Photographer: Eki
| Family hiking to Olmati Crater Waterfall |  | |
Photographer: Jessica Vammen
| Making friends with Massai children | | |
Photographer: Jessica Vammen
| Bow and arrow lesson from Bushmen | | |
Photographer: Jon Vammen
| Children on soccer field of local school | | |
|
|
Blending culture with safari in Tanzania
|
|
by Sharon Ward
|
|
| |
When our family of six booked a three week trip to Africa with Wildland for our vacation in June 2008, the itinerary took us to Victoria Falls, a stopover in Johannesburg, a 12-day safari in Tanzania and a final few days relaxing in Zanzibar.
We had looked forward to our encounters with the African wildlife, but our expectations were exceeded by the experiences we had interacting not only with the animals but with also our contacts with the local people and our fabulous guide (Exaud 'Eki' Sarumbo). Our safari began with daily game drives and every outing had something different to offer--always something new. We were surprised at how close we got to the animals: we saw the Big 5, a mother lion nursing her cubs, a baby hippo trying to protect her dead mother, and a cheetah planning an attack on nearby prey. We looked forward to the game drives and what unexpected adventures awaited us.
We mixed the game drives with local cultural encounters. Our guide introduced us to a Maasai village. The warm nature of the Maasai people was wonderful. They welcomed us and we joined in their song and dance, helped to thatch the roof and mud the walls of the hut, observed the men draw blood from the cow and aided in the grinding of corn. The highlight was an in depth discussion in the hut with the women of the tribe about the societal differences between the Maasai culture and the life we live in Seattle, including women's health issues such as birth control!
The experience with the Bushman was equally rewarding. It was amazing to observe their nomadic lifestyle as we tried to keep up with them on a hunting excursion where they used a bow and arrow to kill a hyrax. They proceeded to instruct us on how to build a fire with two sticks and how to aim and shoot their bow and arrow. We were in awe of their unusual dialect and their sparse existence.
Another highlight was our visit to a local school where we delivered a duffle bag full of school supplies donated by the school where our daughter teaches. We had the opportunity to talk to several students and teachers, and even the soccer coach. The children sang us songs, showed us their workbooks and drawings and we gave them a lesson in US geography. We have continued a relationship with the school and have sent boxes of school supplies and soccer nets. We are also busy corresponding with our new pen pals (some of the school children).
Throughout our three week trip we alternated cultural experiences with game drive safaris. The permanent tented camps were fabulous and made us feel closer to the land. In the Serengeti we heard the hyenas at night, saw the elephants & giraffes in the distance and enjoyed stories around the campfire at night. The food was wonderful. We loved our guide, Eki, his good nature, his sharing of his life experiences and even a trip for my daughter to his home in Arusha. We were inspired by how happy the African people were and how they always had a big smile for us.
We can't express how wonderful our trip to Africa was. Our most memorable moments were those spent with the local guides and people we visited. We were grateful for their questions and their openness when we inquired about their culture. This was an amazing adventure for our family which will be fondly remembered forever.
|
|
|
