Msomi and Me – by Brian Connell has just been published by Just Done Productions R180
Having been brought up in
I am by no means in their league, but the lessons I learnt from them has, in my humble opinion, led me to make some worthwhile images.
Taking photographic skills and a love of the bush, I started a bush-camp in the middle of nowhere with the intention of running photographic workshops in the wilderness of
For seven years I had an absolute ball, enjoying a lifestyle that few have ever experienced.
My mentor, Msomi, and I lived in close proximity to the wildlife; learning, teaching and above all: LIVING!
This collection of anecdotes will give you, the reader, a fair idea of what living in paradise is all about.
Brian Connell
This book has wonderful anecdotes about the guests at Nokathula, the adventures of Msomi and Brian, close encounters with wildlife but also informative descriptions of animal behaviour, a few delicious recipes and 26 pages of beautiful colour wildlife photographs. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable and informative read.
“We laughed. Exuberant. Happy. Teacher and pupil having become a very small step closer to each other. He diplomatically refrained from telling me how obviously the rhino had indicated its presence.
I looked at Msomi as he led the way, proud and straight, walking with a relaxed and casual gait, head continually moving from side to side, using all his senses, and probably a few that I was unaware of, to listen to the bush, to smell the bush, to look at the bush.
And I realised that education takes many diverse forms.
Here was a man who could neither read nor write. But he could ‘read’ the bush as you or I would read a book.
He could ‘write’ a story in words, song and dance, as you or I would write a letter. What a talent! And boy, was I envious!
With all my schooling, my technical training, I was a child again, knowing nothing, but keen to learn.
Msomi called a halt a couple of hours later and we sat under the shade of an acacia tree. Msomi carefully built up a ring of small stones, found some dried grass and elephant dung and soon had a small fire going for a much-needed mug of tea.”
“As I got that bit closer, though, I discovered the source of his questing behaviour. There, only a few metres in front of me lay an elephant skull, glowing in the early morning light.
I backed away, slowly, and hunkered down on my haunches, camera ready, to observe something I had only heard about but never witnessed.
Elephant have a curious affinity with their dead, often spending disproportionate amounts of time with their remains, but never even glancing at any other animal’s carcass.
Sure enough, this magnificent animal, massive, powerful, but totally silent, advanced toward the skull. His trunk dropped. Almost in abject resignation at what he had discovered. His body language changed from one of intensity and tension to one of relaxation and bewilderment.
Slowly, oh so slowly, he moved forward, glancing at me a couple of times. My presence, though, didn’t bother him. I think he knew that I meant no harm. He stood absolutely motionless over the skull, his trunk dropping to delicately sniff all over the bony surface.
I felt his pain. His grief. His terrible sense of loss.
He stood there for many long minutes, gently and reverently moving his trunk over and around the skull. Finally, he stopped and the tip of his trunk wrapped itself around the skull. He stood motionless, paying his respects in the only way he knew how.
I had been mesmerised by this display of affection and reverent mourning. So deeply moved that I hadn’t even thought about the camera. The elephant looked at me again. The look in his eye causing my own to fill with tears. The lump in my throat was massive, the tears flowing freely down my cheeks.
I have never before, or since, experienced such emotion in the bush. Not only between the elephant and his departed relative, but between me and this behemoth who could have crushed me and torn me to pieces with barely any effort at all.”
Non–fiction/ Wildlife/ Memoir/ Animal behaviour/
A5, 182 pages, 26 pages colour photographs
Copies of Msomi and Me can be ordered online http://www.justdone.co.za
Choose catalog and follow the instructions
If you have any problems contact: John 083 3888 290 Fax 086 505 2478 or publish@justdone.co.za
Payments may be done via credit card or EFT, bank deposit
International orders (black and white only) may be placed via http://www.lulu.com/content/3138394
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