Il fiume Bianco e i Dénka: Memorie

A young priest‑scholar driven by a lifelong fascination with Africa recounts his early voyages along the White River, where the dense jungle gives way to the rhythms of distant villages. He describes the arduous river journeys—both upstream against fierce northerly winds and downstream in the rainy season—painting vivid pictures of the landscape’s beauty and its hidden dangers. Along the way he meets the Dénka peoples, whose customs and daily lives fascinate him and become the focus of his linguistic curiosity.

His memoir blends personal devotion with rigorous observation, offering a rare glimpse into the early days of missionary work in Central Africa. He records the first systematic study of the Dénka language, including a grammar and a concise dictionary, and reflects on the challenges of introducing new ideas to communities he describes as “barbaric and savage.” The narrative is both a tribute to his fellow missionaries and an honest admission of his own uncertainties, inviting listeners to travel with him through a world rarely seen by European eyes.