'Avonturen Van Een Ashanti-Jongen'.
Father Bernard Eerden was a priest, missionary and creator of promotional comic and children's books for the Society of African Missions. He was born in 1906 as Bernardus Jacobus Eerden in Millingen, Gelderland, where he also ran a home for the elderly from 1972 to 1986.
Eerden's text strip 'Avonturen Van Een Ashanti-jongen' ('Adventures Of An Ashanti Boy') appeared in four parts in 1949-1950. Eerden also wrote the text for a similar African-themed comic booklet in 1953: 'Kassy: Het Ongelukskind in Donker Afrika'. It was made by commission of Huize de Tafelberg in Oosterbeek, while the artwork was this time handled by Vic van Schoonhoven van Beurden. The father continued his work for the society well into the 1960s with children's books like 'Komla Op Zoek Naar Regen' (1961).
'De Avonturen Van Een Ashanti-Jongen'.
The slant of the Ashanti book has become very outdated now. In the afterword, B. Eerden wrote:
"The Son of the Chief is a brave and honest boy. He refuses to deny his White Father en gives his life for the truth. Not all blacks in Africa are that brave. Even among Christians there are many who lead bad lives or still participate in all kinds of superstitions. This is is because the missionary cannot be everywhere at the same time. (...) We need more missionaries, more brave boys who are prepared to sacrifice everything for the poor heathens in Africa (...)."
'De Avonturen Van Een Ashanti-Jongen'.