BOOK REVIEWS151Paterson of Cyreme: A Biography By David A. C. Walker. Gwera, MamboPress, 1985, xii, 85 pp., fflus., Z$ 13.23, ISBN 0-86922-340-2.Edward (Ned) Paterson was born in 1895 in Aberdeen, went to South Africa atthe age of five and lived his early life in Noupoort in the Karoo and Benoni nearJohannesburg. During World War I, he served in Namibia and East Africa. Afterthis, he went to London to study at the Central School of Arts and Crafts(1920-3). He then returned to Benoni. It was at this time that this former agnosticbecame a Christian, allegedly because he considered the Bible so absurd that i.could only have such influence if it were true! Then, influenced by the Benonivicar Edward Paget, he began his ministry with the Anglican Church. For thenext fifteen years he worked in South Africa, as a railway missioner, at a trainingcollege for Blacks near Pietersburg, and Potchefstroom, During this time, hisinterest was in the Blacks and the underprivileged generally; he also put his artistictalent and training to good use in beautifying church buildings.In 1938 he was invited by Paget, by then the Bishop of Southern Rhodesia, tostart a school for Africans near Bulawayo. Thus began Cyrene. Though withunpretentious beginnings, and experiencing all sorts of problems, the schoolflourished artistically. By June 1944, Cyrene was holding a local art exhibition.More exhibitions followed, both local and national, and one was even taken toSouth Africa. Added publicity came during the Royal Visit in 1947. In 1949 amajor exhibition of Cyrene art was held, first in London, and later throughoutBritain, to much acclaim.Paterson left Cyreee in 1953. From then until his death in 1974 he directedother artistic institutions. First, he taught art at Chirodzo School in Mbare. Herethe art, though quite different from that of Cyrene, was again of such a standardthat a consignment of paintings was exhibited widely in America and finally givento the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. Secondly, he directed a governmentart centre called Nyarutsetso in Highfield (1961-71); here he taught 2,000 pupilsa day, and, for the first time, girls as well as boys. Finally, he supervised the FarayiArt Centre in Mbare Musika (1971-4), now known as the Canon Paterson CraftCentre.Paterson was something of a phenomenon Š artist, archaeologist, silversmith,essayist, poet, teacher, priest. He was also something of a 'character'. He wasalways boyish, full of high spirits Š by all accounts, April Fool's Day was a timeto stay particularly clear of him. He was very human: he was so irascible that hecould come down from the altar to wallop the boys, and at a time of rage coulddismiss the entire staff at Cyrene, only to forget the whole business when hecooled down. His humanity also explains his warmth, both within his family andfor all his pupils^ven the 98 per cent he knew would never be great artists. It alsoexplains his religious life, his ecumenical spirit, long before that was fashionable,and his unpretentious, anti-ritualistic, inclusive spirituality.The book is not just a personal portrait. It also tells of Paterson's place in art inZimbabwe. It mentions the people who influenced him most: Ruskin, WilliamMorris, Laurence Binyon, Eric Gill. It explains his philosophy of art, hisencouragement just to "fill the page', his expectation that only a few could producegreat art but that all would derive from the experience real benefit for practicalliving. Paterson's philosophy of art is well expressed here in a section (pp. 82-4)outlining the differences between his approach and that of Frank McEwen, the152BOOK REVIEWSfirst director of what is now the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. It describes whatconstitutes Cyrene art, and what distinguishes it from other 'schools' such as thatof the Serima art fostered by Paterson's contemporary, Fr Groeber. This bookassesses Paterson's influence, and records the further work of his best-knownpupils, artists like Job Kekana, Adomech Moyo and Sam Songo. It tells of theimpact overseas of Cyrene art Š- it is of considerable interest to read the manyexcerpts (pp. 53-5) from the critical acclaim given the London exhibition in1949.The book is well produced and the text is ably supported with illustrations.This is a generous tribute to someone who was both an intriguing personality andan important influence in Zimbabwe's recent cultural history.University of ZimbabweP. GlFFORDNow I Call him Brother By Alec Smith. Basingstoke, Marshall, Morgan & Scott,1984, 128 pp., £1.75 (p/b), ISBN 0-551-01079-7.This is the personal story of Ian Smith's son, Alec. A problem schoolboy, hebecame a disastrous student at Rhodes University where he immersed himself instudent rebellion and the drag culture, spectacularly failing his exams and beingexpelled at the end of his first year. Back in Rhodesia, he did little, spending histime 'high' on drugs. His father Š 'to "clean up" his hippie son' (p. 22) Š ensuredthat he did not evade his military call-up. He hated his military training; the highpoint of this period was being caught in possession of drugs and convicted by amilitary court. After this training he made his living pushing drugs, but waseventually caught smuggling marijuana in from Mozambique. Amid considerablenational and international publicity Š 'Premier's Son on Drugs Charge' (p. 35)Š he was convicted, but escaped with a relatively light fine.Then came conversion to Christianity and Moral Re-Armament (MRA).This brought about a personal change of heart, some insight into the injustice ofRhodesian society, and dedication to reconciliation within the country. At anMRA Conference on Reconciliation, held at the University of Rhodesia in 1975,his recounting of the story of his conversion brought about a similar experience inthe life of Black nationalist, Arthur Kanodereka. Soon afterwards, Smith andKanodereka began to tour the country preaching reconciliation, using theirfriendship as a sign of what could happen nationwide if others took the same step.Apart from time spent on military service and at MRA headquarters inSwitzerland (where he met his Norwegian wife), Smith worked with Kanoderekauntil the latter's murder in 1978. Smith has continued working for reconciliation,since 1981 helping to unite the three former warring armies into the newZimbabwean army.Basically, the book chronicles a conversion to Christianity. It tells of theprevious dissolute life, the initial reluctance to change, the personal reorientation,and the subsequent involvement. He admits that he became 'higher* onChristianity than he ever was on drugs Š *rny father did ask me one day if I everdid anything in moderation!' (p. 47). The book's theme, as the back coverexplains, is 'how God can take a dedicated life and help to change the course of