In this volume of the Singita magazine, we explore the theme of continuation through a collection of these stories, and the lens of nature. Each one invites you to reflect on the unfolding rhythm of existence and reminds us that on this journey, we are always in motion.
continuation
volume 4
contents
welcome note
inspiration the ripple effect
follow the leader
coming full circle breathe
experience
moments in time from whence we came
the power in returning
wisdom
a dog’s best friend touchstone when the seasons speak of africa
welcome
Cycles repeat. Seasons come and go.
Endings are never final, only the beginning of something new. This, we learn from nature.
Everything, from the ephemeral to the everlasting, is part of one great story made up of many smaller ones.
In this volume of the Singita magazine, we explore the theme of continuation
through a collection of these stories, and the lens of nature.
Each one invites you to reflect
on the unfolding rhythm of existence
and reminds us that on this journey,
we are always in motion.
We hope you enjoy, The people of Singita
elements of nature
fill our every day
we don’t always
have to venture far
to find them
inspiration
inspiration
the ripple
effect
No species exists in a vacuum – each influences its respective environment
in a unique and important way, in turn affecting others,
a ripple that continues outwards
inspiration
When we talk about ecosystems, it’s often in generalities – the reliance of species on one another for survival. On a more micro level, this plays out in nature in a very literal way. Ecosystems in balance allow all species to thrive, and when something, even small, is removed, it creates discord and breaks the links of the chain. The same applies in reverse: nurturing a native species in the process of rewilding a landscape can restore health to the whole system. As far as a definition goes, a keystone species is an organism that plays a particularly large role in its ecosystem (sometimes disproportionate to its own size), helping to maintain the integrity of its structure. The removal of a keystone species causes a knock-on of negative changes, often decreasing biodiversity, and can even lead to
collapse. Ecologist Robert T Paine, who coined the term in 1969, gives examples that act ‘as predators, ecosystem engineers, or mutualists to keep their habitats healthy’. The much-cited story of the restoration of wolves to Yellowstone in the 1990s gives colour to this theory. What followed their reintroduction seemed nothing short of miraculous, but really, was simply the system recovering. Their presence led to a reduction in elk overgrazing, which in turn allowed vegetation like willows and aspens to recover. This recovery of vegetation then created better habitats for other species, such as beavers and songbirds, and even influenced the physical landscape by reducing river erosion and stabilising riverbanks. This is an example of a ‘trophic cascade’.
Previous spread Elephants, on land and water, use their might to shape the terrain. Left It’s not just clear paths and sustenance that keystone species provide, but shelter too. Above Hippos too, thanks to their size and strength, create channels for water to flow.
inspiration
the tiniest creatures
can hold the greatest power
to sustain
the wild
In Southern Africa, there are a handful of species that are crucial to keeping our landscapes in balance. Like elephants, whose sheer size and strength allow them to fundamentally alter the landscape on a literal level – carving a physical path through the terrain, digging waterholes, and opening up pathways to clear areas for other animals to access and grass to grow. Hippos, too, can physically change the environment they live in – particularly in regions where water forms a central part of the landscape, like the Okavango Delta. Their presence and movement dictate the location and direction of the pathways and channels in the delta, which decides the flow of water.
And, in the wild, all follows water. The tiny can play a critical role too. Nurturing the soil, termites labour under the ground, unseen, to keep it healthy. And while they seem small, consider this – more vegetation biomass is used by termites than all the mammal species combined. Their work puts nutrients back into the soil and aerates it, reduces dead vegetation, which helps reduce the fire risk, makes space for new growth, and provides homes for animals like aardvarks, mongooses, and snakes. Each biome has its own keystone species, without which the delicate balance would falter. When next you’re out in the wilderness, consider that some of most critical role players might not even be obvious to the eye.
Right The unseen engineer, termites provide homes for animals like aardvarks and mongooses, and offer a higher vantage point.
in the wild,
everything is a keeper
of balance
inspiration
follow the
leader
The legendary connection between honeyguide and human
is part learned wisdom,
part instinctual pull
19
inspiration
The relationship between the greater honeyguide ( Indicator indicator ) and humans ( Homo sapiens ) is so remarkable, it borders on mythical. Mutualistic, it involves two-way communication between people and these wild birds, which is incredibly rare in the natural world. Where the animal is neither domesticated, trained, nor coerced and yet works willingly with humans in a collaborative hunt for the riches that can be found in a beehive. Honeyguides solicit people with a distinctive call and then fly from tree to tree in the direction of a bee’s nest, guiding their human counterpart along the path. Success means honey for humans and honeycomb (and beeswax, larvae, and pupae) for the birds. Legend has it that the condition of this exchange is that some of the comb must be left for the bird in thanks. And that if the human in question is greedy
and doesn’t leave anything in return for the honeyguide’s help, the next time they follow, it’ll lead them into danger. The humans’ honey-hunting call is distinctive too – passed down through generations. It serves as a signal to the bird that a person needs a guide. Like the birds, honey hunters learn these calls through transmission within their communities and they vary by location and culture. So, is it nature or nurture that allows the honeyguide and human to communicate? In short, it’s both. But beyond the folklore and research, there is an element of this phenomenon that defies logic. And reminds us once again that part of the magic of nature is that it occasionally defies our comprehension. Click here to read more in ‘To Follow a Honeyguide’.
breath, the steady pulse of life,
is ever in your reach
inspiration
coming
full circle
The seasons shift, but some things remain constant –
light, life, and the promise
that the cycle continues
inspiration
a season
to return,
a time to transition
Spring: Life springs from the ground and bursts from branches in shoots and buds. Now is the time for emergence, for growth. Migratory birds return, bringing movement to the skies once again. The landscape starts to transition. A light blanket of green replaces the dust of winter as the first rains arrive. Celebrate the return of the skin- warming sun and drink in the sounds and sights of life gently stirring.
inspiration
inspiration
a season
for regeneration,
the rhythm of renewal
inspiration
Summer: The green season is nature in full flow – at its most vital and energised, its most dynamic and transformed. New life is everywhere. Baby animals abound, but game spreads out. The air is hot and heavy. But as the sun starts to dip, storms rumble across horizons. Signs of new life to come. The respite is short but dramatic, the atmosphere heavy with water. Breathe in the moisture-laden air, watch a rainbow emerge.
inspiration
inspiration
a season in flux,
a pause for perspective
inspiration
Autumn: The seasons are neither here nor there. For now, days merge into one another, reaching an equilibrium. They’re mild, not cold. Crisp and cool in the morning, gradually warming in the daytime’s gentle sun. This limbo is a time to just be, to allow processes to unfold. Sit in stillness, enjoy the ongoing change around you, and marvel as foliage turns from green to gold.
inspiration
a season
to rest,
Winter: The air is bitingly fresh. The skies are clear. Vegetation is thin and sparse. In the hollow cold, animals gather to drink, drawn together by scarcity. Steam rises off the water. The bush is dry but still teeming with life. Its endless shades of blonde and brown merge with the earth, wrapping you tightly like a blanket. Warm yourself by the fire, reflect on a day well spent.
a state of symbiosis
to burn
is to begin again
inspiration
breathe
Beneath the eddies of change, breath is a constant, connecting us to ourselves, each other,
and the ever-unfolding moment
inspiration
When thunderstorms shake the foundation of the earth and the floods that follow break riverbanks, still the world breathes – so breathe.
When winds surge, fanning flame into wild fire,
and that which stood before now smoulders,
still it breathes – so breathe.
When drought cracks the land open wide
and doubt clamours from the fissures left behind, still the world breathes – so breathe.
When herds thin and prides grow drowsy,
dampened by desire’s heavy heat,
still it breathes – so breathe.
inspiration
When the rising sun paints the world
in radiant shades of orange, yellow, and red,
the world is breathing – breathe.
When the silent night is broken by song and soggy grass,
and the wild fills again with faint, fresh footprints,
it’s breathing – so breathe.
When brittle dust becomes a colour-blanket
of blossoms brave to bloom, we see it breathing – breathe with it.
And pay attention to breath.
The steady pulse of life, constant and connector,
is ever in your reach.
Click here to be guided in your breathing and feel yourself melt into the present moment
So breathe.
experience
experience
moments
in time
A poetic expression of soil,
climate, and people,
wine encapsulates the moment
experience
The craft of wine relies on a continuous cycle: growth, harvest, maturation, ageing. It’s the product of sunlight, soil, rain, and nutrients. It requires a light touch but a decisive palate. Most importantly, it demands patience and passion. Once it’s finally poured into a glass, it encapsulates these ingredients – simply alchemised into another form. Food is close to our hearts; we infuse it with care. Food is nourishment, but also so much more – it’s an opportunity for connection, reflection, relaxation. It’s present on momentous and ordinary days alike. Wine elevates this experience and is a central part of how we enjoy meals and honour nature. An extension of nature: As a poetic expression of soil, climate, and people, wine is the distillation of all of these. A conduit between humans and nature, it encapsulates the sense of place and time when it was made. Jörg Pfützner, the head of Singita’s wine portfolio, believes that nothing can or should compete with the majestic power of Africa, and that rather, wine should play a supporting role, allowing guests to fully experience the bush, enhancing it through an intrinsic connection to the land. In concert, these two elements – nature encapsulated, and nature unbound – take the form of enjoying some of the world’s best wines in the tranquillity of the wilderness. These moments live on in our memories, giving them life past the moment in question. This is the legacy and power of beautiful wine. Growth continues: Like wine itself, our wine experience has matured and evolved.
A continuation of our food journey, it mirrors the wine-making process – where planning meets patience, and careful curation culminates in moments that echo down through the decades. Singita Premier Wine Direct has continued to grow under Jörg’s guidance. His understanding of wine is matched by his appreciation for nature, inspiring him to create extraordinary experiences centred around the confluence of these two things. Part of this is the gradual evolution of a journey to one that’s becoming increasingly more curated, allowing each guest’s experience to be distinctive from the next. The next step in this ongoing evolution is the creation of a signature case of wines under Singita’s own label, Phato. The journey goes on: The name Phato comes from the Tsonga word Xiphato, meaning ‘poem’. It’s a collection of wines that capture the beauty of the Cape, created in collaboration with some of South Africa’s most celebrated winemakers. Singita translates to ‘place of miracles’, and we see each of these wines as a miracle of place – an expression of the region’s diverse climates and soils, rooted in some of the oldest terroirs on earth. In sharing Phato with our guests, we want to make their time with us more personal by selecting the styles that feel most ‘them’. The intention is to extend the personalisation of the cellar experience to game drives and in-room contemplation. To encourage guests to explore through their palate via the industry’s changemakers and icons, and to find a glass that will cement an occasion forever in their memories.
Previous spread The journey of wine – from soil to glass – moves in step with the seasons. Left Planning and patience meet the perfect timing of nature, culminating in memories forever cherished.
feel the truth,
the hidden strength beneath the soil
experience
from whence
we came
Zimbabwe’s rich cultural heritage
lives on in the craft, spirit,
and stories of its people
55
experience
Among the contoured hills of southeastern Zimbabwe lie the remnants of an ancient kingdom, built of stone. Great Zimbabwe was once the capital of a vast trade empire, the Kingdom of Zimbabwe, that stretched across the Indian Ocean, connecting sub-Saharan Africa with Arabia, India, and East Asia as far back as the 12th or 13th century. By the 1500s, it had largely been abandoned, leaving a legacy of similar stone structures and
artefacts from around the world, scattered across the region. Among the most iconic are soapstone bird sculptures, carved by the local Shona people. One of these birds graces the flag of modern Zimbabwe, a country whose name also honours its proud past. In the Shona language, ‘Zimbabwe’ means ‘houses of stone.’ Evidence of its rich cultural heritage can still be found, and it’s kept alive through the craft, spirit, and stories of its people. In Malilangwe, you can experience it with them.
experience
The sound of our ancestors: The Mbira is a traditional African instrument made up of metal keys attached to a wooden board. When they’re plucked, they produce a warm, tinny, ethereal sound that resonates deeply in one’s chest – and for the Shona, it’s a connection to the spirits of one’s ancestors. It reminds Lizzie Mathe, a homekeeper at Pamushana, of her grandmother, who taught her to play. “She was a very strong woman, a Sangoma (traditional healer) who could inspire many people,” she says. “My grandmother’s music motivated spirit mediums, which would impact whoever she was with. It’s a healing process. It calms tension.” “Mbira is more than a musical instrument; it’s a symbol of our culture, identity, and spirituality. It’s played during ceremonies and celebrations, and by rainmakers to call for the rains. It brings joy and draws people together,” says Lizzie. She wishes to pass the tradition on to her own kin, and loves to play both for herself and others, drawing a line of remembrance between those who came before her and those who share time with her now. “It’s in my veins. Like eating food or drinking water, I have to do it.”
The continuation of a culture: Africa is a rich tapestry of cultures, kept alive through the sharing of knowledge, practices, and traditions. The Kambako Living History Museum offers insight into the traditional daily ways of life of the Shangaan, a historically hunter-gatherer people with a storied past that spans Southern Africa’s borders and kingdoms. Developed and run in partnership with a local Shangaan village just beyond the eastern boundary of the reserve, this living museum aims to both preserve the past and enrich the future through education. The name ‘Kambako’ translates to ‘old elephant bull’ and represents wisdom passed down. The museum showcases the bushcraft skills that have enabled the Shangaan to live lightly on the land for centuries. Visitors can experience and learn traditional methods of making fires, traps, clay pots, and bow-and-arrows, as well as water divining, basket weaving, iron smelting, beading, and identifying natural tubers. This wealth of knowledge and skills has been passed down from one set of hands to another, over generations – each a lesson, a memory, a responsibility, and a flame kept burning.
Click here to listen to Lizzie play the Mbira
experience
The art of human impulse The towering sandstone cliffs of the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve are dotted with rock art spanning millennia. Marks made by the hands and imaginations of the nomadic San peoples, Iron Age farmers, and Khoekhoen, or Khoi, pastoralists. Their existence is proof that creating is a universal impulse, deeply ingrained in all humans, despite even the thousands of years that separate us. It’s believed that these respective groups of people were each compelled to share symbolic representations of their environment in red ochre, water, egg white, and blood, using brushes made from sticks, feathers, and animal hair. There are 123 recorded examples of this ancient ritual of man recording his presence in nature dotted across the reserve, and at Pamushana, you can visit them with a guide who truly understands both their significance and their history. Seeing them here, deep in the wilderness, preserved in time, is a reminder that what we create endures.
Houses of stone The design of Pamushana and Malilangwe House honours the multifaceted cultural and natural heritage of the region, drawing inspiration from its biodiversity and geology, as well as from Great Zimbabwe itself. Adorned with artworks and surrounded by a seemingly endless wilderness, one gets a sense, by being here, of complete seclusion from the modern world – as if you’ve stepped into a more ancient one. And yet, there’s always something new to discover. Like nature, cultural expression evolves. In Shona, ‘Pamushana’ means ‘in the morning or afternoon light.’ And as new light continues to shine on the region, and new stories are crafted and shared, who knows what more there will be to see, learn, and experience here in the future.
time’s onward march
reminds us to be present
experience
the power
in returning
For every chapter of life,
the bush will provide a different type of wonder
experience
For many, travel is a quest for constant newness, driven by a desire to keep exploring different places. What many don’t realise is that travelling to the bush offers exactly this. A different place every time. Aside from change in season and the shifts in terrain that follow – creating whole new landscapes in themselves – each trip is an experience that reveals and offers something new. The things you seek evolve too, with time. Like many South Africans, I was raised with trips to the bush – a regular highlight punctuating everyday city life, the privilege of proximity to reserves allowing it to become a tradition instead of an exception. But rather than dilute
the enjoyment of being in the wilderness, each return trip deepened my love for it. It feels like home. The sound of birds. The undefinable sweet smell of a blend of different trees (it’s hard to put your finger on, but if you’ve smelt it, you know). These, and the irresistible pull towards a fire, will forever be the bush for me. As a child, the bush invoked awe. The promise of something exciting. Drives were spent with eyes peeled, learning the names of birds, trying to memorise them. The thrill of seeing animals infused with a respectful dose of fear, when appropriate. The triumph at spotting the faintest suggestion of a pair of ears above the golden grass.
Previous spread The light, smell, and sounds of the bush etch themselves in your memory. Right Intertwined with a sense of awe at every chapter, returning to the wilderness over the years will offer a new kind of magic each time.
experience
each return trip
deepened my love for the bush
it feels like home
I had favourites, of course – the perfect roundness of a Pearl-spotted owlet, the compact form and impossible blue of a kingfisher’s breast, the teddy-bear faces of a waterbuck. Feeling dusty and happily exhausted after the day. Roasting marshmallows on the dying embers of a braai. Now that I’m an adult, I see and feel it through a different lens. It encapsulates peace and space. An opportunity to form connections and strengthen others. Breathe fresh air, hear myself think, sit in silence, and enjoy instead the beautiful noise of nature. The same bird calls welcome you back. It’s merely another
aspect of it – a little quieter than the wide-eyed excitement of youth, but no less filled with awe. The fire still draws me near, offering consistent comfort. A way to close out the day. The next phase of this continuing love affair is the anticipation of sharing it with the children of our generation. Experiencing that same wonder and sense of freedom again through the eyes of people I love, whose interests and dreams are still forming. A foot in both my past and my present. To feel excitement on their behalf for the potential of the deepening of reverence over time. To watch them settle into that same feeling of home.
Left The primal pull of a fire at sunset is inextricably linked to the bush experience.
wisdom
wisdom
a dog’s
best friend
African wild dogs understand that community is the greatest tool for continuation
wisdom
The law of the wild: Every species is primarily concerned with its own survival, doing what it must to protect its young and pass on its genes. Some refer to this as the cycle of life, and some, the law of the wild – simple on the surface, but wonderfully and unfathomably complex the deeper you look. Each species has evolved its own means of survival and succession. Between the fleeing and the fighting, the hiding and the hunting, the collaboration and the culling, there are many examples of what we humans would consider compassion, exercised to great lengths. Enter the African wild dog. More than meets the eye: Also known as Painted Wolves – a direct translation of their scientific name, Lycaon pictus – wild dogs are proof that looks can be deceiving, in more ways than one. Just a metre long when fully grown, and roughly 70 cm (30 in.) tall, their mottled coats – each as unique as a fingerprint – bushy tails, and rounded ears, often endear them to observers. Yet, they’re Africa’s most effective hunters. With a success rate of around 80% – the
highest of any predator on the continent – they’ve developed unique tactics to take down different species of prey. Because of this, packs are generally well fed. But that’s not the only reason they’ve endured as the last living Lycaons . Survival for the African wild dog depends just as much on community as it does on cunning. A complex canid community: Wild dogs seem to understand that the success of the pack relies on the survival of the next generation, and family bonds run deep. Packs are tightly knit, highly cooperative, and socially complex, ranging in size from two dogs to as many as 30. They spend most of their time together, often playing and showing affection. Males and females have separate hierarchies, and the dominant alpha pair is primarily responsible for breeding. Yet the task of caring for pups is shared by all. Whereas many other species of predator tend to care exclusively for their own young, wild dogs take a more communal approach, seeing and treating the alpha’s pups as theirs. This is known as ‘kin selection’. The needs of the alpha’s come first, but sometimes, when beta females reproduce, the pack will still care for the pups.
Previous spread These juvenile dogs are getting the lay of the land – and life in the wild. Left There is so much wisdom in the ways of the wild dog, gained and passed down over millennia.
power
lies in the pack
wisdom
Care for one, care for all: While older dogs are out on hunts, non-breeding adults stay behind as pup-sitters, swapping roles once the others have returned. Each dog has a distinctive personality, which determines how they care for their young. Some are stricter and more cautious, relegating pups to the den where they’re safe and out of sight. Others are more lenient, letting pups roam – but never too far – to get the lay of the land and pick up valuable social skills. Through their individual strengths, traits, and roles, adults collaborate to prepare them for a life in the wild. Pups are always the first to eat from a kill, and while they’re too young to venture out from the den, older hunters will carry back and regurgitate food for them – or bring chunks back if the kill is close enough. This is a departure from lions and leopards, for example, whose cubs travel to a safe site to eat. Wild dogs’ sense of care for their community never falters. During denning season, packs will move dens every few weeks for safety and hygiene reasons. If a dog becomes ill, injured, or even trapped in a snare, their pack will rally around to care for them – rarely, if ever, leaving them behind. Even weaker and older dogs will tend to those frailer than themselves and try to
nurse them back to health. If a pack encounters a larger predator, healthy adults will dance around as decoys to distract them while the old, limp, lame, and unwell chaperone the pups to safety. In Africa, it’s common to hear the proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, but rarely do we see it reflected so plainly in nature. And perhaps that’s where the lesson comes from. Hope for the future: For all the love they hold and hope they inspire, African wild dogs are among the continent’s most endangered species, their numbers dwindling due to disease, predation, human conflict, and competition. These threats are growing as wild spaces shrink, forcing wild dogs to contend with higher concentrations of each. Thankfully, the same compassion we see in them is shared by so many people across Africa, working tirelessly to protect this singularly precious species. Seeing these wily, social creatures in the wild has long been considered a privilege, not only because of their rarity, but because they’re a reminder of the complex wonder, the paradoxical, unpredictable, and always astonishing nature of nature itself.
Right The white tip of dogs’ textured tails acts as a signal on hunts, saying ‘follow me’.
the continuation of a narrative
greater than the present
wisdom
touchstone
We carry a longing for stillness –
stone holds it,
we can receive it
wisdom
You cannot get more authentic than stone. Embedded where it has been shaped. Solidity for the soul. Ancient gravity. Anchor. Stone is a journey older than we can comprehend; refuge from restlessness; warm hope; an experiential touchstone in a shifting world; the continuation of a narrative greater than the present. By choosing to be present to stone, we join that continuity.
Stone is the physical presence of the earth. It gives the gift of place-based intimacy, desiring to inspire curiosity, wonder, and even hope. Hope that the gloom and grind and relentless pace of modernity are not the final word, that there are, literally, touchstones in the world where we can return, re-ground, and receive a breath of restoration from places that hold firm and carry on in the midst of life’s uncertainties.
Previous spread A vantage point for time immemorial. Left The story of any landscape is intertwined with stone.
wisdom
wherever we are in the world,
there is rock beneath us
it has been here long before us
and will be here
long after us
Seasons will go on, sunrise and sunset, death and life, leaves will drop, compost will form, seeds will germinate, growth will come. Cycles will turn, like the ongoing companionship of the moon, the ancient flowing friendship of our bodies with the Earth we’re being formed from. To take this pilgrimage further, let us soften our bodies and become pliant to the shape of stone and receptive to the weight of shade.
Let us go where the animals have walked for millennia – back to ourselves and something greater than silence. Wherever we are in the world, there is rock beneath us. It has been here long before us, and will be here long after us. And there’s a comfort in that. The world goes on, and we are not responsible for making it turn.
Right In every design, we strive to honour our surroundings.
let us go
where the animals
have walked for millennia
wisdom
when the seasons
speak of africa
As the opening of Elela draws ever closer,
we hear from Nthophang ‘Tops’ Xani,
a guide at Singita Okavango Delta,
on the interplay between nature, ancestry,
and the now
wisdom
When I sit in the wild, I do not sit alone. The wind, the trees, the calls of birds, they all keep me company. And in their voices, I hear the echoes of our elders, those who walked this African soil before us and left stories to guide our way. In the season of rains, when thunder rolls like great drums across the sky, the elders would say: “Africa is waking, the warriors are beating their shields to call forth life.” And when the first drops kiss the dust, I feel her awakening, the scent of wet earth rising, the grass stretching, the wild perfume of sage and crushed leaves. These are not just sounds and smells to me; they are my heartbeat, my
spirit refreshed, as if Africa herself is breathing through me. When the floods come, spilling across the Delta, the elders told us: “The rivers are the arms of Africa, mothers reaching out to feed her children.” And indeed, I see the red lechwe leaping, the fish glittering, and the birds returning. In those moments, Africa feels like an endless table of abundance, feeding not only her creatures but also the souls of anyone who walks her land. Then winter settles, quiet and golden. The mornings are cold, the nights long, and patience fills the air. The elders said: “Africa never dies; she only rests.” In that stillness,
Previous spread Change is ever present in light, colour, and the ebb and flow of seasons. Left Tops’ deep connection to and respect for the land have been shaped over a lifetime.
the cry of the African fish eagle...
proud
timeless
unbroken
wisdom
the wild speaks
without words...
Africa breathes through rain,
flood, silence,
and song
I feel the truth, the hidden strength beneath the soil, the promise of another rebirth. And always, rising above the silence, is the call of the African fish eagle. A cry so sharp, so pure, it pierces the sky like an anthem of freedom. To me, it is the sound of Africa’s very soul. Proud, timeless, unbroken. It is a reminder that no matter the season, the spirit of the wild is alive. And in all of this, I have found my path. I am not just a guide, I am an interpreter. I walk with nature, listening for the silent voices of the wild, and I help others hear them too. When the elephants speak with their stillness, when the lions carve their story into the night, when the stars tell their ancient songs, I stand beside my
guests and translate what cannot be written. This is what it means when I say: “The wild speaks without words.” Africa speaks through the rains, through the floods, through the silence of winter, and through every creature that shares this land. My role is to walk with her, to understand her rhythms, and to let her story reach the hearts of those who come to see her. For I, too, am Africa’s child. My heartbeat follows the rhythm of her seasons. My spirit grows with her rains, waits with her dry winds, and rises again with her floods. And when I guide, I am not only showing a place, I am opening a doorway, so that others may feel Africa not just with their eyes, but with their souls.
Right Every moment in the wilderness is an entirely new experience.
97
when I sit in the wild
I do not sit alone
wisdom
a river begins, such a gentle little trickling thing, oozing from a wetland drop by drop, or welling mysteriously from a cool spring,
sliding over smooth stones,
hopping down waterfalls, slipping through a silent valley,
through the rocks, beneath the trees, joining other streams, gathering volume, spreading over gravel under great cliffs, slowing down and swaying round long bends, eventually yawning into lazy sandbanks and the sea. entire mountains were above us once, the water has removed them all, carving the very hills it flows through, moving a million million tons of soil and sand, eating whole continents,
eternally pouring them into the ever-thirsty oceans of the world
A POEM BY JOHN ROFF
With thanks to our collaborators Brian Rode, Chantelle Rode, Emily Capon, Emma Jackson, Georgie Pennington, Jenny Hishin, Jessica Robertson, John Roff, Jörg Pfützner, Julia Freemantle, Karin Schermbrucker, Keith Ladzinski, Lindsay Couper, Lizzie Mathe, Micky Hoyle, Michael Schapiro, Nthophang Xani, Ross Couper, Tamlyn Franco, Tatenda Chidora, Wesley Turkington, and LOOKBOOK Studio.
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