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Jun 11, 2012 01:03PM
Hello, friends. I've just wrapped up 11 days in Botswana. If there's anything you'd like to know, at least about Gaborone, HIV, other health issues, or birds, please ask!
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I used to not be that interested in birds until I moved out of the city where we only had about three kinds. Now I see soooo many types of birds in my yard and they are fascinating. And sometimes pretty. Other times annoying. Like three a.m. "singing." stupid mockingbird.
Can I put in a plug here for the fictional works of Unity Dow? She skilfully weaves issues of HIV/AIDS and other physical/mental health issues into her novels and reflections. Also, she is able to balance the perspectives of Tswana culture and the Western (British) legal system as they pertain to HIV/AIDS, male/female rights etc.The folktales out of Botswana are fabulous, too (in all senses of the word).
I hope you spent plenty of time in the Okavango too!
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Absolutely. And now I want to read her stuff!
I was at a seminar, so no delta trip for me, but I did go to Mokolodi Nature Reserve twice and down to South Africa to Madikwe Game Reserve once.
Dow and Essex's Saturday Is for Funerals is a strong candidate for me to adopt as a textbook.
I was very glad I'd read some Bessie Head before going. When we met a kgosi and discussed the formal kgotla, I had some idea what that meant! I was very happy to eat seswaa with morogo and either sorgum or mealie meal a couple of times.
I'm just finishing my bird/animal list. I'll post it after I confirm a couple of birds in a larger reference work.
Dow and Essex's Saturday Is for Funerals is a strong candidate for me to adopt as a textbook.
I was very glad I'd read some Bessie Head before going. When we met a kgosi and discussed the formal kgotla, I had some idea what that meant! I was very happy to eat seswaa with morogo and either sorgum or mealie meal a couple of times.
I'm just finishing my bird/animal list. I'll post it after I confirm a couple of birds in a larger reference work.
Oh Botswana. I spent five months and some change there in 2008. Osho, was that your first time there? Where did you stay?
What were you doing there, Allison?
This was my first trip to southern Africa. I stayed near the university in Gaborone.
This was my first trip to southern Africa. I stayed near the university in Gaborone.
I have enjoyed Gaborone on a few visits, of course, but I hope that visitors to Botswana also get out and about to see the delta, the salt pans, Chobe, Tsodilo (a World Heritage Site), etc. There are wonderful small, affordable camps accessed from Maun (where I have spent quite a bit of time in different years), and other cities. There is nothing like the Okavango. Yay for Botswana.
I'd love to go back. I was at a training so I was mostly confined to Gaborone, but we did have part of a day in Mochudi, two trips to Mokolodi, and a nice drive and half-day at Madikwe in South Africa.
I was at a public health seminar with a focus on HIV/AIDS.
Even for me, my bookshelves are dangerous!
Even for me, my bookshelves are dangerous!
Wioletta wrote: "Ruthmarie wrote: "Can I put in a plug here for the fictional works of Unity Dow? She skilfully weaves issues of HIV/AIDS and other physical/mental health issues into her novels and reflections. Als..."Wioletta wrote: "Ruthmarie wrote: "Can I put in a plug here for the fictional works of Unity Dow? She skilfully weaves issues of HIV/AIDS and other physical/mental health issues into her novels and reflections. Als..."
As for folk tales from Botswana, I am happy to recommend the stories by a wonderful Tswana who has made the transmission of folktales and folk wisdom one of her missions. The books are directed to children, but she has also earned awards (Bessie Head Award, I think) for other genres. Check out this website to learn more about Bonty (Bontekanye Botumile):http://www.botswanastories.com/
I was a student at the University for 5 months. I loved street food, and I miss seswaa and morogo and chakalaka. I wish I could find someone to practice Setswana with me! In Bots, i had a very unique experience, but I must admit: Stellenbosch and Cape Town are more my style.
I'm missing the sorghum porridge myself.
Your mentioning Botswana reminded me of Michael Stanley's thriller novel A Carrion Death, introducing Detective Kubu. In Setswana, David "Kubu" Bengu's nickname means 'hippopotamus'.
Fun. I just started the audiobook of the 2nd Alexander McCall Smith and it's much more vivid for my having been there.
Yes, and I was just laughing at how the narrator has the American woman subtly mispronounce "Gaborone" and "mma."
Great African Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
Tears of the Giraffe (other topics)A Carrion Death (other topics)
Saturday Is for Funerals (other topics)
