We Are – A Poem by Eddie Mudzimu

Zimbabwe camp manager, Edmond Mudzimu, is missing his second home at Mana Pools’ Little Ruckomechi, and used his time during the COVID-19 lockdown to pen this heartfelt tribute to his extended family.

 

The countless regions of Wilderness share a common love for nature – a love for the outdoors, a love for virgin and unspoilt lands. A common love of sharing and showcasing the diversity of Africa. We are, and will always be, a people born to find fulfillment in what Mother Nature generously offers. Her gifts graciously accepted, we generously share what we find in the wilderness, every single day. We plan and prepare for each new day, but the final say is in the hands of the gods, in the areas we operate in.

 

We Are

 

We are the people of the wilderness
Born for the wild
The wilderness is in our blood, it is in our DNA
We yearn for the outdoors
The smell of the air in the morning
Gathering around fire-pits in the evenings to share stories
This is what we love
To be one with nature
To be one with the wild
For the wild lives in us
The wilderness is our home.

 

Peace and tranquility prevail in the
African wilderness
A wilderness that does not sleep nor slumber
A wilderness that takes not break nor holiday
But hails the wild dimensions of every new day
It is this wild side that we crave – every day.

We find strength in numbers – and each individual
We find warmth in bonding as one big family
Bonding brings respect, love and caring for each other
We find joy in bringing out the smiles and tears – of joy and laughter
We are driven by our PASSION.

 

We are inspired by our goals and aspirations
We are driven by the dreams of the pioneers of our huge family
We are shepherded by visionary leadership and counsel
We are steered by one accord
And remain focused on a desire to better what we learn today.

 

What drives us comes from deep down
Our innermost being and heart
Hearts that pound, and resonate with Africa
Hearts warm and tender.

 

We are a people of resilience
We are a people of hope
We are a people of character
We are a people proud of our Heritage
Our Culture, our Inheritance.

 

Every dark cloud has a silver lining
Every thunderstorm will calm down
Tomorrow there will be a rainbow.

 

We may not touch hands today or hug now
But we do touch souls
That’s just who we are.

 

There are lessons learnt everyday and we embrace them
And trust that we will see better times
That’s just who we are.

 

We are self-made
We are pioneers in our area of expertise
We are at the pinnacle of what we do
We are the blueprint for Africa’s warmth and tenderness
We are humble and cultured in all we do.

 

This is who “We Are”.