Sustainable Travel for the Preservation of History (Meet Laura Lee Huttenbach)

You've heard about sustainable travel for the sake of local environment, economy and culture, but what about history? Around the world, untold stories risk disappearing without the attention of journalists, historians and attentive travelers.

Without the resources to preserve their stories on paper, many cultures rely on oral history alone.  So says author and historian Jeffrey Fadiman, "Each time an old man dies in Africa, a library is lost to humankind, for within the memories of the old men lies the history of an entire people." Why, then, don't we consider sustainable travel for the sake of preserving history?

Enter: Laura Lee Huttenbach. 27 year-old Huttenbach is an unexpected historian. She's a tall, blond beauty from Atlanta, Georgia, though her laughter, open-mindedness and enthusiasm make her seem at home anywhere. She's lived in Argentina and Brazil, and she backpacked for six months in Africa. She doesn't exactly "blend in", but she was not afraid (of being alone in Africa) and she's terrifically easy to befriend.

It's no surprise, then, that Huttenbach found many friends in Africa, including an old man in Kenya: the General. A great-grandfather, teacher, town-celebrity, farmer and Mau Mau Freedom fighter, the General is a man with many stories. He was involved in politics during the Independence movement, and he fought in the forests for Kenya's freedom. He spent three years in detention camps and rehabilitation centers. He is, in Huttenbach's words, "one of the founding fathers of Kenya." None of his stories have been recorded.

Two years ago, Huttenbach founded a 501(c)(3): The General History Project, Inc.. She created the nonprofit with the mission to preserve oral and cultural histories by recording the stories of aging community leaders, such as the General. In the spirit of sustainable travel, Huttenbach went to the Eastern Province of Kenya and lived on the General's tea farm for over two months. She conducted over 100 hours of interviews during that time, and the General adopted her as his honorary granddaughter.

Huttenbach transcribed 1,148 pages of interviews with the General. She presented her work in Prague this summer at the International Oral Historians Association conference. On Saturday, she will present her work at the Oral History Association Conference in Atlanta. Huttenbach has received support from a handful of dedicated scholars and professors, and some donations. LIke most non-profits, The General History Project has struggled to get funding.

Around Christmas of last year, the General heard that Huttenbach was running out of  money. He told the village, "Our daughter needs help to finish this project."  Together, they raised an astounding $2,527.54 for her (more than double Kenya's per capita GDP). There's a village in Kenya that wants the General's story told, and they are willing to give a lot to keep it going.

She is nearing completion of the General's biography and will soon seek publication. Please visit TheGeneralHistoryProject.com to find further information or make a donation.

Disclaimer: Laura Lee and I studied in Buenos Aires together, and she is a dear friend.