Ng'aali Inflight Magazine Oct-Feb Edition(2020-21)

DESTINATION ZAMBIA

Ila, Zambia’s greenest eco lodge

Words and pictures by Mark Stratton

52 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021

DESTINATION ZAMBIA

ou might want to put down your airline snack whilst reading
this. At Ila Safari Lodge in Kafue National Park, biogas is
harvested from guests’ toilet effluence to be recycled and used
in the kitchen to cook meals. But if you’re thinking, ‘oh, that is
revolting’, then read on because this biogas production is helping

Y make safaris more in tune with nature.
Over the years, I’ve seen some insensitively designed safari lodges. Noisy
generators belching out fumes, intrusive concrete structures at odds with the
surrounding bush, fences thwarting wildlife migration, and far too much
waste like toilet and bathwater, plastic water bottles - all passed on to the local
neighbourhood’s often inadequate recycling provisions.

So how does one create a lodge that offers a greener, more sustainable safari
whilst minimising impact on nature? Ila Lodge is situated on the riverbank of
the languorous River Kafue. It is four hours by road from Lusaka – which doesn’t
sound like a particularly green way to begin the trip, except Ila operates electric
vehicles powered by green energy.

The lodge has 10 luxurious river-facing tents and was founded by Dutchman
Vincent Kouwenhoven, owner of Green Safaris. He explains that his guiding
vision for Ila is driven by conservation.

“We create lodges with minimal impact. We were granted a piece of pristine
wilderness by the local chieftainess to develop Ila. But this belongs to nature, and
if we ever close, we must hand the land back with minimal impact,” he says.

He also believes that investing in the local community enhances anti-
poaching efforts. “We create jobs for local people, which increases awareness in
the community about the importance of anti-poaching as tourists pay to see
wildlife.”

Indeed, I get a rather large eyeful of wildlife when I arrive as a 45-year-old bull
elephant enjoys a mud bath very close to the main reception entrance. “Because
we don’t fence ourselves in, any animal may wander through the camp,” says
Malemia Banda, Ila’s general manager. We slowly edge around the ecstatic
jumbo, who is far too engaged in lashing himself with liquid mud to notice us.

This sense of being one with nature is reinforced throughout. All night long,
munching hippos browse around my tent and during daytime, vervet monkeys
covetously eye the fresh fruits and home-baked cakes provided for guests.

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DESTINATION ZAMBIA

The main reception is an elegant Right:
wooden platform with a bar and The solar-powered
restaurant, and comfortable seats for quiet e-boat
reflection across the olive-green river. The
tents extend from the reception area and Right:
are built on wooden platforms. All Ila’s On-deck bath
timber is locally sourced, and any trees overlooking the
felled during construction have been Kafue
compensated by extensive tree planting. Extreme Right:
Luxurious dining
Besides biogas, Ila is fully powered by in the wild
solar energy panels . The reception’s walls
are constructed from lightly plastered Right:
sandbags to avoid the permanency of The beautiful
intrusive steel and concrete. Waste ‘grey tented rooms
water’ from washrooms drains into are at one with
soakaways to be treated naturally by nature
filtration before re-entering the soil clean.
Guests refill reusable water-bottles with Right:
purified water rather than single-use The electric-
plastics. powered safari
vehicles
They have also developed a community Extreme Right:
farm that provides circa 30% of their Organic
vegetables. “The farm has created a insecticide -
guaranteed market for the farmers and elephant dung
cut down on the transportation of food
from Lusaka,” Banda says. I like how a Right:
delicious vegetarian option is offered Tourists out on a
at mealtimes. Rare for safari lodges, but walking safari in
evidence shows non-meat diets have a less the park
pernicious impact on the atmosphere in
terms of methane and carbon production
associated with livestock rearing. Food for
thought!

Of course, Ila’s core business is wildlife-
watching within the wonderful 22,480sq.
km Kafue National Park. The lodge is
enhancing this experience with what
Vincent calls ‘silent safari’. Camp guide
Lex takes me out on their electric-powered
Toyotas and solar-powered boat. “These
vehicles create less stress on animals by
approaching them quietly,” says Lex, even
if I am a little reticent about sneaking up
on an elephant and surprising it.

Nonetheless, the benefits of our
stealthier approach are soon obvious.
Taking the e-boat one afternoon, we
drift silently close to a herd of bathing
elephants. It is magical hearing only their
gurgling pleasure without the drone of
an engine. Likewise, on land, we find
ourselves amidst a hundred-strong herd of
buffalo, relaxed at our silent intrusion.

54 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021



DESTINATION JUBA

South Sudan may not be a tourist hotspot right now, but
it does have aspects that intrigue tourists enough to lure
them to this country which possesses a culture that can’t
be experienced elsewhere. The hospitality shown by the
Sudanese is inherent in their culture; they are generally
very kind, friendly and welcoming.

What to do in South Sudan

Due to ongoing conflict, tourists are advised not to travel
to certain parts of South Sudan. Check your local embassy
for updates. These are some of the notable places to visit.

Boma National Park The Sudd

One of Africa’s largest wildlife reserves South Sudan’s stunning birdlife is best appreciated
is in Jonglei State and has a wildlife with a boat trip on the Sudd, one of the largest wetlands
migration that compares in scale to that in the world. More than 400 bird species can be found
of the Serengeti. Between March and here, including shoebills, great white pelicans and
April and November to January you black-crowned cranes. Once you’ve had your fill of all
can see as many as two million animals things feathered, there are also some excellent fishing
on the move. spots to try out.

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DESTINATION JUBA

Mount Kinyeti

South Sudan’s highest peak lies in the little-explored
Imatong Mountains along the country’s southern
border with Uganda. Whether you plan to climb the
peak (3,187m) or trek through the thickly forested
foothills, you can see monkeys, bushbuck and
bushpigs, as well as occasional elephants, buffaloes
and leopards.

IMAGE: www.junglesafarisuganda.com

Rafting on the White Nile

White-water rafting on the Nile is a new addition to South Sudan’s
tourist options. You can enjoy a short splash at Nimule or paddle all the
way to Juba. The rapids will make you buzz with adrenaline, especially
when you realise how many hippopotamuses and crocodiles are sharing
the water, and in calmer stretches, there are great possibilities for
birdwatching and fishing.

Nimule National Park

The most easily accessible of South Sudan’s national
parks, Nimule lies on the border with Uganda and
is therefore a perfect stopover for those entering
the country by road. The park infrastructure is
fairly well developed and park rangers will take you
across the river by boat to Opekoloe Island to see
the elephant herds, and then on foot to spot zebras,
warthogs, baboons and even the occasional leopard.

When to Go the best option. Driving at the appropriate hours in
The weather in South Sudan is typically very hot. The rainy season lasts areas deemed safe is a secure way of getting about.
from May until October. Sandstorms can occur during the dry period, If you’re bold enough to venture into areas that the
from April until September, so plan accordingly. government labels as dangerous or unfit for travel,
you’ll need a travel permit to move around.
Getting In and Around Mobile Phones: South Sudan has relatively good
Visas: A valid passport and a visa are necessary in South Sudan. coverage. Make sure to have or buy a GSM phone
Transportation: Numerous international airlines fly to Sudan; most airlines
fly into Juba International Airport. In South Sudan, travelling by car is with a SIM card.

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DESTINATION MOGADISHU

Arab, Persian, Indian and Italian nuances,
amongst other flavours from the Horn
and East of Africa, come to the forefront of
Somali food culture. A typical meal will have
a combo of Sambusa, Bariis Ishkukari - very
similar to a rice dish called pilau, Anjero
- which is as easy to make as a pancake and
is similar to the Ethiopian Injera, Halwa
- a festive sweet treat reserved for special
occasions, Sabaayad flatbread - the Somali
version of chapati, and Somali chai tea.

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DESTINATION MOGADISHU

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DESTINATION TANZANIA

R u a h aDiscoveringtheundiscoveredin

National Park

Sound travels through the air at a rate of 332 metres per
second, but in the hot, dusty Tanzanian bush, it seems to
move much faster. The gruff barks of baboons combine
forces with the urgent snorts of impala to create a sonic signpost
leading us to a clearing in the thickets. There sits a leopard, its
jaws clinging to the neck of an impala, still breathing and caught
only seconds before.

The leopard’s glassy eyes dart nervously from right to left as
he attempts - and ultimately fails - to safeguard his prey. Two
yapping black-backed jackals drive him away, and a pride of
lions that, like us, has been drawn to the commotion, moves in

to steal the feast.
It is true, lions have a good
foothold in Ruaha, the largest
National Park in East Africa;
10% of Africa’s lion population
are believed to roam here.
The sprawling wilderness,
encompassing rivers,
mountains, acacia forest
and swampland is also home
to a myriad of predators and
one of the biggest elephant
gatherings on the
continent.

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DESTINATION TANZANIA

Most of the park remains untouched collect data on predators. Guides are given
with only 12 tourist lodges occupying cameras to record sightings and, as an
a game-rich 5% of the 20,000km2 area. incentive to work harder, after a year or 125
Realising Ruaha’s potential, the Asilia sightings, they’re allowed to keep the kit.
Africa Safari Group took over operation
of the six-tent Kwihala Safari Bush Camp “Ruaha supports some of the most
and opened luxury lodge, Jabali Ridge. important wildlife populations left in the
world,” says German-born Dickman, whose
On my way to Kwihala, I pass a metal project headquarters is located just outside
sign hanging above the park entrance, the park gates. Members of her team can
which seems to say it all: Discover the join guests on a game drive or for dinner,
Undiscovered. It’s a message of great to explain how RCP is benefiting both
promise for the days ahead. I’m visiting wildlife and communities in and around
in October, the dry season, when most of the park.
the dense foliage has disappeared, leaving
a brittle skeleton of branches and twigs Much of their work is focused on lions, a
through which game can easily be spied. species seriously under threat. “There are
Cartoonish baobab trees punctuate the now fewer wild lions in Africa than rhinos,”
landscape, some bulbous and swollen, says Dickman, quoting a current estimate
others gnawed like apple cores by hungry of 20,000. “That fact is shocking to most
elephants. Their spindly, outstretched people who just don’t realise how sharply
branches are begging the sky for rain. lion numbers have dropped in the past
20 years.”
We stop at the seasonal Mdonya River,
now a dusty sand bed. Only clusters of
towering date palms indicate water still
flows below the ground, although a herd
of astute elephants, busy excavating the
dust, has clearly cottoned on. A flock of
yellow-throated sandgrouse glides above
wispy fronds of thatching grass, while
hyraxes scurry into the cracks of granite
kopjes, escaping the now searing midday
sun. It’s our signal to head directly to
camp, where an al fresco communal lunch
with fellow guests is followed by a long
siesta in the shade.

The possibilities for game viewing in
Ruaha are undoubtedly rich, yet there’s
woefully little data about the number of
animals present. It’s one of the reasons
why Professor Amy Dickman started her
Ruaha Carnivore Project (RCP) in 2009.
The wildlife conservationist works closely
with lodges in the park to

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DESTINATION TANZANIA “There are now fewer wild lions

One of the biggest problems is community in Africa than rhinos.. That fact is
conflict, something I learn more about when I shocking to most people who just don’t
visit the RCP camp. There are 22 villages close realise how sharply lion numbers have
to the park, with more than 40,000 residents dropped in the past 20 years.
- a mixture of Maasai and Barabaig tribes
who are mainly pastoralists. Many have lost ”
precious livestock to predators, and have
responded with retaliatory killings, often
poisoning carcasses in the hope of preventing
any future attacks and as an act of angry
retribution.

“It took a long time for us to gain the
communities’ trust,” says Dickman as
we share a meal of beans and ugali around
a simple camp table. “Eventually - and
somewhat unexpectedly - a breakthrough
came with mobile phones. We allowed
people to charge their phones here at no
cost, and while they were waiting, took the
opportunity to discuss problems about
livestock and predators.” RCP now assists
villages with the construction of stronger
wire bomas (livestock enclosures), which have
been almost 100% successful. It also offers
tangible benefits of education and veterinary
medicine, in exchange for cooperation.

Traditional killings also pose a serious
problem for lions and elephants in Ruaha. In
previous years, young men would regularly
organise hunts with an ambition to be the
first person to spear a target, thus becoming
the “owner” of a kill and subsequently being
showered with attention by members of the
opposite sex. But RCP has come up with a
solution and - so far - it seems to be working
well.

“When we realised that the real attraction
of these hunts was an opportunity to
celebrate and socialise, we decided to set up
an alternative,” says Dickman. Now RCP
arranges gatherings completely disconnected
from any hunts, which still allow men and
women to dance together and form bonds.
And instead of a severed lion paw, several
young men from the warrior age group now
proudly display a GPS unit on their belts,
supplied by RCP to collect important wildlife
data.

Engaging the support of communities
is vital to the conservation of predators in
Ruaha, and Dickman and her team are doing
a good job of strengthening links between the
people, wildlife and tourism. Ruaha is still
an excellent place to observe lions in Africa,

62 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021

which is why one professional photographer
came to stay at Kwihala for 19 nights to capture
prides hunting buffalo. He got the shots he
wanted, I’m told by Lorenzo, my Italian-born
safari guide, who, like many seasoned naturalists
attracted to Ruaha, can’t bring himself to leave.

If organised in advance and accompanied by a
park ranger, it’s possible to go on night drives in
the park, so on my final evening, I stay out long
after dark. Once again, sound becomes our key
pinpointer, with shrieks, growls and chattering
mapping our journey. Now that temperatures
have cooled, wildlife is even more abundant,
active and hungry.

A spotted eagle owl perches on the edge of
a branch overhanging the road, its gaze too
intently fixed on small rodents to notice our
presence. A few metres along the track, we find
a lesser spotted genet with a scorpion dangling
from its mouth, and a flick of the spotlight
illuminates the gleaming eyes of a leopard
stalking a scrub hare.

We sit quietly as the young cat hunches its
shoulders, finally powering forward like a fully
loaded spring and giving chase. Predator and
prey disappear into the darkness, leaving us to
guess the outcome. It doesn’t matter. In Ruaha,
it’s the undiscovered and unknown that proves
to be equally as thrilling.

To find out more about the Ruaha Carnivore Project,
visit ruahacarnivoreproject.com

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DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA

64 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021

DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA

SunCityWelcometo

An opulent extravaganza of luxury

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The reserve is home to an extinct volcano and more than 7,000 animals
including lions and elephants.

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DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA

S un City was officially opened The Gary Player and Lost City
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66 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021



DESTINATION ZIMBABWE

Mana Pools

Words and pictures by Sarah Marshall

DESTINATION ZIMBABWE

T witching his nose like a mouse in a pantry, safari guide power-hungry daughters Blacktip and Tammy. The story
Henry Bundure tips back his head and inhales the ended in tragedy when Tait died, although after a decade,
air. It’s a warm morning, and a light wind carries the she boasted a population that accounts for 6,600 wild dogs
unmistakable waft of hippos wallowing in the Zambezi in Africa. Now, Henry is helping me pick up where the
River - a putrid perfume with the sweetness of rotting fruit. story left off.
Distinctive though it may be, it’s not the scent Henry is after. His
highly trained nostrils are on the hunt for a different animal, one We set off after sunrise to track the dogs, which were last
that has earned Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park international seen on the floodplain less than 24 hours earlier. Henry’s
small screen acclaim, and one that attracted the world’s greatest unconventional nasal tracking technique is down to the
wildlife documentary narrator to pay a visit in early 2019. strong smell of ammonia that he claims the dogs exude.
“I managed to sniff out the wild dogs for David Attenborough,” It’s a result of their adaptation to hunting baboons – a new
claims Henry proudly, boasting an accolade few safari guides can behaviour filmed by the BBC, which astounded experts and
claim to possess. “He came here in his helicopter and wanted to see generated a scientific paper.
them,” explains the chatty, good-humoured Zimbabwean, who was
drafted in to help guide the 93-year-old. “Everyone thought I was Today, though, we are guided by sight. Fresh paw prints
crazy, but I managed to find them. They ran right towards us and lay in the sand grow further and further apart, suggesting the
down under a sausage tree.” dogs have been running. We follow them to a tangled pile
The purpose of Attenborough’s visit was to film some final scenes of regurgitated entrails, which almost triggers my breakfast
for the landmark series Dynasties, which aired on BBC One in 2018. to resurface. Along with signs of scuff marks on tree stumps
and fresh pee, it’s a clear indication the dogs are around.
It was a rare overseas outing for the British
national treasure, who prefers to spend most There are estimated to be around 110 dogs in Mana Pools,
of his time in Richmond. But it was one that and during Tait’s reign, three packs roamed this area. After
paid off. Henry recalls he was ‘happy’, and they her death, Blacktip took control of the Nyakasanga pack,
both enjoyed a sundowner of Zambezi beer. while Tammy took over Nyamatusi. Both, however, have
suffered in the interim, and in April 2020, Blacktip went
An ambitious series, Dynasties focused on missing altogether. Without their leader, the dogs are
individual families from five different species; in disarray.
monitoring their behaviour, examining
bonds and charting inevitable disputes. More “We believe she might be dead,” says Henry, who describes
than any animals, the painted wolves, or wild her as an animal “who never smiled”.
dogs, demonstrated the complexity of these
relationships. Shortly after filming ended, Henry started working for
African Bush Camps (ABC), a boutique collection of camps
Producer Nick Lyon spent two years set up by a Zimbabwean former safari guide, Beks Ndlovu,
filming in Mana Pools, following the where the emphasis is very much on embracing wilderness
fortunes of ageing alpha-female Tait and her – in style.

Huddled between winter thorn and ebony trees on the
banks of the Zambezi River, the semi-mobile Zambezi

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DESTINATION ZIMBABWE Above:
Safari guide Henry
Expeditions Camp epitomises their ethos perfectly. Six Bundure and Sir David
rustic tents evoke the nostalgia of classic safaris; at night Attenborough enjoying
hippos snuffle past the canvas flaps and in the morning, a sundowner
dewy pink light streams through seams, making me feel
like a real resident of the bush. Below:
A tent in the new
And then there’s Henry, whose nose for locating wildlife Nyamatusi Camp (left),
extends far beyond his olfactory powers. “Let’s check out and a plunge pool at
the ‘morning newspaper’ (paw prints) and find those kitty the camp (right)
cats who were making noise last night,” he says, as we sit
around a campfire, listening to the piercing squeal of fish
eagles and watch the distant mountains break through the
misty morning haze.

Of course, Mana Pools isn’t all about dogs. There are the
lions - which prowl between long shafts of vetiver grass,
hippos - which (according to Henry) chew on sausage
tree fruit as if smoking cigars, and hundreds of elephants
that come here to drink; not to mention the landscape, an
enchanted forest of ancient trees bowing and bending
to find light, a mighty river decorated with a maze of
sandbanks, and a quartet of large pools created by oxbow
lakes (mana in the local Shona language means four).

One of the reasons Nick Lyon chose to film here was “the
beautiful backdrop”, best experienced from ABC’s newest
camp, Nyamatusi. Occupying a remote section of the
park, six smart sumptuous tents with plunge pools gaze
at the Zambezi, setting a new benchmark for luxury in
Mana Pools.

The stars of this show are the elephants, who have honed
a talent for balancing on their back legs to reach the leaves
of acacia trees. Boswell, an ageing bull, pioneered the ‘Mana
stand’, but his acrobatic behaviour has also been perfected
by Fred Astaire the dancing elephant, and Harry, a new

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DESTINATION ZIMBABWE

kid on the block. These yogic moves
are an adaptation to finding water and
nutrition during periods of drought,
such as the one Zimbabwe faced last year.

For the dogs, survival is always a
challenge. Photographer Nick Dyer has
spent the last six years snapping away at
packs in Mana Pools and is on familiar
terms with them all. A co-founder of the
Painted Wolf Foundation, his images
have also been published in the coffee
table book Painted Wolves: A Wild Dog’s
Life. He now runs photographic safaris
in partnership with ABC.

This week, like me, he’s in the park
as a guest. I find him at a sighting of
several dogs from Blacktip’s fractured
pack. Given his knowledge of the
animals’ movements, guides have
even resorted to tracking him. “I often
cover my footsteps with leaves,” he
laughs. One of the great joys of Mana
Pools is that guests can explore on
foot, allowing walking safaris and an
opportunity to observe wildlife from a
different perspective. “I don’t think I’ve
taken any of my photos from a vehicle,”
claims Dyer.

Most of our outings have been
a “combo” of drives and walks.
Approaching slowly, we’re able to crouch
close enough to hear the dogs pant, and
when they pile on top of each other in
a greeting ceremony - which resembles
a winning team at the final whistle,
we have front row stadium seats. But
seemingly unsure of where to run, the
dogs soon scatter.

“It’s so sad to see them like this,”
laments Dyer, referring to the break-up
of the pack and their metaphorical lack
of direction. “I’m not sure what will
happen next.”

Disappearing behind a bush, several
boisterous individuals are involved in a
fracas and we wonder – for a minute – if
they have made a kill. But the focus
of their attention turns out to be a car
mat, which they rip and tussle in a tug
of war. It’s an amusing scene that makes
us smile – proof that even though tough
times lie ahead, there is always room
for play.

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DESTINATION BURUNDI

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DESTINATION BURUNDI

Bujumbura’s Inviting

SAGA BEACH

Bujumbura’s Lake Tanganyika beaches are a must-visit. The sand,
though not exactly pristine white and clean, is still an inviting place

to drop a towel and swim safely in the warm water.
Known to be one of the best inland beaches in Africa, the beautiful
Saga Beach, located 5km northwest of Bujumbura, was named in
honour of Saga Beach Resort, formerly known as Plage des Cocotiers
(Coconut Beach). It is usually crowded and fun on weekends, but can

be very quiet and cozy on weekdays.
Be sure to taste Mukeke fish, a local delicacy at the restaurants and
bars, and enjoy the beach nightlife. Occasionally, boats are available
for fishing or to visit the other shores of Lake Tanganyika. Getting
to Saga is relatively easy, as it is a popular destination for locals and

tourists. Most cabs and mini-bus taxis will get you there.

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ANIMAL KINGDOM

AFRICA’S SOUGHT-AFTER KING OF THE MARSHES

T he Shoebill, a huge, stork-like water bird
with grey plumage and a large shoe-
shaped bill, has an almost prehistoric
look about it. Like something from the
dinosaur age, this 55 inch tall bird has become one
of Africa’s most sought after species, and Uganda is
the best place to see it.
The Shoebill frequents the wetlands of Queen
Elizabeth National Park, the shores of River Nile in
Murchison Falls National Park and the Mabamba
Swamps of Lake Victoria in Entebbe. Living
amongst dense papyrus swamps where it catches
lungfish and other aquatic prey, this rare bird
derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill
which can reach up to 24cm in length and 20cm
in width. These bills are precise fishing tools with
razor-sharp edges that can decapitate large fish or
even a baby crocodile.

Often referred to as the “dino birds”, coming
face to face with the strikingly blue-eyed shoebill
is the stuff of birding dreams! As well as over
1000 other bird species, Uganda accounts for over
50% of Africa’s species and 11% of the world’s
birds. Birders’ obsession with the shoebill started
over two centuries ago when British Victorian
naturalist John Gould brought the first specimen
from Africa to London’s Natural History Museum.
Ornithologist experts were astonished and in
disbelief that such a bird existed.

While the shoebill is called a stork, genetically
speaking it is more closely related to the pelican
or heron families. They nest in papyrus, and
the Bangweulu Swamps in Zambia are the

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ANIMAL KINGDOM

southernmost extent of their distribution, but they
are also found in other marshy areas in Rwanda’s
Akagera National Park and swamplands of Sudan.

The solitary nature of shoebills extends to their
breeding habits. Nests are typically less than three per
square kilometre, unlike herons, cormorants, pelicans
and storks which predominantly nest in colonies.
Both parents actively brood, shade, guard and feed the
nestlings, although the females are perhaps slightly
more attentive. Food items are regurgitated whole
from the gullet straight into the bill of the young.

When they are first born, shoebills have a more
modestly-sized bill, which is initially silvery-
grey. The bill becomes noticeably larger when the
chicks are 23 days old, and becomes well developed
by 43 days. The shoebill has an average lifespan of
about 50 years.

Shoebills will often hatch two nestlings but only
raise one chick. The youngest chick is known to
be “insurance” in case the elder one doesn’t live. The
sinister sibling rivalry starts when the mother leaves
to fetch water and the elder chick attacks the younger
one. With limited food supply, the mother favours
the stronger, often eldest chick to ensure one of its
young survives. It will take the young shoebills three
years before they become fully sexually mature.

Take a trip to Mabamba Bay Community Reserve on
the shores of Lake Victoria, a short way from Entebbe.
Mabamba Shoebill Tours offers an exceptional experience
in a dugout canoe in search of Africa’s birding holy grail,
with excellent sighting chances of these elusive giant birds.

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 75

CECELTEABERICTIYISPROFILE

Africa’s

Biggest
Comic Export

PHOTO: COMEDY CENTRAL

76 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021

CELEBRITY PROFILE

T revor Noah was born on February 20, 1984 programming after high school but could not proceed to
in Soweto, South Africa to a Xhosa mother, university due to the lack of tuition.
Patricia Nombuyiselo, and a Swiss-German
father, Robert Noah. He began his career as Because of the racial tensions in their relationship, his
a ghetto DJ, radio host, comedian, presenter, parents broke up, and Patricia married Abel Ngisaveni, an auto
and actor in his native South Africa in 2002. mechanic, in 1992, and bore Noah’s siblings Andrew and Isaac.
He subsequently held several television However, Ngisaveni’s mechanic business went under and he
hosting roles with the South African spiralled into alcoholism, physically abusing both Trevor and
Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and was his mother. The couple legally divorced in 1996.
the runner-up in the fourth season of South Africa’s iteration of
Strictly Come Dancing in 2008. In 2009, after she married Sfiso Khoza, in a jealous rage,
Ngisaveni shot Patricia in the leg and through the back of the
After his stand-up comedy career attained international head. She survived as the bullet went through the base of her
success, Noah began appearing on American late-night talk head, avoiding the spinal cord, brain, and all major nerves and
shows and British panel shows, and has won multiple media blood vessels, exiting with minor damage to her nostril. In
and TV awards. In 2014, Noah became the Senior International 2011, he was convicted of attempted murder, and sentenced the
Correspondent for The Daily Show, and the following year, he following year to three years of correctional supervision.
succeeded long-time host Jon Stewart. He is set to remain in this
position until 2022. In November 2016, Born a Crime was published and received
favourably by major U.S. book reviewers. The book is a collection
Growing up as the child of a black mother and a white of his personal tales and experiences of growing up in South
father in apartheid-era South Africa, Noah was the living, Africa, giving readers a look at what has shaped and influenced
breathing evidence that a crime had been committed. In that him. It became a #1 New York Times bestseller and was named
era, interracial couples who had engaged in sexual relations were one of the best books of the year by The New York Times,
punished with years-long prison sentences, and biracial/coloured Newsday, Esquire, NPR, and Booklist. It was announced that a
children like Noah were taken away from their parents. As a film adaptation based on the book would star Lupita Nyong’o
result, he spent much of his early life in hiding. as Trevor’s mother. She will also serve as the film’s co-producer
alongside Noah. He has also made cameo TV appearances - in
Noah’s father Robert was an expatriate, and he met Patricia 2017 on Nashville, and 2018 in Black Panther and American Vandal.
in downtown Johannesburg but could not live with her as the
prevailing laws curtailed such relations. Nonetheless, they Noah was named one of “The 35 Most Powerful People in New
secretly maintained their relationship for a time. Robert was a York Media” by The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 and 2018. In
mystery to Noah because he never knew where his father grew 2018, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential
up, or his paternal grandparents and other relatives from his people in the world. He is a polyglot; he speaks English, Xhosa,
father’s side. Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, Tsonga, Afrikaans, Spanish and German.

He grew up with his grandmother and other relatives and He has said of his comedic influences, “The kings are
learned norms and several languages of the black community. indisputable. Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby. Personally I didn’t
He tells Fresh Air’s Terry Gross, “My maternal grandmother, know of Eddie Murphy before I started comedy, but he changed
Nomaliza Frances, kept me locked in the house when I was my view and I definitely look up to him as a comedic influence.
staying with the family in Soweto… when the police did show up, Chris Rock in terms of the modern black comedian, and Dave
it was a constant game of hide-and-seek.” Chappelle. Those are the guys that have laid the foundation
and have moved the yardstick for all comedians, not just Black
Mostly, Noah associated and grew up among the blacks, hence comedians.”
he identifies himself as black despite being mixed race. Growing
up, his mother was a strict disciplinarian and staunch Christian. In April 2018, as a way of giving back, he set up the
His childhood involved church at least four times a week and on Trevor Noah Foundation, a Johannesburg-based non-profit
Sundays they attended three different churches. organisation that equips orphans and vulnerable youth with
the education, life skills, and social capital necessary to pursue
Trevor attended Maryvale College, a well-to-do private further opportunity.
Catholic school where classes were taught by nuns. This was
supported and financed by the company at which his mother Noah is currently ranked number 4 in the top 10 richest
was employed. Coincidentally, around that time, the apartheid comedians in the world. As of February 2020, his estimated
regime was coming to an end and schools were accepting net worth was roughly $30m. He lives in New York City and is
students of all races. He went through Sandringham School currently single since breaking up with his girlfriend of four
for his secondary education, and in his book Born a Crime, years, model and singer Jordin Taylor, in 2018.
he is quoted as saying that he wanted to pursue computer
Compiled by Dora B. M.

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 77

CUISINE

The

-oyhuhhm-somy

Ugandan Rolex
Words and pictures by Sasha Martin

Uganda’s ‘Rolex’ is a breakfast luxury
that can be purchased on any street
corner. Whipped egg is the gold setting.
Precious studs of tomato and purple
onion glitter across the surface like
garnet and amethyst, while fine strands
of cabbage sparkle like peridot. The
completed jewel is nestled safely in a
soft chapati wrap. Ridiculous? Maybe. But
shouldn’t everyday food be as precious
as a “real” Rolex?
What is a Ugandan Rolex?
Rolex is classic Ugandan street food. The
similarity to the luxury watch brand is
happenstance: Once upon a time the vendors who
made this treat called out “Rolled Eggs” – nothing
more. The basic idea is eggs cooked with cabbage,
onion, tomato, and sometimes peppers, which
are then wrapped in a chapati. But, as the words
careened off their tongue, “Rolled Eggs” sounded
more like “Rolex” to visitors. Gradually the (quite
fun) misinterpretation stuck.

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CUISINE

How do you make a Rolex?
To prepare a Rolex in the true Ugandan spirit, a few steps must be
followed.

• First, make your way to Uganda… then set up your station. A
mug or cup must be used to mix the ingredients together. A
standard to oversized mug easily holds all the ingredients
for a 2-egg Rolex. The high sides make whipping the mixture
together a splash-free activity. No wonder all the street
vendors use one!

• Second, the egg mixture must be poured onto a hot, well-
oiled pan and spread out with the same spoon used to whip
the eggs. Again, this is all about thinking like a street vendor:
No use getting another utensil dirty!

• Once the first side is cooked, flip the eggs over. They should
be lightly browned. As they cook, the hot eggs steam and
soften the harsh crunch of cabbage and onion, while also
stewing the tomatoes. A good dash of salt brings the flavours
together into a craveable bite of Uganda.

Here’s the next pro tip from Uganda:

• While the eggs are still in the pan, top
them with a large chapati. The steam
coming off the eggs will soften the
chapati and make it easier to roll.

• Finally, many Rolex are wrapped
in newspaper for serving. Not all
Ugandans do this – fancier street
vendors slide them into cellophane
baggies – though some claim the
newsprint provides great flavour.
Say what you will about ingesting
newsprint, there’s rustic charm to the
practice. It soaks up any stray cooking
oil or juices …

My daughter Ava wasn’t keen on eating
newsprint, so she quickly removed hers.
Her final assessment? Yum. Yum. Yum. For
the record, I agree.

Between 2010 and 2013, Sasha Martin cooked
a meal from every country in the world and
eventually prepared 675 recipes from allover
the planet – in total, a seven-year effort. Each of
these recipes are available on her blog, Global
Table Adventure.

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 79

CULTURE

KEEPERS
of the

The Batwa are an amazing indigenous group of

FORESTpeople with excellent and interactive cultural

experiences that one would not want to miss
while visiting Uganda.

T he Batwa, or Twa, commonly known as pygmies, are an enchanted
group of people around Echuya Forest Reserve in Kisoro and Kabale
districts of South-Western Uganda. The Echuya is located in the
Albertine Rift and recognised as an important eco-region and top birding
destination. The Batwa are believed to have migrated from the Ituri Forest of
the Democratic Republic of Congo in search of wild animals to hunt, hence
the name Kisoro, literally translating to “the area occupied by wild animals”.

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CULTURE

...God gifted humanity
differently; He gave some
people vast lands, beauty
and height, and gifted the

Batwa with the forest.

The Batwa, regarded as the “keepers and branches, moving frequently in them when the 6,700-strong Batwa
of the forest”, co-existed peacefully search of fresh supplies of food. Some community were evicted. Overnight,
with all creatures including mountain anthropologists estimate that pygmy they had become trespassers on their
gorillas, until their haven was gazetted tribes such as the Batwa have existed in own land. Forced out and threatened
as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to the equatorial forests of Africa for 60,000 with imprisonment, they moved to
conserve gorillas in 1991. The history of years or more. the fringes of the park, where they are
these small-statured people is long and now illegal squatters. Their tools and
rich. They survived by hunting small According to folklore, during creation, skills were not useful in the new modern
game using arrows or nets and gathering God gifted humanity differently; He environment, so most of them resorted
plants and fruit in the rainforest. They gave some people vast lands, beauty and to doing odd jobs, begging, poaching and
lived in huts constructed with leaves height, and gifted the Batwa with the even stealing.
forest. As such, they felt God had rejected

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 81

CULTURE

Traditionally, the Batwa had three smeared their skins with animal dung to smoking a pipe, and still do.
main types of houses: caves, omuririmbo prevent sunburn. When a woman was pregnant, she
and ichuro. The caves and omuririmbo
were the main houses where they lived. After a successful hunt, a Mutwa would was fed on meat, honey, vegetables and
Ichuro was used for resting and storing celebrate the achievement by naming his herbs to boost her health and that of the
food including meat, honey, beans children after the animal or a location unborn baby. During childbirth, fellow
and sorghum. They were exceptional in the forest. When a Mutwa died, they women used pieces of bamboo to cut
hunters, traditional healers, rainmakers, were buried in a hut after digging a small the umbilical cord before the baby was
and still make fire by rubbing small hole and wrapping the corpse in grass. A wrapped in clean animal skins and taken
sticks together. They had a special way medicine man would come by to cleanse near a fireplace for warmth. A bow and
of worshipping and offering sacrifices, the bereaved family members to prevent arrow was placed in a newborn’s palms as
especially when thanking the gods after a the deceased’s spirit from attacking them. a sign of protection. Sadly, this way of life
successful hunt. Worshipping was mainly After burial, the family would migrate to is vanishing.
a far off place and never return.
But all is not lost. In 2000, members

Right:
Batwa children
are now attending
school and learning
to read and write

done in sacred huts by elders anointed According to customs, a Mutwa could of the community formed the United
by grandparents. When they slaughtered not marry a non-Mutwa, and getting Organisation for Batwa Development
an animal with a strange organ such as pregnant before marriage was forbidden. in Uganda (UOBDU), which works
an abnormally tiny heart, they would Marriages were arranged by parents, to support the tribe in areas such
worship the organ as a god. and gifts like beads, new and well-oiled as education, housing, and income
animal skins, honey from stingless bees, generation. Together with Uganda
The men and women used leaves and beer brewed with honey, and meat were Wildlife Authority, they set up cultural
skins of animals, especially duikers and given to a girl’s family before marriage. experiences during which visitors spend
bushbucks, as clothing. The children The meat of the squirrel was always time with them, see how they live, and
dressed in small skins of young animals preferred since it was hard to hunt, and it learn about the tools and tricks they
strapped at the shoulders, and women was given to the mother-in-law. Adultery used to survive for centuries in Uganda’s
used the skins for beautification and was prohibited. tangled forests.
to carry their children on their backs.
The long sinuous creepers (emise) that The men smoked tobacco and opium Visiting the Batwa
hang from the trees best exemplify the when destined to propose marriage. A magnificent opportunity to
Batwa’s connection with the forest. They According to them, opium smoked in the
would weave cords from them and use right amounts gave one the courage and experience the forest through their eyes,
them to tie the animal skins around sweet words to win the heart of the most this is a full-day adventure organised
their waists, and pound fruit seeds from beautiful woman in the village, and made in two tours - the Batwa Cultural
omuruguya (Carapa procera tree) to obtain the bride’s eyes appreciate the physical Experience at Bwindi, and the Batwa
an oily liquid which they smeared on features of the groom. Many marriages Cultural Trail at Mgahinga. Before the
their skin to make it soft. The elderly among the Batwa owed their fruition to trail, the guide (a Mutwa), dressed in

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CULTURE

traditional attire, kneels down and What you need to know in Bwindi costs $100. The grounds are
chants an ancient prayer to Biheeko, On your arrival in the area, you muddy and slippery, and the forest
god of the forest, praying for a blessing might be approached by independent weather is unpredictable. Travellers
throughout the walk. ‘guides’ offering to take you to a Batwa are advised to wear hiking boots, hats,
community. These unregulated tours rain jackets and sweaters, and carry
In Bwindi, the experience starts may well be exploitative and should be walking sticks.
at a Batwa homestead, where after a avoided. Stick to official tours only – those
warm welcome, your one-hour cultural run by the UOBDU, the Uganda Wildlife Spending time with the Batwa isn’t
immersion will begin. You will observe Authority, or the Batwa Development just a fascinating opportunity to learn
how the women prepare, cook and serve Programme. Ask at your accommodation about centuries-old nomadic forest
a meal, and engage with medicine men or at the Batwa craft shop (close to the living, but a rewarding introduction to
to learn about the medicinal properties entrance to Bwindi) for more information. a proud community that will leave you
of the lush forest flora. feeling both inspired and moved.
The Batwa Culture Trail in Mgahinga
You will learn about the Batwa’s costs $80, while the Cultural Experience Compiled by Dora B. M.
fascinating way of life; from religion,
food gathering and hunting techniques
to fire-making skills, as well as music
performed on wooden instruments and
animal-skin drums. You’ll also learn
how they build their huts, including
the high-up ‘nests’ they build in trees to
protect small children from marauding
predators. Finally, you can learn how
bananas are used to make juice, beer and
gin – and taste the results!

At Mgahinga you can take the
Batwa Cultural Trail, a gentle five-
hour nature walk through the forest
accompanied by community guides,
who will show you how they forage
for food, trap animals with snares
made from branches, and make tools
and medicines out of plants. The
climax of this trail is at Garama Cave,
a 200m-long lava tube that was once
a royal residence. This is where their
king used to keep his virgins, captured
from neighbouring kingdoms in
Congo and Ankole during battle, and
it was a hiding place for the entire
tribe during warfare. Here, members
of the tribe perform songs coined
around the good old times, their strong
voices reverberating through the dark
hollow cave.

The money earned from these
cultural excursions goes back to
Batwa communities in the form of
food, clothes, scholastic materials for
children and medical services, all aimed
at improving their standard of living.
Similarly, the ventures are a source of
employment for the Batwa people since
they are the main participants as guides,
dancers and porters.

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 83

CONSERVATION

Gorillas
in ourMidst

A recent census reveals that the species is escaping extinction. Sarah
Marshall finds out why while on a conservation-themed tour of Uganda.

Bouncing through the undergrowth to 1,063 - an increase partly down to work
like a furry football, juvenile conducted by Gladys and her team.
gorilla Masanyu is entertaining
a small crowd. One of the amused Proving diseases could easily be
observers, Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, is transmitted between humans, gorillas and
especially pleased to see this member of livestock, she set up an NGO - Conservation
the Rushegura troop; the only surviving Through Public Health (CTPH), to help
offspring of famous silverback Kanyonyi. communities surrounding Bwindi
He rightly deserves the name (Masanyu), Impenetrable Forest improve their health
which translates as ‘joy’. and hygiene. “Before, we were only looking
Although she has tracked great apes at parasites, but now we are starting to
more than 300 times, Uganda’s first look more regularly at bacteria salmonella,
dedicated gorilla doctor is still enchanted shigella - the kind that are common in the
by the enigmatic animals inhabiting community and can be fatal to gorillas,”
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. she says back at her research station,
“Kanyonyi was my favourite,” she says, where tourists can also stay and witness
wistfully recalling the famous mountain conservation work in action.
gorilla which died in 2017. “He was
wonderful - small, but very well-mannered, The five rooms and two tents are simple.
and the women liked him. He had grown up Set high up, where hills roll into infinity and
seeing people all his life.” mist rises from the forest canopy like wisps
When Gladys first arrived in Bwindi 25 of smoke, they have the best view in Bwindi.
years ago as a veterinary student, only two Inside her laboratory, Gladys - who was
groups of Uganda’s mountain gorillas were shortlisted for a Tusk Conservation Award
habituated for tourism, and the species in 2019 - lines up several plastic pots filled
was listed as critically endangered by the with gorilla faeces, carefully examining their
International Union For Conservation of contents under a microscope.
Nature (IUCN). Today, there are 18 groups
visited by tourists, and the number of Despite the obvious unpleasantness,
mountain gorillas in the Bwindi-Sarambwe collecting samples isn’t easy. Earlier that
ecosystem is estimated to be 459, according morning, we had battled with stinging
to results of a 2018 census that were released nettles and belligerent troops of ants to
in 2019. Combined with data from a 2016 find nests built by the Rushegura troop the
survey conducted in the Virunga Massif, night before. Every evening, gorillas make
that brings the world’s wild population a temporary bed from leaves, which they
inconveniently position on steep slopes,
with the silverback always watching guard
from the top. Conveniently, though, many

84 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021

CONSERVATION

of them choose to do their morning more tolerant to gorillas destroying their
business here, and once a month samples banana plants.”
are collected by CTPH for examination.
Rangers in the park have also been trained While many people receive direct
on how to gather this poo. financial benefits from tourism through
employment in lodges or as porters on
“We started doing it in 2005,” says treks, others are not so fortunate. To
Gladys, who is now based in Entebbe but combat that, CTPH founded Gorilla
visits Bwindi at least once a month. “We Conservation Coffee, buying coffee beans
always find parasites and have to decide at a premium price from farmers in the
if a gorilla needs to be treated. “We are regions surrounding Bwindi. The product,
also finding that some gorillas are getting which features an illustration of Kanyonyi
antibiotic-resistant bacteria through on the bags, is sold at CTPH’s café in
contact with humans,” she adds. Most Entebbe and is exported to America.
of this interaction occurs when animals
venture beyond the park boundaries into Tourists visiting Bwindi can also
inhabited land. participate in a coffee safari, learning
about the cultivation process from bean to
A dense mass of coiled vines, umbrella cup. “Yes, we still get gorillas coming here,”
ferns and thick vegetation growing on chuckles farm owner Sam Karibwende as
near-vertical slopes, Bwindi Impenetrable we stroll around his estate, picking ripe red
Forest is surprisingly small. Measuring cherries from plants. As head of the coffee
just 330km2, it’s possible for the gorillas farmers’ cooperative, which has risen
to walk across it in a matter of hours, and from 75 to 500 members, he understands
with increasing pressure on space, many the value of wildlife. “But we know how to
groups stray into community areas to raid deal with them.” And, he admits, gorillas
crops or banana plantations. are always full of surprises – something
Gladys knows only too well.
Tourism too has increased human
contact with the apes, and Gladys is one of “I learn something new every time,” she
the forces behind a campaign to persuade says, speaking of her many encounters
visitors to wear masks during gorilla which have even involved trekking into
encounters. “The campaign is getting the night. “When it comes to gorillas, you
close; we should be there within the next can’t know enough.”
five years,” she says confidently. “Some
people say it’s not all that helpful wearing Fact box
a mask, but it makes people conscious that Conservation Through
we’re dealing with an endangered species Public Health (www.ctph.org,
and we have to be careful.” +256- 772 -330 139) offers an
Intimate Gorilla Experience
Despite the inevitable impact caused & tracking led by Dr Gladys
by regular human contact, she is a Kalema Zikusoka from $1452,
great supporter of gorilla tourism and which includes guiding and
even accompanies visitors on treks. accommodation in Buhoma.
“Conservation efforts are paying off and Gorilla tracking permits
tourism has contributed to that,” she cost extra, and booking is
claims, referring to the increasing required.
amount of revenue brought into the
country – with gorilla treks now costing
upwards of $700 from July 2020 (a rise
of $100, although still 50% of the price in
neighbouring Rwanda). “Once you have
community benefits, local people are

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 85

CONSERVATION

86 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021

CONSERVATION

Facts about

Gorilla Infants

Much like human babies, gorilla infants are cute; they crawl before
learning to walk and they love breast milk. Here are some interesting
facts about these tiny primates who share about 98.3 percent of their
DNA with humans.
• Female gorillas carry a pregnancy for about 8 to 9 months just

like human females.
• A ‘baby’ gorilla is called an infant and is about two times smaller

than a human baby. They usually weigh 1.4kg to 1.8kg.
• For about three to four months they ride on the back of their

mothers. They learn to sit upright at 3 months, and learn to
crawl at 6 months before learning to walk at around nine
months.
• Mountain gorillas reproduce once or twice a decade, and infants
stay with their mothers for three to four years, nursing for
about two and a half years.
• Like humans, the male gorilla becomes an adult at the age of 15,
while the female matures a bit earlier at the age of ten.
• When males reach maturity, they may leave their group to live
as solitary silverbacks, or to start a new family group.
• The female gorilla breeds at the average age of 12 while the male
gorilla breeds at the average age of 16.

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 87

ART

work
Intricately beaded art, like a kaleidoscopic
spiderweb, has become an emblem not
only of the Maasai tribe’s East African
homelands, but even of the spirit of
adventure that encapsulates Africa itself.
Words and pictures by Mark Eveleigh

T he statuesque warrior with the shimmering earrings, out of hides. It’s unlike now when everything has to be
bangles and shining assegai (spear), and the dark bought and many Maasai just produce their beadwork as
maiden with the undulating necklace framing her a stepping stone for other people’s businesses.”
face have become East African icons.
Yet these colourful images are a relatively recent As in Western culture, the use of more intricate and
import. Traditionally, the Maasai created their abundant jewellery will show a person’s status, but
jewellery using natural materials such as grass, shells, seeds, clay, Maasai can decipher a wealth of information about an
wood and bone. Cowrie shells from the Swahili Coast were (and individual’s class, clan or marital status with just the
still are) particularly sought-after, and later, explorers and slavers merest glance at their jewellery. While a married woman
– both Europeans and Arabs – brought trade-goods in the form of will wear a long necklace of blue beads known as nborro,
copper, brass wire and eye-catching glass beads that captivated the unmarried women will sport a wide and beautiful beaded
Maasai, all too often literally. necklace that, during dances, undulates hypnotically
with a movement said to be reminiscent of the dewlaps of
More recently, as trade spread into the interior, backcountry the tribe’s precious cattle.
dukas (general stores) opened – often run by entrepreneurial Indian
immigrants – and production of Maasai beadwork became even When a girl is married, she might wear a necklace
more prolific as a result of a profusion of more readily available and that reaches even to her knees. Often there will be long
inexpensive plastic beads. The dukas also supplied cheaper versions strands hanging from it to represent the dowry of cows
of the checked red and black blankets that replaced the traditional that will be paid to complete the union. These marriage
Maasai shuka robes. To this day, Maasai will recognise fellow collars may become highly prized heirlooms – the
clansmen by their blankets much as Scotsmen will celebrate the possession of which is matched only by the possession
sight of familiar tartan (although in the case of the Maasai, it is less of the all-important cattle – and visitors should consider
a tribal emblem and more simply the fact that a particular blanket very carefully before tempting local people into parting
has become popular at the local duka). with them.

At 72 years old, Kipinketene Sankaire is old enough to remember Throughout Kenya and Tanzania, bead adornments,
a time in her remote manyatta (village) near NairagieEnkare when often now made from cheaper plastic or glass, have
most jewellery was made from less colourful natural materials. become an important source of income for many
Maasai, with many visitors wanting to take home a
“Those were happier days,” she says. “The materials we used were tangible souvenir from their safari that will remind
strong and bones were plentiful. The land gave us what we needed; them of the legendary aristocrats of the savannah. The
we collected scented grass to make perfumes and we made belts tribe’s northern cousins, the Samburu, have a historical

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ART

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 89

ART Above: tradition of beadwork all of their own that is all too
Designer Anna Trzebinski often overshadowed by visitors who are unaware of the
Right: often subtle cultural distinctions between the region’s
Christian Louboutin and some of her Maasai- many tribes.
Maasai-inspired heels
inspired works Outsiders often detail the significance of colour choice
(usually relating to the tribe’s precious cattle; white for
milk, green to signify lush grazing, etc) but the Maasai
themselves invariably deny this and claim that they
simply choose colours that appear attractive together.

African Heritage was established in 1978 as the first
Pan-African gallery in Africa and once housed the finest
collection of African beadwork in the world. Boasting
500 craftsmen and 51 outlets, African Heritage was
once described by the World Bank as ‘the largest, most
organised craft retail and wholesale operation in Africa’.
Lately, The African Heritage Design Company (renamed
after it acquired new ownership in 2003) has been focusing
on exports and has opened a new outlet at Nairobi’s Villa
Rosa Kempinski that offers contemporary home décor
pieces inspired by the Maasai and other communities.

“Our goal is to make a difference to local communities,”
says owner Makena Mwiraria. “We don’t want to just
work with a community and then leave them in the
same situation we found them. An export operation like
ours – involving Maasai beadwork – could provide jobs
for hundreds of women, and we can also help them by
supplying household items that they need – solar lights
for example.”

The influence of Maasai beadwork has reached far
beyond the dusty game-trails of East Africa and onto
the polished catwalks of Europe, where dresses by
Emilio Pucci and elegantly beaded stilettos by Christian
Louboutin have wowed the fashion world. British
designers Kokon To Zai produced an entire line of beaded
clothes that they call ‘Maasai Punk’. Anna Trzebinski
(www.annatrzebinski.com), perhaps Nairobi’s most famous
designer, has developed Maasai beadwork in subtle
ways to produce gems like her Tibetan pashmina and
silk shawl which is trimmed with ostrich feathers and
Maasai beading, and her ‘Maa Gladiator’ goat-suede and
bead sandals.

“The Maasai are held in high esteem for their continued
respect for their culture, and their beadwork has
become known as one of the most celebrated and widely
recognised forms of tribal jewellery. Even in an era when
many Maasai children are leaving to look for work in the
cities, some excel in art. Maasai beadwork is becoming
more popular and these young Maasai will be the cultural
ambassadors of their people’s artistic tradition in the
future,” says Mwiraria.

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ART

FACT-FILE

Getting there and around:
It is possible to take domestic flights to safari hotspots
such as Maasai Mara and Amboseli in the heart of the
Maasai homelands. Most visitors arrange domestic
transport as part of a safari package but for those with
an intrepid streak, it is possible to hire fully equipped
self-drive safari vehicles from reputable companies like
Erikson Rover Safaris (www.roversafari.com).

Where to stay
For many people, a visit to a Maasai community or a trek
with warrior trackers is an unexpected highpoint of their
East African safari. Porini Safari Camps (www.porini.com)
have wonderful safari properties in Maasai conservancy
areas in Maasai Mara and Amboseli regions. Apart from
offering some of the best guided safari game-drives
and walks in Africa, they also work closely with local
Maasai communities and provide insightful tours of local
manyattas and warrior camps.
Gamewatchers (www.porini.com) offers a 6-night Porini
Migration special offer safari with a night on arrival at
Nairobi Tented Camp, followed by accommodation at
their Porini Camps in the Maasai Mara on an all-inclusive
basis (including meals, soft drinks, wine, guided
bush-walks with the Maasai, day and night drives with
qualified Maasai guides, conservancy, and park fees),
with return flights from Nairobi.

Where to experience tribal cultures
While Kenya’s Maasai Mara is often seen as the Maasai
heartlands, Tanzania’s celebrated Serengeti National
Park and Ngorongoro Crater are also unbeatable safari
locations in Maasai territory. Serengeti and Maasai Mara
are world famous for the great wildebeest migration –
known as the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth – but
if you want to avoid crowds and have the freedom to
explore on foot, choose to stay at a tribal conservancy
on the fringe of the Mara (the park is unfenced anyway
so wildlife is just as abundant on the boundaries). For
a completely different safari experience, head to the
Samburu National Reserve where Saruni Samburu
(www.saruni.com) offers an unbeatable insight into
the Samburu, the Maasai’s less famous but equally
aristocratic northern cousins.

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 91

ROOM WITH A VIEW

ZANZIBAR

WHITE
SANDS

L ocated on the beachfront of Paje,
Zanzibar White Sands looks out
over the crystalline waters of
the Indian Ocean and pristine
white sands of one of the most
beautiful beaches in the world.
The Relais and Chateaux property has
11 villas set across 4 hectares of lush,
tropical gardens offering space and
privacy. The villas each have two units
connected by an exotic garden with a
terrace, private swimming pool and
outdoor bathtub all with views over the
beach; a great option for families as well
as romantic breaks.
The food is of an exceptional standard,
using fruit, vegetables and herbs from
their own organic garden and the
freshest caught seafood daily. You can
choose to dine in the main restaurant,
the villa’s private dining space, or
simply lunch in the beach bar which
offers seafood and a meat barbecue,
salads and healthy smoothies.
Situated in the gardens is a spa which
has massage rooms, a steam room and
sauna. While relaxation is a strong
theme here, Zanzibar offers the
opportunity to engage in a wide range
of activities. Paje is considered one
of the best kitesurfing beaches in the
world and there is an opportunity to
explore UNESCO world heritage site,
Stone Town, participate in spice tours,
discover the Jozani Forest, paddle board
or swim with dolphins.
Room rates start from $220 pp and villas
start at $495 pp half board.

92 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021



ROOM WITH A VIEW

Nature meets culture at

EMBURARA

FARM LODGE

E mburara is a high-end fully-fledged eco-cultural village
promoting cultural tourism and conservation of flora and
fauna in a fresh, serene and relaxed farm environment. It is
surrounded by rolling hills, vast ranches and banana plantations.
Located in Mbarara District in Western Uganda, the lodge derives its
name from a local tall grass called emburara (hyperemia ruffa), which
the Ankole cattle keepers treasured and still revere as the best fodder
for their cows because it boosts the fat content of milk thus enabling
the production of high grade cow ghee.
Here, guests are introduced to the history and traditions of ancient
Ankole Kingdom through music, dance, and the traditional food of
this tribe of tall cattle keepers. Most importantly, at Emburara, they
tell you the story and invite you to experience the life, culture and
norms around the beautiful, gentle long horned Ankole cattle, so you
too can know why they are so treasured!
During your stay, the staff, led by their warm, vivacious General
Manager, Leslie Rabie, organise a complimentary farm tour on which
guests get to partake in a number of herding activities like Okukama
(milking), Okuriisa (herding cattle), and Okweshera (taking cows to
the watering trough) among others. John, the seasoned herdsman, is
supportive and patient. You will love the complementarity of his
approach and teaching style, full of so much knowledge, humour and
passion for the gentle animals.

As guests relax at the fireplace at night (located in the middle of
a lush flower garden), they are treated to folklore and electrifying
dances of the Ankole tribe. One such dance is Ekitaguriro, whose
elegant choreography reflects the Banyankole’s strong admiration for
their cattle.
As expected of a luxurious lodge, Emburara is spotless and boasts
elegant decor, and the architectural design of its eco-friendly huts
dates back to the 16th Century. They have a cozy interior and warm
lighting, and crested cranes and white cattle egrets can be spotted from
the comfort of your porch.

If you can’t endure the 9 hour drive from Bwindi Impenetrable
National Park to Kampala after your gorilla trek, Emburara offers
a great break because it is located midway between Bwindi and the
capital.

For more information on activities and rates, please visit
www.emburarafarmlodge.com

94 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021

ECTAERCIIS

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 95

FASHION

96 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021

FASHION

Clad in a pair of '70s inspired leather pants, runway for over 20 years, and returning not just to
Kiara Kabukuru stomped to the beats of a walk, but to open a show as buzzy as Tommy Hilfiger’s,
live jazz performance as she opened Tommy at a time when models are scouted off Instagram and
Hilfiger and Zendaya’s TommyxZendaya Spring 2020 become famous without doing much, this was a walk of
show, held in Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theatre during triumph. Inviting her back just for this show was proof
New York Fashion Week last September. During the that she had left an indelible mark on the industry
show, the 44-year-old model of Ugandan heritage led despite the hiatus.
a group of diverse models who walked the show, with
appearances from 67-year-old Joani Johnson, a heavily Kabukuru, best known as a CoverGirl Cosmetics
pregnant Ashley Graham and Alek Wek. model, was born Alice Kabukuru on July 31, 1975 in
For an industry with an insatiable obsession with Kampala, Uganda, and hails from Ankole. At the age of
novelty and perfection, this '70s-city-street-themed 16, she was discovered by photographer Bill Bodwell in
show was not just fun to watch, but also a breath a Los Angeles shopping centre, and her exotic African
of fresh air. That it was a famous Ugandan model allure immediately caught the attention of bookers. It
from the '90s who opened the show made the whole is then that her name was changed from Alice to Kiara
extravaganza an even bigger deal. Kabukuru is not new at the suggestion of her then agent at Ford models, who
to this; she opened a slew of shows back in her heyday, felt ‘Kiara’ sounded more exotic.
her most nerve wracking experience being a show for
designer John Galliano. It’s hard to imagine anyone thinking that Kabukuru
“He (Galliano) told me that I’d be opening the show needed to be more exotic. Her father, a very wealthy
for his cruise collection here in New York, which was and powerful man in Uganda, was marked for
the iconic primitive show that they did, with the bones assassination for being against the regime. In 1980, her
and all these things. I was actually gonna come up parents fled the country, and Kabukuru and her three
from underground, and open a trap door to come into siblings and grandparents were smuggled into Kenya.
this huge audience. I had not opened a show like that A year later, when she was six, Amnesty International
before,” she told Vogue Italia in an interview. helped reunite the family in Los Angeles, but the
However, her TommyxZendaya appearance was a whole family dynamic had changed. Her father had
fresh new adventure. Having been absent from the a nervous breakdown and they all went into survival
mode. She has famously said that from a young age, she
had her sights set on New York, because that’s what

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 97

FASHION ‘different’ people did, and she was going to be ‘different’.
Growing up, she said, “Everybody started telling
Above:
Kabukuru walks the me that I should be a model.” Everyone, that is, except
TommyxZendaya her parents. “I was skinny, I was boyish, I thought I
Spring 2020 show just didn’t have what they considered beautiful.” But
at the iconic Apollo Boldwell thought differently.
Theatre
Her first booking was for a Coca-Cola commercial. “I
98 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021 had this short little Afro. The ad said they were looking
for the classic all-American beauty, and I thought to
myself, Hey!” she said. This Coke commercial led to
her first job in New York, a Levi’s ad shot by Albert
Watson. She was then sent around to the big design
houses. Her consummate professionalism and youthful
spirit immediately won the hearts of the industry’s most
esteemed photographers and designers.

On one of her first nights out in the city, she ended
up in the East Village at Café Tabac, where supermodels
Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Stephanie
Seymour and Elaine Irwin were all seated together at a
table. “It was such a moment for me,” Kabukuru said.
“Like, I’m in New York! With these women! And I’m
actually modelling!”

It was Tom Ford, then creative director of Gucci, who
ushered the Ugandan newcomer into the spotlight with
a career-changing opportunity as the face of the Italian
brand. He booked her exclusively for the Gucci shows in
Milan and the brand’s advertising campaign.

She then earned her stripes walking every show
from Calvin Klein, Dior, Balmain, Moschino, Dolce
& Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent
to Versace, and appearing on covers of top-tier fashion
publications such as Vogue Germany, Elle, Spanish
Vogue, I-D and a solo appearance on the July 1997 cover
of American Vogue photographed by Steven Meisel. She
went ahead to land multiple lucrative beauty campaigns
for L’Oreal and CoverGirl, a nomination as VH1’s Model
Of The Year, and appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show
and America’s Next Top Model.

“It was such a moment for
me, like, I’m in New York!
With these women! And I’m

actually modelling!”

In 2000, as her career was at its peak, the model
suffered a horrific accident where she was hit by an
18-wheeler truck whilst cycling on the streets of New
York City. It was Memorial Day weekend and her
boyfriend was on his way from London to visit her in

FASHION

New York. She was riding her new bicycle this mining,” she intimated. Her purpose
to pick up candles and flowers when tragedy now is “forgiveness and unconditional love,
befell her. The truck, which was manned to transcend all these traumatic events in my
by an unlicensed driver, slammed into life. No matter what I’m doing, the question
her, dragging her along the pavement. In is always, how I can give unconditional love
utter pain and shock, Kabukuru picked her in that moment.”
teeth off the ground when the truck finally
stopped. In 2010, she returned to her apartment
in Manhattan, although with trepidation,
At the hospital, she said, “Everybody because she was so freaked out about the city.
was looking at me like, ‘Oh, my God.’ And Here, she learned of the work of Momentum
nobody would bring me a mirror.” Bike Clubs, which provides mentoring
services to at-risk youth, encouraging
The skin on her arms and back had been healthy exercise while forging positive
ripped off. Her jaw, teeth, and gums had to relationships. She became drawn to their
be reconstructed. Her ribs, pelvis, sacrum, good work and decided to get on a bicycle for
pubic bone and right ankle were broken. the first time since her accident, to ride with
She was in excruciating pain and went the children. Since she first connected with
through multiple surgeries. It would take Momentum Bike Clubs in 2011, she has made
seven reconstructive surgeries to rebuild her several trips to the Upstate to ride with the
jaw alone. She spent the next five years in club’s youth, sharing her story of resilience
Los Angeles, close to her family, rebuilding and hope.
her life through intensive physical rehab,
therapy, meditation and yoga. Miraculously, She has also been making quiet but
her skin healed without any visible scarring. calculated steps back into the fashion
industry. She walked Tom Ford’s Fall 2013
Eight years later, with encouragement show, appeared in editorials for W Magazine,
from supermodel Gisele Bündchen, her close Muse, CR Fashion Book, American Vogue, and
friend of over 20 years, she slowly bounced advertising campaigns for the now defunct
back, appearing in the iconic all-black issue Barneys New York and Avon. All these
of Vogue Italia in 2008. She also signed a projects were done between 2013 and 2015.
new contract with CoverGirl. These were
still baby steps back into a career that had She reappeared to open the
given her everything, but she was still a TommyxZendaya Spring 2020 show, before
bit shell-shocked and not ready to commit. starring on the cover of Dior’s Dior Moments
Instead, she studied acting and helped start a Of Joy Book 2019 in October, modelling a
nonprofit, Women for the World, of which tiger print jacket designed by John Galliano.
she was the vice president. All this was done quietly with the same
work ethic of the models of the ‘90s, working
The stunning 5’9” tall supermodel had without making noise about what she was
nothing but lessons from the tumultuous doing. She’s a very private person and is not
experience. In a chat with Bundchen for on social media.
CR Fashion Book, she talked about how she
managed to smile even when all her front She made a trip to Uganda to document
teeth were gone. her history as part of her efforts to write a
memoir. “That trip was sensory overload
“I remember feeling grateful. I really for me,” she told Bündchen. “I learned
thought it was the end, and when it wasn’t, that my great- grandfather chose to die of
I felt really lucky to be alive. It also gave starvation, letting my great-grandmother
me access to all the hurt I was carrying. I and grandfather have the little food they
was surprised to find that I was upset about had. My grandfather then went on to have
my childhood in Uganda, which was filled 16 children. I have 60 first cousins on my
with the violence of war and of the domestic mom’s side. So my great-grandfather’s
variety. Maybe it’s my inquisitiveness and sacrifice affected a lot of people. The most
fascination with the psyche, but I chose important thing I took away from that was
to get to the bottom of it, and at times I how many people lived, died, struggled,
felt so lost having dug all this stuff up. But sacrificed, and hustled for me to be here. I left
something kept me going, I believed with feeling very lucky.”
faith that I would find my purpose through

www.ngaaliinflightmag.com 99

TRENDS

Classic It’s a soothing, timeless shade that falls
somewhere between mid-tone and deep-
blue on the colour spectrum. It represents
intelligence, trustworthiness and maturity.
The colour can also be described as honest,
non-aggressive, and easily relatable. It oozes
tranquillity, peace and relaxation; just what
we need in the new decade.

Jacket – Iconic
UG, Senana Mall,
Buganda Road

Wing Chair – Danube
Home, Plot 2c,
Kampala Road

Bra Top – Lauma Lingerie,
Ntinda Complex

Scarf – Buganda
Road Market

Power Bank – Pavan
Computers, Ground Floor,
Garden City Mall

Sneakers – Iconic UG,
Senana Mall,
Buganda Road

Wristwatch –
Comforts and
Pleasures, first floor,
shop no. 32

100 NG'AALI DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021