Genre fiction
Narrator Hangwi Liphadzi
Language english
Traveller to the East, originally published in Sesotho in 1907, is a spiritual and symbolic novella by Thomas Mofolo that tells the story of a young African man’s physical and moral journey in search of truth, enlightenment, and salvation. The protagonist, Fekisi, grows disillusioned with the moral decay and spiritual emptiness of his home village. He sets off on a long pilgrimage toward the East—both a literal direction and a metaphor for spiritual awakening. Along his journey, Fekisi encounters a range of people and experiences that challenge his beliefs, test his resolve, and shape his evolving understanding of Christian values, personal discipline, and the purpose of life. The story blends traditional African narrative techniques with Christian allegory, as Mofolo was writing during a period of strong missionary influence. The "East" represents not just a place but a new way of being—one that emphasizes spiritual purity, repentance, and transformation. In the end, Fekisi’s journey becomes a metaphor for the African soul’s struggle to navigate between indigenous traditions and new religious ideologies.