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A journey across the Ugandan border and into the mountains of the Virunga National Park region in Zaire to see mountain gorillas. This adventure was a real honour and privilege for me, a very precious and unforgettable memory.

Uganda, Zaire - Gorillas in our Midst

Matthew
2004-03-05 23:50:59

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The Ancient Art of Making Fire [May 5th 1995]

Lighting a fire this morning was going to prove difficult because all the logs were damp, so in an effort to save fuel, Phil (our driver) asked one of the locals, Joseph, to make one for us.

“Show this man how to light a proper fire” Phil instructed Joseph while pointing at me.

Now I’m in for an educational treat, I thought. Here is a Ugandan native, well versed in the art of fire making, a skill passed down through countless generations stemming from the very early African origins of man. This was one of the things I was hoping to see during my time on this continent so I sat engrossed as Joseph made his preparations.

He began by carefully placing tiny twigs and splinters of wood on the ground. Next he meticulously arranged larger twigs and kindling wood on top before stacking some larger logs on the pile at which point he disappeared. What, I wondered, happens next? Perhaps he’d gone to retrieve his fire making tools – two pieces of wood, which he would deftly rub together. Or maybe… maybe he was preparing some kind of ritual, perhaps a sort of prayer to an African fire god?

Nothing of the sort – Joseph returned with a small can of gasoline which he promptly threw over the pile of wood before setting fire to it with a cigarette lighter.

On the one hand I was quite disappointed but on the other, I was falling about laughing having realised he’d made the fire in exactly the same way I would have done. I was so engrossed that I didn’t even notice.

Our expedition into Zaire had been put on hold yesterday due to Jayne suffering quite badly from eating a dodgy vegetable samosa. By midday today she was not exactly feeling on top of the world but definitely coming on strong so at 1:00pm we drove to the border for the second time in two days. ...