I traveled to Tanzania, Africa to retrace a portion of Ernest Hemingway’s 1933 safari that inspired some of his greatest works: two short stories, “The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber” and “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” as well as the nonfiction novel The Green Hills of Africa. I set off to try and figure out what the setting of Africa had to offer Hemingway, giving his writing a common theme within the works. (You will figure out the themes on your own as you read the stories.)
But the trip gave me so much more perspective about the stories than simply the theme. As I interacted with the people of Africa and enjoyed the wildlife and landscape the country had to offer, I picked up on the subtle hints of respect Hemingway conveyed in his writing that I would have otherwise overlooked had I not experienced Tanzania myself.
As we read the two short stories, “The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber” and “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” we will meet here on this blog and I will offer more of my experiences and how they helped me to understand the stories better. Until then, read through my new entries under “Wildlife” and “Masai People” and answer the questions I have at the end of the entries. Also, feel free to comment on anything I have discussed. Just because I don’t ask the question doesn’t mean your ideas aren't worthy of reading.
Watch the video, then answer the following question: How does the scenery and wildlife make you feel? Explain using specific pictures as evidence.
After you have watched the video and responded, read the post and answer the discussion questions that follow (or comment on anything you want to comment on):
Day 2 – Lake Maynara
Never have I seen the sun more perfect than during a sunrise at Lake Maynara. As part of the Rift Valley, which is the setting for Hemingway’s Green Hills of Africa, Lake Maynara is set between a valley of mountains on either side. We had our first game drives here, seeing giraffes, elephants, zebras, gazelles, wildebeests, and buffalo in the wild for the first time in our life.
Sunrise in the Rift Valley, which is the setting of Green Hills of Africa
In Green Hills of Africa, Hemingway hunts kudu, which are mainly found in the forests higher up the valley than where we were; therefore, we didn’t get to see any that day, so I’ll let Hemingway describe them: “In the five days I saw a dozen or more kudu cows and one young bull with a string of cows. The cows were big, gray, striped-flanked antelope with ridiculously small heads, big ears, and a soft, fast-rushing gait that moved them in big-bellied panic through the trees” (Hemingway 101).
Hemingway with kudu cows.
Many of the antelope with horns seen in the video are cousins of the kudu cows.
Day 3 and 4 – Serengeti
We spent 2 days on the Serengeti, and it showed us the most wildlife of all the places we visited. Here is where we saw our first lion, which is the animal responsible for Macomber’s act of cowardice. I have to admit, the first time a lion walked up to the car, I got a little worried. It doesn’t take long before you realize how vulnerable you are on safari, and if any of these animals really wanted to, all they would need to do is jump up on the car and your only option would be prayer. This gave me the sense of fear that was in Hemingway when he shot his first lion and had to go into the long brush, gun drawn, to make sure it was dead. And if the lion wasn’t, then a precise, second shot was needed while 500 pounds charges with only the thought of killing you for having put it in such a position. Because Hemingway felt so strongly about writing what you know, I’m sure he empathizes with Francis Macomber. As you can see from the picture below, Hemingway was placed in the same position as Francis, and surely felt the same cowardice thoughts urging him to run that got the best of Macomber.
But what really impressed me about the Serengeti was the experience of nature as an observer. There are no cages, no one to feed these animals, no one to help them if they’re injured or sick. The only governing law is the law of nature, and it is cruel at times. Here, survival is truly survival. It’s not measured by happiness, or wealth; it’s measured by staying alive. Death looms over the plains for some like the umbrella trees scattered across the landscape, while life remains the only reward. Animals on the lower rung of the chain move with an attentiveness that is restrictive. Ostriches approach water points with the reluctance of a scared child, and gazelles walk with a delicate timidity that looks ready to run at all times.
This constant fear throughout the country seemed to be something that the animals lived with, but not in a way that seemed helpless, nor did it create compassion, as if we were all so cruel for not wanting to save a gazelle from becoming a lion’s dinner. Of course there’s a tinge of sympathy for the dying animals, but if they didn’t die, then what would become of those animals that rely on their death to live?
What are your thoughts on “the survival of the fittest”? How does this concept apply to America? How does America’s concept of survival of the fittest differ from Tanzania’s? How are they alike?
Watch the video and answer the following question: What are your thoughts on their lifestyle simply judging from the pictures?
After you've watched the video and commented, read the post below and answer the discussion questions at the end:
Day 5 – Masai Village
The visit of the Masai Village was the most unique part of the trip. The Masai people are found throughout east Africa, and they tend to live on the most infertile of areas. They are semi-nomadic, and tend to herd goats and cattle. As you drive through northern Tanzania, you see young and old Masai tending to their herds, and almost every one of them will wave at you as you pass by. I was nervous about the visit of the village, but came away feeling ashamed that I didn’t remember what Hemingway had written about the people. The following excerpt is from Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway:
"This was the finest country I had seen but we went on, winding along through the big trees over the softly rolling grass. Then ahead and to the right we saw the high stockage of a Masai village. It was a very large village and out of it came running long-legged, brown, smooth-moving men who all seemed to be of the same age and who wore their hair in a heavy club-like queue that swung against their shoulders as they ran. They came up to the car and surrounded it, all laughing and smiling and talking. They all were tall, their teeth were white and good, and their hair was stained a red brown and arranged in a looped fringe on their foreheads. They carried spears and they were very handsome and extremely jolly, not sullen, nor contemptuous like the northern Masai, and they wanted to know what we were going to do…
…We were moving and they were running again now. The Masai stooped and put the rabbit on the ground and as he ran free they all laughed. M’Cola shook his head. We were all very impressed by these Masai….Seeing them running and so damned handsome and so happy made us all happy. I had never seen such quick disinterested friendliness, nor such fine looking people….They certainly were our friends though. They had that attitude that makes brothers, that unexpressed but instant and complete acceptance that you must be Masai wherever it is you come from. That attitude you only get from the best of the English, the best of the Hungarians, and the very best Spaniards; the thing that used to be the most clear distinctions of nobility when there was nobility. It is an ignorant attitude and the people who have it do not survive, but very few pleasanter things ever happen to you than the encountering of it." (Hemingway 123)
The idea “that you must be Masai” is exactly how I felt when I met the Masai people. They were charming, friendly, and incredibly hospitable. Never once did I feel like I was intruding, and here I was taking pictures of them as if they were some sort of show. I don’t feel I could describe the Masai people as well as Heminway does above, so watch the video again and think about what Hemingway means when he talks about “an ignorant attitude and the people who have it do not survive.”
What is the “attitude” that Hemingway is referring to? Describe it in your own words.
Also, what were your thoughts when you first saw the video, and how are they different after reading the post?
My wife and I both agree that our first day in Africa was the best day of the trip. Dominique, our driver for the week, drove us out to a small village just outside of Arusha called N’Gresi. Henry came along for the ride as our village guide. He lived in the village next to N’Gresi and knew the landscape and the people well. Henry first took us to the chief of the village who spoke with us about their agricultural production and means of education over a cup of coffee. The cost of our visit went to the building of schools, and he explained that after lunch we could donate more money to the cause.
After coffee with the chief, we set off for our 3 hour hike through the hills of N’Gresi. As you walk down the dirt road carved out of the lush green landscape, you can’t help but notice the sense of organization to the rolling green hills. While much of the beauty felt untouched, a closer look revealed plots of land dedicated to coffee trees, peas, potatoes, bananas, and other produce. The view was rugged, yet hinted at civilization without taking away from the natural beauty of Africa. The hints didn’t come in an occasional car, either. I never saw anything powered by gas, nor did I see much that needed electricity. Instead, the hints came from parked bicycles, clothes lines, and unique differences that made up the homes which varied in style and size.
While some homes seemed more modern than others, there wasn’t a poor area and wealthy area. Huts made of mud and cow dung sat in plots of land right next to homes made of brick. The idea of social classes takes on a new perspective in villages such as this. People don’t unintentionally identify themselves as rich or poor as a way of grouping. Instead, they lived in a way that showed solidarity. They showed understanding of each other’s situations through living. No matter the size of their crops, or the amount of their livestock, the people never revealed a sense of social hierarchy. They only revealed a sense of survival that made them all equal. And not the type of survival that comes from fear of death, but the kind that comes from a need to do what’s right for your family or else life isn’t worth living.
This type of survival wasn’t felt in the landscape, but instead felt in the interaction with the people. The enthusiasm of the children was contagious, and the generosity and sincerity of the men and women was envious. At times, it was embarrassing to think of our own social hierarchy and our own definition of survival, which seems to include a price tag. Thinking of this gave me a feeling of inferiority and shame.
In N’Gresi, America’s class system is meaningless. Much of this meaninglessness is prevalent throughout Africa. What about the video makes this evident? Comment on how the differences in Tanzania, Africa are different from where you live.
