Friday, September 14, 2018

All About The Animals...

Etosha National Park
June 18-21

This was my third African safari in six years and the more often I visit, the more I want to return; I can't seem to get enough of this continent. The natural wonders I have seen, the warmth of the people I have met, the history and cultures I have learned about, and the animals...I certainly can't seem to get enough of them. 

The Etosha Pan lies on the northwestern edge of the Namibian Kalahari; Etosha means Great White Place of Dry Water and the pan is within the heart of a national park considered among the great parks of Africa. Open country fills most of the park fringed with expanses of grasses and further out is a tree and shrub savannah and woodland with lots of mopane trees. The changing seasons bring migrations of different animals...animals must eat and drink and search the availability of grass and water. And then there are the cats and the kills they must make to survive. To hear the shrieks of an impala being ravaged is a sound that I never liked to hear, but it is nature the way all was intended.

My Namibian journey was with one jeep, five other inveterate travelers that I didn't know beforehand, and one intrepid leader. Together we traveled through this remarkable country and had an unforgettable time together....we became comrades in search of adventure and discovery...and also drank marvelous wine at dinner and ate packed bag lunches in the shade of a tree along the road.  

An African safari is, without a doubt, unlike any other travel experience...I will end my postings with the animals for they tell the story much better than I can.









































The Himba...


On the way to Etosha
June 18

The first Himba settlements in Namibia were in the early 16th century when these tribal people crossed over the Angolan border. At that time they were part of the Herero tribe, but moved south at the end of the 19th century when a bovine epidemic killed off most of the cattle, a mainstay of Herero existence. A split developed between the groups and the Himba tribe became a reality, developing its own identity and way of life.

The tribe lives a sheltered, traditional existence and, in order to reach them, our jeep had to traverse rocks and streams and very bumpy roads. We were graciously greeted by a few young women who were repairing the roof of a hut; this being a female job. They were warm and welcoming and happy to pose for pictures in between plastering the roof with red ochre clay. The women, actually, coat their bodies and hair with the pounded ochre stone; this keeps their skin moist and also serves as a sun block and, I later read, clearly separates the men from the women. Very early days of drought also began a tradition of only the men bathing themselves with water. The women, however, take a daily “smoke bowl” whereby they burn charcoal, herbs, and leaves of commiphora trees; they bow over the smoke and the perspiration ultimately cleanses their bodies.

Although the Himba are clearly sheltered from the rest of the world, there is an English speaking teacher in the tribe who is introducing the children to just a bit of a more modern existence. Time will tell what the future brings.















Thursday, September 13, 2018

A Step Back In Time...


Damaraland
June 16-17

The Twyvelfontein rock engravings were made over a period of 2,000 years and are thought to be anywhere from 2,000-6,000 years old. This World Heritage Site includes an extraordinary collection of petroglyphs (rock engravings) depicting a large variety of wild animals and their footprints. The engravings are on massive rock faces of free-standing boulders and are believed to be the creations of local San hunter-gatherer peoples, reflecting their rituals and beliefs.










Desert Adapted Elephants