As for Zimbabwe (nee Rhodesia) Kathie sent me this fine and touching memoir of her years there, to wit - -
Richard,
I lived in Rhodesia for two capturing seasons with Jurgen when we were married back in 1966 and 1967. I went there as a bride of three months. The only thing the country lacked was petrol. Otherwise, it had become very self-sufficient. People rallied together and worked as a unit...black and white together in a happy environment. We loved the time we spent in that beautiful country.
We had a custom-made caravan with a double bed (unknown in those days) from Jurgen's parents which I pulled with my American Ford car while Jurgen drove the Mercedes tractor trailer. We spent most of our seven to eight months each year parked in one of the camps in what was then Wankie National Park. Those days on safari will be a special part of my life forever. To watch a lioness stalk it's prey at sunset while I am up in a tree hide while the men were capturing elephants below is something unforgettable.
Sometimes we lived in a thatched roof hut or lodge if we were entertaining American Zoo friends. I am so glad to have seen it in the days of Ian Smith as Prime Minister. Salisbury and Bulawayo were such beautiful cities especially when the jacaranda and other trees were in bloom. The streets were lined with bird of paradise and ginger. It was a tropical wonderland lush and green as well.
Marlin Perkins would fly out periodically to be photographed in the Wild Kingdom series. Jim Fowler and entourage were following us while we captured our animals each year. They had an agreement with the Rhodesian Government to photograph what we were capturing. Our family supplied a service to the government by transporting White Rhinos from Umfolosi National Park near Durban to the Rhodesian Game Reserves where they had none. No monetary exchange was allowed so we provided a service. In exchange we were allowed to capture and export "X" number of each specie annually. We knew the country well.
It is indeed a pity what has happened to that beautiful land.
Kathie
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Friday, September 13, 2013
Elephants/Rhinos #6
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5 comments:
What a wonderful & interesting tale
written beautifully by a someone
who clearly loved being there
I spent a week with my late father traveling in Rhodesia in 1972. The terrorist war had not yet really begun at that time. Kathie's observations about it being a beautiful place, prosperous, self-sufficient in all things but petrol, is correct. When the Ian Smith government made its Unilateral Declaration of Independence, the international community put economic sanctions on the country, so they had to become as self-sufficient as they could. To see and read what has happened to it since the rise of Mugabe is truly a tragedy of monumental proportions for both the blacks and the few remaining whites in the country.
Bill Schreiber
My late father and I spent a week traveling Rhodesia in 1972. This was before the start of the terrorist war. Kathie's comments about the country being beautiful, peaceful, prosperous and self-sufficient in all things but petrol are spot on. After the Ian Smith government made its Unilateral Declaration of Independence the international community threw economic sanctions against Rhodesia, forcing the country to achieve as much self-sufficiency as it could. When Mugabe took over in the early 1980s
there was great hope for the country as the war was over, it had a strong economy, etc. The ruination of it that has occurred to the country since Mugabe took charge has been a tragedy the blacks and the few whites who have stayed. The country went from the
"bread basket of southern Africa" to the "basket case of southern Africa."
I had a wonderful time in Uganda in 74 for two months while the World was having the first oil embargo...that country too was very beautiful but with Idi Amin leading them down the tubes..
Great comments from both of you. This is what makes this blog so interesting. Write more Bill. Its nice to hear from you. Johnny
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