The Bongani Parade

Despite an intense schedule at the safari field guide training course, our instructors did allow us approximately two hours of "free time" each day. Of course, this time was intended as "study time." I did no such thing. Rather, after 28 years of being fastidiously studious (thereby learning how to properly use words like "fastidiously"), I spent most afternoons goofing off. It was a bit of an experiment for me. "Well, Caton," you say, "...and what were the results of this experiment in goof-offery?" In short, it was great fun!

Goofing off was comprised of several trivial activities. For instance, for the first time ever, I took naps (thought I didn't need the sleep). I also learned to play poker from my new friends (and mentors in vice) Pieter and Matt. When not sleeping or gambling, I also enjoyed playing beach volleyball. On occasion, I was too lazy even for that.

During our afternoons off, we also spent a good deal of time providing free babysitting services to 18 month-old Bongani. You see, Bongani's guardian was one of the ladies that worked at the camp. We were never entirely sure of Bongani's maternity (whether this guardian was Bongani's mother or grandmother was a topic of frequent debate), and we didn't have the slightest clue regarding Bongani's paternity. We did, however, love Bongani.

Interestingly, "Bongani" is actually a fairly common name among speakers of isiZulu. In isiZulu, "Bongani" means "thank you." I can only imagine the confusion caused by having a room full of people named "thank you," but, somehow, this never presents a problem for the estimated 11 million Zulus in southern Africa.

Like everyone else in the camp, Bongani followed a rigorous daily regimen. If he could write his own schedule, it would look something like this:

08:00 (or whenever I please): Wake up, wail loudly to announce my rousal.

08:30: Eat breakfast while trotting aimlessly about the camp. Drop no less than half of my breakfast on ground.

09:00: Ride around the camp on my guardian's back as she performs cleaning duties (see example photo at right). Maintain an appearance of complete indifference.

11:00: Get removed from guardian's back, walk about the camp. Engage in cacophonous fit of crying after discovering that sand, when exposed to intense sunlight, is hot. After being carried back to a shady area by the nearest adult, immediately repeat process. Repeat no fewer than ten times. Cry even more loudly each time.

12:22: Climb up to the sleeping deck shared by Caton, Pieter, and Matt. Carefully inspect their belongings, "confiscate" any candy. Steal Caton' iPod, talk into it as if it were a cellular phone. Steal Matt's chips as he attempts to play poker. Urinate on Pieter's bed.

13:45: Collect students' valuable scattered around the camp (e.g, flashlights, study materials), dispose of said valuables in trash bin when nobody is looking.

15:00: Commence afternoon nap.

16:47: Awake from nap, wail loudly to announce my rousal.

18:50: Crying fit. No reason necessary.

19:30: Try in vein to out-run guardian when she comes to collect me for bed.

20:02: Go to bed, cry self to sleep in protest.

Bongani's schedule (and included mischief) aside, it was loads of fun spending time with him. Bongani's laugh was infectious, and his numerous mis-deeds were endearing. What's more, we were constantly taken aback by his happy demeanor. Though Bongani's toys consisted entirely of random items fished from the trash bin, he always seemed entirely content. One day, Pieter, Matt, and I conspired to bring a small toy (a stuffed elephant) back from one of our trips to the Kruger National Park. Having never seen an actual toy intended for consumers, Bongani was befuddled in the extreme, and promptly disposed of the toy in the trash bin.

Though he had no interest in consumer products, Bongani did love a good parade. I've attached a clip of me pulling Bongani around the camp in his "parade float." Watch as Bongani waves hello to all passers-by.