AFRICA'S WILDEST STORIES

Series produced by Paula Kahumbu

Caption: Soila Sayialel saves elephants , Credit: Soila Sayialel
Image by: Soila Sayialel 
Soila Sayialel saves elephants  

"Africa’s Wildest Stories" is a community project that shares true wildlife stories told by people who live or have lived in Africa. Extraordinary stories about Africa's unique wildlife spectacles are told by Maasai warriors,Watha hunter gatherer, a victim of a buffalo attack, a white hunter, scientists, elders, traditional fishermen, honey hunters, Indian settlers, an entomologist....and more. This project not only safeguards these memories in the form of audio and visual stories, but makes them available to anyone anywhere exactly the way they were originally told.

When a Maasai junior lamented that the death of elders in the oldest age class had robbed his generation of the wisdom and knowledge of how they dealt with lions in the landscape, finding good pasture in times of drought, and many other lessons about living in harmony with the environment. Despite development and education, current and future generations are becoming poorer in terms of knowledge of our shared natural heritage.

"Africa’s Wildest Stories" is a community project that attempts to stem the loss by enabling ordinary people to share extraordinary experiences with current and unborn generations. It is an archive of true wildlife stories told by people who live or have lived in Africa. The intention of these stories is that the create relatedness across generations, cultures, races and even between species. These real life stories will create delight in Africa’s spectacular wildlife heritage inspire you to take action save elephants, lions, mountains, whale sharks and beetles.

This project will not only safeguard these memories in the form of audio and visual stories, but makes them available to anyone anywhere exactly the way they were originally told. If we fail to record our history from those alive today, we will lose important lessons from the past, we may never value what is left, and we will lose our extraordinary wildlife heritage without even knowing it.

The online archive make the stories available on demand for anyone anywhere and we hope you will purchase these stories to enable us to make the project available across Africa so that anyone anywhere to contribute to the project.

This project was started in June 2012 and is still working on getting it right. You can help us. We would love to hear your views and suggestions. If you would like to participate or contribute please leave me a message.

Kind Regards
Paula Kahumbu
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When a Maasai junior lamented that the death of elders in the oldest age class had robbed his generation of the wisdom and knowledge of how they dealt with lions in the landscape, finding good pasture in times of drought, and many other lessons about living in harmony with the environment. Despite development and education, current and future generations are becoming poorer in terms of knowledge of our shared natural heritage. "Africa’s Wildest Stories" is a community project that attempts to stem the loss by enabling ordinary people to share extraordinary experiences with current and unborn generations. It is an archive of true wildlife stories told by people who live or have lived in Africa. The intention of these stories is that the create relatedness across generations, cultures,... Show full description


26 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: One of the Wild Dogs, Credit: Elleni Stephanou
Laikipia's pack of 40+ wild dogs was spotted by Tinai Kogo a driver for the Mpala Research Centre. He then explains the way in which they rear thei...

  • Added: Sep 12, 2012
  • Length: 07:22
Caption: Paula Kahumbu with Charles, Hadija and Basit., Credit: Elleni Stephanou
Charles Mwangi Maina, the chairman of Naibor Primary School, tells the members of the conservation club stories from his past of Hyena and Chimpanz...

  • Added: Sep 12, 2012
  • Length: 06:44
Caption: Crowned Eagle-Rosey, Credit: Elleni Stephanou
Simon Thomsett describes one of the most dramatic moments of his life when a crowned eagle sunk it's talons through his forearm as he tried to get ...

  • Added: Sep 12, 2012
  • Length: 04:33
Caption: Crowned Eagle-Rosey, Credit: Elleni Stephanou
Simon Thomsetts Crowned Eagle - Rosey, a 38 year old male, went completely blind due to catarax in both of his eyes. After a successful eye surgery...

  • Added: Sep 13, 2012
  • Length: 06:16
Caption: Lenkakwai Sapiyon having a listen to the recording, Credit: Elleni Stephanou
Lenkakwai Sapiyon explains how in Samburu culture each family was associated with an animal clan. Following this association, Lenkakwai tells us a ...

  • Added: Sep 12, 2012
  • Length: 05:39
Caption: Poco- one of the orphaned Chimpanzees, Credit: Elleni Stephanou
Joseph Mayo was hired as the first chimpanzee keeper for the Sweet Waters Chimpanzee Sanctuary at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in 1993 and has worked ...

  • Added: Aug 30, 2012
  • Length: 08:16
Caption: Baby Verreaux Eagle Owl, Credit: Elleni Stephanou
Simon Thomsett describes the life of a Verreaux Eagle Owl whilst holding a two month old baby. At already 2 foot tall, the baby owl will grow to be...

  • Added: Aug 24, 2012
  • Length: 05:48
Caption: Soila Sayialel saves elephants , Credit: Soila Sayialel
The children of the Naibor Primary School sing a religious song to thank Paula Kahumbu for donating seven Owen and Mzee story books to their conser...

  • Added: Aug 23, 2012
  • Length: 02:29
Caption: Soila Sayialel saves elephants , Credit: Soila Sayialel
After the release of the second book 'Owen and Mzee: the Language of Friendship,' a letter from a young girl was received which explained how the b...

  • Added: Aug 22, 2012
  • Length: 02:16
Caption: Mishak with one of his babies, Credit: Paula Kahumbu
Mishak Nzimbi, of the Kamba tribe, is unique. He loves elephants. He has been an elephant keeper since he was 16 years old. He works at the David S...

  • Added: Aug 20, 2012
  • Length: 22:45
Caption: Soila Sayialel saves elephants , Credit: Soila Sayialel
George Adamson could think like a lion and be like a lion. David Coulson describes a terrifying experience with George and Maggie and Dennis? Maggi...

  • Added: Aug 14, 2012
  • Length: 05:19
Caption: Soila Sayialel saves elephants , Credit: Soila Sayialel
Paula Kahumbu narrates the magical story of Owen, a baby hippopotamus, who developed an unexpected relationship with Mzee, a 130yr old giant tortoi...

  • Added: Aug 01, 2012
  • Length: 07:27
Caption: Soila Sayialel saves elephants , Credit: Soila Sayialel
Nickson Parmisa dictates an elder’s story about a time when a leopard had killed eight of their goats. One of the Maasai stepped in to seek revenge...

  • Added: Jul 24, 2012
  • Length: 02:36
Caption: Soila Sayialel saves elephants , Credit: Soila Sayialel
Nickson Parmisa tells of hairy, smelly, human-like beasts, which used to roam the Savannah, eating people but not their cattle. Is this just a fabl...

  • Added: Jul 23, 2012
  • Length: 02:57
Piece image
Six decades ago Queen Elizabeth was on safari in Kenya when she her father, King George VI died, making her Queen. William Kimosop describes the si...

  • Added: Jul 22, 2012
  • Length: 04:16
Caption: Richard and Moniko brushing their teeth with Mswaki, Credit: Paula Kahumbu
Two Kenyan boys from different backgrounds, cultures and educations discover how to make toothbrushes at an overnight outing. This is how traditio...

  • Added: Jul 22, 2012
  • Length: 04:52
Caption: Annie Olivecrona in recording studio with Elleni Stephanou, Credit: Paula Kahumbu
It takes great courage to rescue orphaned baby chimpanzees from a country in the middle of a deadly war. But Annie Olivecrona flew from Kenya into ...

  • Added: Jul 22, 2012
  • Length: 28:54
Caption: Yetuni , Credit: Stefano Cassini
Yetuni's father was different, he was more like an animal than human. This recording was made at a homestead somewhere in the wilderness near Mount...

  • Added: Jul 04, 2012
  • Length: 04:37
Caption: Trans Rift Trek is flagged off
On a 150 km Trans Rift trek from the Laikipia escarpmetn to the Keiyo escarpment, we climbed the Tugen Hills with William Kimosop and were entertai...

  • Added: Jul 04, 2012
  • Length: 02:15
Piece image
There was a time when the Maasai in East Africa were few and the wildlife numerous. Moran, or warriors were required to hunt lions to prove their c...

  • Added: Jul 02, 2012
  • Length: 04:55