inspirations Read LOVE AND LOSS IN THE WILD THE WORDS OF Lawrence Anthony Text: Lara Potgieter & Ken Forrester Wines | Images: © Andre Swanepoel Every wild thing is in tune with its surroundings, awake to its fate and in absolute harmony with the planet. Their attention is focused totally outwards. Humans, on the other hand, tend to focus introspectively on their own lives too often, brooding and magnifying problems that the animal kingdom would not waste a millisecond of energy upon. To most people, the magnificent order of the natural world where life and death actually mean something has become unrecognizable. - Lawrence Anthony, The Last Rhinos Tucked away under layers of blankets on a rainy night in the middle of the city, I feel in tune with my surroundings. Not the four white walls or the relentless hum of traffic three floors down, but all that surrounds me as a child of this magnificent continent. I see the thousands of wrinkles that criss-cross over an elephant’s skin and hear the peals of thunder that announce the first resurrecting rains of spring. But I also hear the crack of a rifle, see the ominous descent of a vulture and feel the horror of the conservationist, ranger, parent or child who discovers the aftermath. I’m far from it all right now, of course, but I have a worn paperback in my hand and Lawrence Anthony is telling me a story. He tells me about his beloved rhino Heidi, her brutal slaughter and the endless challenges involved in the fight for life. He tells me about politics, poverty, war and warthogs in South and North <strong>Africa</strong> and beyond. Fires, floods, sunsets and soldiers unfold before that precious part of my mind that is still able to run through the bush on another goddamn beautiful day in <strong>Africa</strong> (when it is in fact quite miserable outside and the only place I can really run is the bathroom when I’m feeling particularly energetic). I imagine the slimy tip of a trunk on my forehead and the untold difficulty of eventually having to walk away. Nana, Frankie, Mandla, bush pigs and tokoloshes populate my dreams, and the waking day is really just spent waiting for story time to come around once more. There is, however, nothing fantastical about these stories. They tell of the reality of the <strong>Africa</strong>n bush, of two majestic yet endangered species and of the initiative, perseverance and bravery of one man on a farm in Kwazulu-Natal. I would have given my two front teeth (wouldn’t it be wonderful if we started trading those illegally instead?) to hear the stories told by his tongue. His books, however, will sustain me (and a whole generation I am sure) through the long, hard and at times beautiful battle for life, above all, for all. For more information or to order a copy of the books, visit www.panmacmillan.co.za. To find out how you can become involved with The Lawrence Anthony Earth Foundation, visit www. lawrenceanthony.co.za 24 Image: © Pan Macmillan
“FIRES, FLOODS, SUNSETS AND SOLDIERS UNFOLD BEFORE THAT PRECIOUS PART OF MY MIND THAT IS STILL ABLE TO RUN THROUGH THE BUSH ON ANOTHER GODDAMN BEAUTIFUL DAY IN AFRICA...” 25 ULTIMATE AFRICA - THE LUXURY TRAVEL GUIDE Image: © Suki Dhanda
Change language