The Colony: John Tayman

Recently listened to the interview of Author of the new Book called "The Colony", on NPR. From 1866 through 1969, the Hawaiian and American governments banished nearly 9,000 leprosy sufferers into exile on a peninsula on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. The book described the journey of those people who were being abandoned by the civilized society, due to the physical illness (leprosy). Is there any possibility that same situation may arise even now? I have no answer for that, may be the tiem only can tell. But sometimes back AIDS epidemic had created a fear of the unknown and brought out the worst of human nature.

Imagine isolating for life someone with migraines merely for having migraines, no appeal no hearing only judgement in the form of punishment and that was exile.

The reader's of "The Colony" will get angry as well as ashamed on how their ancestors have behaved with lepers. To me it was an era of darkness. Where the religion was prevailing over the science. Even the "Bible" also supports the act of exiling people in certain cases.

The civilized world started accepting the people of Molokai once a safe medical treatment was developed. As author concludes that there are still people living there but that's on there own wish. Most of them are old aged, who have lived there and shared there memories with the rest of the colony.

Lets hope that we or children never face such a situation.


About the Book: (From www.amazon.com)

Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Scribner (January 9, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 074323300X
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds.