20 Years of Family at Jabulani - A Letter by Adine Roode
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Published 2024-08-02
A herd of buffalo meets Nandi and me at the waterhole, a herd almost as big as the waterhole itself, stretching across the earth in droves. How many, I don’t know, but I know that their families can reach from 20 up to 1000 in size. Large families like this are not that common in the animal kingdom, but you’ll see it among the elephants too, like a school of fish darting through the water in a synchronized dance. Elephants are family animals and it’s partly what endears me to them.
As Nandi waits in the car, I exit and take slow steps closer to the buffalo. The elephants arrive and Pisa and Mambo beeline for the animals. The naïve bravery of youth in full display. I watch Setombe and Klaserie head down to the water’s edge with Sebakwe close by, Jabulani, a bull as old as my son, is there too. At the back are Tokwe and Fishan, taking it slow, letting their family make their way to the dam first. And in between I spot my Meisiekind, Khanyisa. As much as the herd adopted her, and now raise her, I still feel bonded to her. She is part of my family too. My little one. The buffalo move off, giving in to the earth’s largest land mammals, our herd of 16 elephants, a herd unlike any other, with mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters.
Nandi sits quietly in my car up on the dirt path. She knows the routine by now. Her mother likes to talk to elephants, walk with elephants. And so she has to share her. Nandi grew up alongside Khanyisa. As a German Shepherd, though, she isn’t quite accepted by the bigger herd, who are weary of energetic barking wolf-like hounds. I watch the carers following the elephants and taking a break under the trees. And all I see is the incredible union of one big family and the multiple ways we are all connected, animal and human.
This wilderness is my home and I’ve walked its paths since I was a child. My children who are now adults were raised by the elephants and buffalos, with quiet waterhole outings and walks with the carers teaching them about life. You feel it more in the wild, the sense of connection. The earth has time for you, and you make time for it. The wind talks in rhymes and the trees pass on their lessons, like elders in the herd. The tracks on the ground guide you and the great matriarchs offer their comfort.
Even after my father passed away, I could feel him in this land. My mother and brother share this bushveld home, but our family is far bigger, far more varied. The giraffes and their nurseries of offspring rely on us, as the elephants, both wild and rescued, do. Their lives are our lives.
While the elephants swim and drink at the waterhole, I return to Nandi, and we continue our journey to check on our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers of the bush. Just as they check in on us, like a mother phoning her son on the other side of the country to ask him how he is, the impalas dart their eyes our way, “How are you?” Their ears face us to listen to the reply…
Look after family, however big or small, far or near, and it will look after you.
A Look at Kapama's Story - read more in the blog: jabulanisafari.com/blog/20-years-of-family-at-jabu…
All Comments (21)
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Thanks Adine,what a blessing to grow up there!!!! 😊
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Beautiful Adine! Thank You! 💖🙏🇬🇧
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Thank you so much Adine for your wonderful words. We can learn a lot from your animal family, which we now call ours too. The world would be a nicer place if we all took notice . Sending you, your amazing carers and subscribers many blessings.🙏🙏❤❤❤🐘🐘🐘
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Thanking you for the work and care you give to the animals 🌹🌹🌹
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Beautiful words togo alongside the gorgeous elephants. Absolutely amazing. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
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Thanks Adine! This was lovely and beautiful🥰🙏😊
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What wonderful heart you have, full of love. Thank you for sharing your world .
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Thank you Adine. I appreciate you, and all the carers. We all do. 🐘💜🐘💜🐘
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Lovely words from the heart to go with the images of the Herd, thank you, Adine, for sharing your home and your family with us 🙏❤🐘❤
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Thanks Adine, thanks you all ❤❤❤❤❤
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Thank you Adine for your letter about Nandi and those amazing elephants of HERD. What adventures you’ve had in learning & caring for the orphans that are so loved. Blessings to you and to all the caregivers that take care of the elephants.🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘.......
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Wonderful words Adine. Thank you and all at HERD for all you do.
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Wonderful! So beautifully written Adine....❤️🐘❤️🐘❤️🐘❤️🐘❤️🐘❤️
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The best way to end a rough work week is this. ❤
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Really needed to hear your voice this morning. Dankie Adine and Herd!
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💚🍼🙏🐾🐘Dearest Adine, Dearest Human Family (both blood-related and not blood-related) and Dearest Herd, how fortunate, blessed and happy you are to have that wonderful wilderness as your backyard where animals break no rules, do not spit in the water they drink, do not poison the food they eat and remain together through thick and thin! They always know best! Unconditional love and "saudade" a Portuguese word that has no translation from Portugal and Mozambique (My beloved country!!!)🐘🐾🙏🍼💚
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The Lord made us all. You and the carers steward the animals the way we were created to. Thank you.
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What a lovely letter. Family first! Adine, your tender heart and the immense strength of your commitment to both the human and elephant families at HERD have always impressed me. ❤ When my 4 boys were ages 5-10 we moved into my grandma's house (on the farm I grew up on) so we could take care of her. She hated being away from the farm, and our being there kept her out of a nursing home. We did that for 2.5 years until she died. Because we were so close, I fell into a very bad depression. But I digress. The point of the story is that my youngest told me then, "Mama, when you get old and need somebody to take care of YOU, I'll do it!" He got it! That might've been the best example I ever set for them. God bless everyone at HERD, elephants and humans alike. And also those that love them. 🙏🏼❤️🐘❤👥️❤🙏🏼
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What beautiful words Adine that’s 20 precious and marvellous yrs you have been so fortunate to have and many many more wonderful yrs with your Jabulani Herd. Such special moments you are able to experience! 💖🫶👌👌
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Please know that your life is very precious, and we need you. What you have created…has lead to a community of hope & love. Your words touch the heart & we are all blessed to be invited inside your world. This world, where HERD is the oasis for you, your carers, and all of the elephants, gives back so much for so many. Adine, we thank you For all that you do…. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
