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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 31, 2024
The lovingly-told memoir of Kay Turner's 16 years living in the Serengeti National Park between 1956 and 1972, while her husband was a game warden. She saw the creation of the park, and the establishment of a tourism industry from almost nothing. At the same time, she brought up her two children, and survived numerous close encounters with lions, leopards and snakes.
The Serengeti in the 1950s was wildly different to even what it was when Kay and her husband left in 1972. At that time poaching was the main issue of concern, and levels of understanding about conservation were in their infancy. For a couple of years, Kay and her husband lived in glorious isolation virtually in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by vast numbers of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants and lions (to mention a few species). It seemed to me that Kay was in two minds about the development of the area as a park, because it led to the establishment of visitor centres, which meant more visitors (and less glorious isolation), but it also had obvious benefits to wildlife.
There are some curious passages in the book which reflect the time period and the traditional attitudes to women. I enjoy reading old books for this insight into the past. The odd thing is that Kay doesn't comment on these other than to recount stories. For example:
Near the house grew a fine old acacia tree in which the buffalo weavers nested, prompting Myles to remark that "as usual in life, the males do all the work, building industriously, while the females sit around looking decorative!"
The last chapter sees Kay recount her departure from the park, and that wonderfully poignant experience of going back to a place you once called home:
"With chilling force I realized we no longer belonged here, and that the Serengeti, which had been my life for sixteen years, no longer belonged to us."
Thanks to Kay for putting all of this down in writing so it isn't forgotten.
The Serengeti in the 1950s was wildly different to even what it was when Kay and her husband left in 1972. At that time poaching was the main issue of concern, and levels of understanding about conservation were in their infancy. For a couple of years, Kay and her husband lived in glorious isolation virtually in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by vast numbers of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants and lions (to mention a few species). It seemed to me that Kay was in two minds about the development of the area as a park, because it led to the establishment of visitor centres, which meant more visitors (and less glorious isolation), but it also had obvious benefits to wildlife.
There are some curious passages in the book which reflect the time period and the traditional attitudes to women. I enjoy reading old books for this insight into the past. The odd thing is that Kay doesn't comment on these other than to recount stories. For example:
Near the house grew a fine old acacia tree in which the buffalo weavers nested, prompting Myles to remark that "as usual in life, the males do all the work, building industriously, while the females sit around looking decorative!"
The last chapter sees Kay recount her departure from the park, and that wonderfully poignant experience of going back to a place you once called home:
"With chilling force I realized we no longer belonged here, and that the Serengeti, which had been my life for sixteen years, no longer belonged to us."
Thanks to Kay for putting all of this down in writing so it isn't forgotten.
August 28, 2011
I really enjoyed reading about the early days of Serengeti National Park and all the issues and problems plus the excellent description of the lifestyles of those who lived and worked there.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews