a
snake, he gives it a wide berth. His
emotion, fear, may save his life,
because the venom of some snakes
can be deadly.
Sometimes we are also afraid
of a threat that may or may not
materialize, for example, that
lightning will strike during a
storm. Sometimes we are afraid
of an event that will usually only
happen much later, for example
death.
Some of us feel fear even though
there is no reason for it. For
example, some people are afraid
to look down from a high tower
(fear of heights). Others are afraid
of large crowds and avoid leaving
their house. In these cases, anxiety
can be an illness. It is also known
as an anxiety disorder. Therapy with
a psychotherapist can help to reduce
or even overcome these fears.
What about you?
What are you afraid of?
Fred was the noisier of the two.
He was not afraid of anything or anyone.
Alex was calmer and gentler than his brother.
He took good care of Fred.

If Fred was in danger, Alex protected him.
Emotions
Emotions are important signals
from your body. They show you
how you are feeling at the moment.
There are many different emotions.
The most important are fear, joy,
sadness, anger, disgust and interest.
Everyone in the world has these
emotions from birth. They are
also called primary emotions.
There are pleasant and unpleasant
emotions. There are no bad
emotions, because all emotions
have a purpose.
Some emotions alert you to danger
and are therefore essential for
survival.
Example:
Alex finds a fruit in the grass. But the
fruit is mouldy on one side. Alex is
disgusted by this mould. He doesn‘t
really know why.
Alex leaves the fruit in the grass. His
emotion of disgust has protected
him, because you shouldn‘t eat
mouldy fruit as it can make you ill.

Pousse-pion
Pousse-pion is a game in which
you first draw a rectangular figure
on the floor, which consists of
several squares. The squares
represent houses.
The aim of this game is to win
as many houses as possible. The
winner with the most houses
becomes king.
One day, the older children
were playing pousse-pion.
‘I want to play,’ said Fred.
The older children laughed and replied:
‘You are still too young.’
Square
A square is a shape with four
corners and four sides of equal
length. Napkins are almost always
square. Many tiles have the shape
of a square. This book, when you
close it, is also square.
‘It takes a village to raise a child.’
African proverb

Anger
Anger is a primary emotion.
We can become angry
• when we are attacked or
threatened;
• when someone important to
us is attacked or threatened,
insulted;
• when things do not go as we
expected;
• if we believe that we have
been treated unfairly or that
something is unjust;
• when we are prevented from
achieving an important goal or
• when something that is
important to us is destroyed.
We can become angry when
someone has offended us, when
we are stressed or frustrated.
Anger is usually perceived as an
unpleasant feeling.
Example:
The children in the village have
painstakingly painted a playing field.
They are having a lot of fun playing.
Then Fred comes and destroys the
playing field. The children can no
longer play. Some of them get very
angry. They get so angry that they
would even use violence.
Some people find it difficult to
control their anger. During a fit of
rage, they may cry, shout, insult
other people and hurt themselves
or others. Angry people sometimes
turn red in the face and draw their
eyebrows together.
The emotion of anger is stronger
than the emotions of anger or
resentment.
But Fred did not give up easily.
He went to a bowl of water and knocked it over.
The water flooded the entire playground.
Children had dirty looks on him.
Some of them threatened to beat him up.
What about you?
What happens when you are angry?

Baobab
The baobab tree is one of the
best-known trees in Africa.
The baobab is a deciduous tree.
Its trunk is short and extremely
thick. The treetop consists of
strong branches and resembles
roots. Legend has it that the devil
planted the baobab upside down,
with the roots pointing upwards.
The baobab has a white blossom.
From this grows a round fruit
hanging from a stalk, which can
grow up to 50 cm long. The white
flesh is also edible for humans.
However, elephants, baboons
and antelopes in particular love
the fruit of the baobab. The dark
brown seeds are embedded in the
pulp. They are smooth and about
the size of a hazelnut.
During the rainy season, the
baobab can absorb up to 140,000
litres of water and store it in its
trunk. It can therefore survive
even in dry areas such as the tree
savannah south of the Sahara
desert.
The oldest baobab is the Dorsland
Baobab in the Khaudum National
Park in Namibia. It is said to be
2100 years old.
Then Alex suddenly started crying and rolling
on the muddy ground, screaming.
That was Alex’s message to Marguerite.
His crying meant: ‘I need your help!’

Marguerite rushed over immediately.
She took Fred and Alex by the hand and called out:
‘Off home, the playing is over for today!’
Needs
Every emotion has a need. Needs
show you what you need right now.
Pleasant emotions signal to you
that your needs have been met.
Unpleasant emotions signal to you
that you have needs that have not
yet been satisfied.
Example:
Alex and his brother are in danger
because the other children want to
beat them up. Alex feels the emotion
of fear. That’s why he starts to cry
and scream. This is because Alex
feels the need for security. His mum
hears his crying. She understands
Alex’s need and immediately comes
to protect her two children.
The most important needs are
• The need for survival, which
includes breathing, eating,
drinking and sleeping,
• The need for safety, which
includes peace, acceptance and
protection from danger,
• The need for love and belonging,
which includes family, friendships
and partnership,
• The need for individuality, which
includes recognition, selfconfidence,
success and power,
• The need for meaning, which
includes creativity and selfrealisation.
It is not easy to assign the right
needs to all emotions. But you can
learn to do so.

Feel carefully!
Some people confuse their emotions.
Example:
You are sad because you feel alone.
So you feel the need for company.
You ask your best friend if she would
like to go cycling with you in the
afternoon. She replies that she has
already arranged to play football
with another girl. You get angry and
withdraw. And you‘re still alone.
What has happened?
You‘ve mistaken sadness for anger.
And your need for companionship is
still there. Maybe you should have
asked: ‘I feel so alone right now. Can
I play with you two?’ or ’I need your
friendship today. How about we
go for a bike ride after the football
match?’
People who ignore their emotions
and needs for a long time can
become seriously ill. So listen
carefully to your emotions. Think
about what they want to tell you.
Take your emotions and needs
very seriously. It‘s good to talk
about your feelings with people
you trust.
Fred and Alex loved bathing.
They always bathed together.
When they got home, Marguerite wanted to bath them
separately because Alex was much dirtier than Fred.
This has led to protests!

Marguerite gave up and let the twins bath together.
The good mood quickly returned.
Fred and Alex laughed and put foam
on each other’s faces.
Secondary emotions
An emotion that arises from a
primary emotion is also called a
secondary emotion.
Example 1:
Have you ever fallen on the floor
and hurt your knee? Then you take a
closer look at where you step, right?
Because you‘re afraid of hurting
yourself again. And this fear gives
rise to the secondary emotion
of mistrust. If there are holes in
the road, you become suspicious
and look very closely.
You have often learnt these
emotions in the course of your
life.
Example 2:
As a baby, Fred didn‘t like bathing
because he was afraid of the water.
But together with Alex, he enjoyed
bathing more and more. Marguerite
also knew that her twins liked to
play with bath foam and poured
lots of soap into the water. Fred‘s
enthusiasm for bathing is therefore
an emotion that he has learnt.
Some secondary emotions are
shame, envy, pride, excitement,
guilt, love, hate, contempt, surprise,
enthusiasm, boredom, hopelessness,
loneliness, distrust and contentment.

Days, weeks and months passed.
Marguerite had baked two cakes for the twins for their
fifth birthday: A chocolate cake and a vanilla cake.
Each cake had five candles.
‘So everyone can blow out their own candles and
make a wish,’ she thought contentedly.

‘Reason does not live
in one head alone.’
Proverb from the Cameroon
The need to belong
Most people have a need to
belong. This means that they
feel comfortable when they are
part of a group of people. This
includes family, friendships and
partnerships.
If people are often alone or
rejected by other people, they can
become ill as a result.
Example:
Fred and Alex feel particularly good
when they are together. That‘s why
they want to do as much as possible
together. This includes blowing out
their birthday candle together.
But Fred and Alex did not like this idea at all:
‘We just want the chocolate cake,’ they said,
’with just one candle on it. We will blow it out
together and then make a wish together.’
And so it was.

Cassava
Marguerite prepared a medicinal
tea from Cassava leaves.
Cassava is a plant whose roots
are edible and taste like potatoes.
The cassava roots can be boiled,
fried or mashed into a porridge.
Cassava must not be eaten raw
as it contains the poisonous
hydrocyanic acid. Cassava grows in
tropical countries.
Then Alex fell ill.
He had to stay in bed regularly.
Tropical countries
Tropical countries are countries
that lie close to the equator.
In these countries it is usually
quite warm and the humidity is
higher than in other countries.
Due to the tropical climate, there
is a rich variety of plants, animals
and cultures in these countries.
Tropical countries include Brazil,
Cameroon, Indonesia, Thailand,
Kenya and Colombia.
Equator
The equator is an invisible line
that divides the earth in the centre
into an upper and a lower half. If
you are standing on the equatorial
line, the sun is directly above you.
That‘s why it‘s always very warm
at the equator. If you go north or
south from the equator, it gets
colder and colder.

Little by little, Alex became
weaker and weaker.

Death
The life of all living beings is
limited. Death is the end of their
life. This means that a living being
will no longer live when it dies.
The living being is then no longer
alive, but dead.
Sometimes a life lasts ninety years.
Sometimes it only lasts a few
hours.
The period between life and death
varies in length. It is called dying.
Every living being will die at some
point.
People die at different times
in their lives and for different
reasons. Sometimes their organs
(e.g. the heart) stop working (e.g.
in the event of cardiac arrest),
sometimes they die due to a serious
illness. These are known as natural
causes of death.
Some people die as a result of
injuries sustained in accidents
or violence (e.g. crime or war).
Some people no longer want to
live and kill themselves (this is
called suicide). This is referred to
as non-natural causes of death.
When a loved one dies, people
are often very sad. This grief can
last for weeks, months and even
years.
Wake
After Alex‘s death, his family and
loved ones watch over his body.
This is called a wake.
‘When the earth turns,
you turn with it.’
Beti proverb

Grief
Grief is a primary emotion.
People feel sadness when they
have experienced a loss.
Many people cry when they are
sad. Some people feel very lonely.
Grief can last for different lengths
of time.
The mourning period usually
takes place in five phases:
1. First phase: Confusion
‘I don‘t understand this!’
2. Second phase: Denial
‘This can‘t be true!’
3. Third phase: Anger
‘This is unfair!’
4. Fourth phase: Sadness
‘I feel lonely.’
5. Fifth phase: Acceptance
‘I accept my loss.’
Everyone grieves in their own way,
there is no right or wrong.
Grief is a natural part of life. It is
important to allow this grief and
take time for it. For some people,
it is good to talk about their grief
with a trusted person.
Grief is stronger than the emotions
of disappointment or pensiveness.
What about you?
What makes you sad?
Have you ever experienced a loss?
Loss
Loss means that a person has lost
someone or something. Such a
loss can be the death of a loved
one (or a pet). It can also be the
end of a romantic relationship
or a friendship. It can even be the
end of a phase of life (e.g. moving
to another place).
And then Alex finally died.

‘The night lasts long,
but eventually the day comes.’
African proverb
Satisfaction
Contentment is a secondary
emotion. Contentment means
being grateful for what you have
or do and that you don‘t need more
at this moment. Contentment
means being in harmony with
yourself and the world around you.
Contentment gives us the feeling
that everything is in order at this
moment.
‘Who’s going to play with me now?’ Fred asked himself.
‘Who’s going to protect me from now on?’
He became very sad. With watery eyes, Fred went to bed
to take his nap.
Suddenly he felt his brother next to him. Alex was actually
lying next to him, also taking a nap. Fred could feel him.
He could almost touch him. It was a magical, warm feeling.
Fred smiled and fell asleep contentedly.
Example:
Fred feels that his brother is lying next
to him. He is grateful for that. That‘s
all he needs at this moment, so Fred
can fall asleep feeling content.
A contented person is usually
balanced and feels good.
Contentment is a very positive
emotion.
What about you? Do you recognise
the feeling of contentment? When
was the last time you were content?

Joy
Joy is a primary emotion. People
feel joy when they experience a
pleasant surprise or situation,
when they are successful or when
they have achieved a goal.
Example:
Fred thought he had lost his brother
Alex. However, when he feels him
next to him, it is a positive surprise
and he is very happy about it.
People also like to talk about
happiness or contentment. When
people feel joy, they like to smile,
laugh or cheer. Joy is a very positive
emotion.
What about you? Do you recognise
the feeling of joy?
On what occasions have you
experienced joy?
When he woke up, his brother Alex was still with him.
Fred was very happy. He was not alone.

Funeral
A funeral is a farewell ceremony
for a deceased person.
At a funeral, the family, friends
and loved ones come together to
remember the deceased person, to
honour them and to say goodbye
to them.
It often helps the bereaved to share
their feelings with each other and
offer each other comfort.
Funerals can look very different.
Sometimes the body of the
deceased person is buried in a
coffin in the ground. Sometimes
the dead body is cremated and the
ashes are placed in an urn.
Coffin
A coffin is an elongated container
with a lid. The deceased person
is placed in the coffin, which is
usually beautifully decorated, and
then buried or cremated in it.
Figured coffins in Ghana
The Ghanaian people in Ghana
have been making very special
coffins since around 1950. The
wooden coffins are made in the
shape of fruit, animals, mythical
creatures, buildings or vehicles.
The person buried in it usually
chooses the shape of their coffin
themselves before they die. The
coffin often has something to
do with the person‘s profession.
There are coffins in the shape of
aeroplanes, ships, cars, chickens
and even trainers.
The coffins are painted in bright
colours. It takes up to six weeks to
make such a coffin.

Pyramids
Did you know that the huge
pyramids were built as burial sites
for the powerful kings and rulers
of ancient Egypt?
The pyramids consist of heavy
blocks of stone stacked on top
of each other. They were built by
human hands thousands of years
ago.
The construction of the pyramids
was a huge endeavour. They are
an impressive testimony to the
skill and creativity of the people of
ancient Egypt.
The most famous pyramid is
the Great Pyramid of Giza, which
was built as a burial place for the
pharaoh Khufui. The Pyramid of
Giza is one of the oldest structures
in the world.
The writer
Helen Keller writes:
‘Death is nothing more
than the passage from one space
to another.’

Compassion
Compassion or empathy is a
secondary emotion.
Empathy means that you can
understand other people‘s feelings
and put yourself in other people‘s
shoes. Not everyone can do this
equally well.
Empathic people find the right
words when someone needs
comfort or support and are
therefore good conversational
partners.
Empathy is a very valuable skill.
But Fred was the only one who was happy.
Everyone else was mourning Alex.
Marguerite was particularly sad.
She had lost all her strength.
Example:
Fred understands how his mum is
feeling after Alex‘s death. He can
empathise with her and feels that
she is very sad and therefore very
weak and needs help.
Fred is empathetic. That‘s why he
can now try to support his mum.
What about you?
Are you empathetic?
Do you know people who are
particularly empathetic?

So Fred decided to help Marguerite with the cooking.
This time he did not do anything stupid.
Quite the opposite: Fred collected all the twigs
lying around in the yard and brought them to his
mum so she could make a fire.
‘Alex likes the banane malaxée to be nice and
tender,’ Fred explained to her with a smile,
’and you need a good fire for that.’
Banane malaxée
Would you like to cook Marguerite‘s
banane malaxée recipe?
You need (for 4 people):
• 12 green plantains
• 6 smoked fish (cod, mackerel or
hake)
• 5 herrings
• 8 soup spoons of peanut butter
• 1 white onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• ginger
• 1 soup spoon oil
• 3 soup cubes
• Pepper and salt
Preparation:
1. Peel and wash the bananas.
2. Wash and fillet the fish. Let
someone help you with this.
3. Peel and finely chop the onion,
garlic cloves and ginger and
put them in a pan with the oil.
Fry for a few minutes over a
low heat. Stir regularly.
4. Add the whole bananas, fish
fillets, peanut paste, bouillon
cubes, salt and pepper to the
pan. Pour in enough water to
cover everything.
5. Cover the pan with a lid. Leave
everything to cook on a high
heat for 20 minutes.
Don‘t forget to stir!
6. Leave everything to cook on a
medium heat for a further 20
minutes.
7. Done! You can now serve the
banane malaxée with rice and
avocado.
Enjoy your meal!

Excitement
Excitement is a secondary emotion.
People are excited when they are
faced with a situation that is new
or particularly challenging for
them. They then feel full of energy
and excitement. Excitement often
causes the heart to beat a little
faster. Some people sweat or
breathe faster than usual.
Excitement can be experienced as
a positive or negative emotion.
Example 1:
Fred is going to school. There he will
meet other children he doesn‘t know
yet. This is exciting and he is looking
forward to it. Fred is therefore really
excited the evening before the first
day of school.
Example 2:
Fred is unsure about what he will
experience at school and whether
he will get a friendly teacher. He
is a little scared of this unknown
situation and hopes that everything
will go well. That‘s why Fred is really
excited the evening before the first
day of school.
If you‘re very excited, it helps to
take several deep breaths.
What about you?
Have you ever been excited?
Why?
Fred didn’t have to remember Alex like all the other
people did. Alex was with him.
The brothers talked to each other. They played
together. They learnt to ride bikes together.
They spent the whole summer together.
Then came September, the month during which
school started again. Fred has been enrolled at
nursery school.

‘If you want to go fast,
go alone. If you want to go far,
go together.’
(African proverb)
The writer
Helen Keller writes:
‘What we have once enjoyed,
we can never lose. Everything we
love deeply becomes a part of us.
All those we love deeply become
a part of us.’
The teacher asked all the children to introduce themselves.
‘My name is Frederic Alexander Mpogue Amougou,’ said
Fred. ‘I am six years old.’
The teacher was confused.
Her class register only said Frederic Mpogue Amougou.
‘Alexander?’ she asked, ’Who is Alexander?’
‘I am Alexander,’ replied Fred.

Art
Many artefacts in Cameroon
are associated with traditional
festivals and rituals. Masks carved
from wood, which were worn
during festivals, are particularly
well known.
Many artefacts and cultural
treasures from Cameroon were
stolen by the colonists from
Germany, France and Great
Britain during the colonial period
and can still be found in European
museums today.
Modern art in Europe was strongly
inspired by African art. The style
of Cubism is a legacy of African art.
One day, the teacher gave the children
the following task: ‘Colour in your right hand
and then leave the mark on the paper!’
University of Timbuktu
Timbuktu is a city in the African
country of Mali.
The University of Timbuktu
is considered one of the first
universities in the world. It
consisted of the Djinguereber
Mosque, the Sankoré Mosque and
the Sidi-Yahya Mosque. These
three mosques had joined together
and became an important centre
of science in the Middle Ages.
Geography, astronomy, medicine
and history were the main subjects
taught at the University of
Timbuktu.
The library of the University of
Timbuktu contains hundreds of
thousands of valuable manuscripts.
Today, the three mosques are a
prime example of clay architecture.
Mosque
A mosque is a place where Muslim
people meet to pray and practise
their religion, Islam.

‘Why did you colour in both hands?’
asked the teacher in amazement.
‘One hand is mine. The other hand is Alex’s,’
Fred replied with satisfaction.
The teacher smiled.
‘You have printed very nice hands,’ she said.
Textile art
Artistic fabrics are produced in
Cameroon. The fabrics are printed
or dyed. Some fabrics are woven
by hand. Fabrics from Cameroon
are rich in colours, patterns and
symbols and reflect the diversity
of the country.
‘You can‘t paint white on white
or black on black. We need others
to develop ourselves.’
African proverb

Curiosity
Curiosity is a secondary emotion.
Curiosity means that we are
interested in something or
someone. Curiosity means that
we are fascinated by something.
Curiosity means that we are
interested in a topic or activity
and want to find out more about
it. Curiosity can lead us to have
new experiences, to get involved
in something, to ask questions,
to try things out or to explore
something.
Fred was an assiduous pupil.
He studied hard.
Alex continued to
accompany and protect him,
but in a different way.
He now accompanied him
in his thoughts.
Example:
Fred is interested in many things. He
is curious, asks lots of questions and
enjoys reading books. As a result,
he learns a lot. Fred is becoming a
clever person because he knows a
lot about the world around him.
Curiosity is a very positive
emotion, because curiosity makes
you happy.
And you?
What are you curious about?
In what situations are you curious?
‘Knowledge is better
than wealth.’
Proverb from Cameroon
The philosopher and politician
Ebenezer Njoh Mouelle
writes:
‘The quest for well-being
does not therefore respond
directly to the fundamental
need for security, but to another
need that builds on the need for
security to satisfy itself:
total self-fulfilment.’
(De la médiocrité à l’excellence)

Fred still calls himself Frédéric Alexander today.
Ferhat Unvar writes:
‘We are only dead
when we are forgotten.’

‘No matter how old you get,
you will never be able to surpass
the age of your parents.’
Bantu proverb

Fred and Alex are twins. But they don’t look alike.
They are inseparable. Until the day Alex dies.
A true story based on the loss of a loved one.
A story about life and death.
#family #reproduction #birth #twins
#albinism #illness #grief #death
#invisiblefriend #emotions
#africa #cameroon #colonialism
editions mālama
representation