Crocodile Infestation Worry Chief Mpindi

[NamStay]

https://www.lusakatimes.com/2022/12/24/crocodile-infestation-worry-chief-mpindi/

Chief Mpidi of the Lunda-speaking people in Zambezi District of North Western Province has expressed fear that people in his chiefdom risk being wiped out completely if crocodiles are not cropped.

Chief Mpidi said since 2018, over thirty (30) people have been killed by crocodiles in the Kabompo river that passes through his chiefdom.

This came to light when Northwestern Province Permanent Secretary, Grandson Katambi paid a courtesy call on him at his palace.

” Just two weeks ago two people were caught and killed by the crocodiles…a child and a mother…two more people are missing and we are suspecting that they might have been caught as well because they went to the river and never came back”

 

[bowjijohn]

Interesting

now this could be a genuine problem

Or …

It could be increased predation as a consequence of human migration into new areas

it could be as a consequence of increased human presence in general

it could be as a consequence of wildlife changes brought about by any numbers of factors- usually human in origin

It could be a desire for financial compensation

PS - I’m not aware of any “palaces” amongst most local cultures in Zambia

In fact - other than on Hollywood films, I never hear the expression used

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Could this be a potential community service project for the AH membership? Have gun, will travel.

 

[PeteG]

Interesting

now this could be a genuine problem

Or …

It could be increased predation as a consequence of human migration into new areas

it could be as a consequence of increased human presence in general

it could be as a consequence of wildlife changes brought about by any numbers of factors- usually human in origin

It could be a desire for financial compensation

PS - I’m not aware of any “palaces” amongst most local cultures in Zambia

In fact - other than on Hollywood films, I never hear the expression used

Palaces are very common. Each chief has his palace.
The term can however be interpreted rather loosely.

 

[bowjijohn]

Never - in the 20 years I've lived there, nor subsequent 10 years in Wankie - has this expression ever been used in normal conversation

However - one lives and learns

 

[Sue Tidwell]

Interesting

now this could be a genuine problem

Or …

It could be increased predation as a consequence of human migration into new areas

it could be as a consequence of increased human presence in general

it could be as a consequence of wildlife changes brought about by any numbers of factors- usually human in origin

It could be a desire for financial compensation

PS - I’m not aware of any “palaces” amongst most local cultures in Zambia

In fact - other than on Hollywood films, I never hear the expression used

I don’t know much about the palace situation but it is used in Zambia. There is a fantastic award winning documentary by Tom Opre Killing the Shepherd about a kingdom in Zambia. The palace is not what we think of as a palace by any means. After wildlfie was depleted and the people starving, the chief came to a safari operator for help. He agreed to move into the area, stopped poaching, fed the people, built schools and a fish farm etc etc. Finally after years the animals have comeback and grown. It is an amazing story that every non-hunter especially should watch.

 

[PeteG]

I don’t know much about the palace situation but it is used in Zambia. There is a fantastic award winning documentary by Tom Opre Killing the Shepherd about a kingdom in Zambia. The palace is not what we think of as a palace by any means. After wildlfie was depleted and the people starving, the chief came to a safari operator for help. He agreed to move into the area, stopped poaching, fed the people, built schools and a fish farm etc etc. Finally after years the animals have comeback and grown. It is an amazing story that every non-hunter especially should watch.

This is a fantastic documentary.
Tom did this documentary at Lower Luano gma with the Norton’s who hold the concession.
they’ve done a great job turning around a depleted gma into a productive hunting concession.

 

[PeteG]

Never - in the 20 years I've lived there, nor subsequent 10 years in Wankie - has this expression ever been used in normal conversation

However - one lives and learns

I’ll take a pic of the next “palace” I visit
Maybe worth a trip past Chief Nsama where we contributed building materials for his palace.

 

[bowjijohn]

Killing the Shepherd is an excellent production

I use it quite a bit in my courses

I’m surprised I’ve never encountered the reference to palaces

chief
Chief’s village
Political chief
Village head
Village chief
Regional chief

All common parlance in my day

But not Palace

I don’t know why I’ve not heard it - and I’m Zambian by birth

 

[Sue Tidwell]

Could this be a potential community service project for the AH membership? Have gun, will travel.

I went croc hunting with my husband in May. It was terrifying! I had no idea we would be on the Zambezi river in a tiny little boat …and that the river was so huge and swift. Anyway, they also lose many people to the crocs. After hearing our PHs horror stories (saved one young girl but she still lost her leg…and used a body as bait for another man eater, both with picture to prove it), I couldn’t believe how the women still went to the river by themselves to wash clothes etc. The sound of smacking the clothes against the croc let every crocodile in the area know they were there. When I asked Rich incredulously why they did this. He said that many think they are protected by blessings from the witchdoctor. When someone is nabbed, the people assume that person did something to break the witchdoctors spell.

 

[PeteG]

Myself and a friend are busy building a croc cage to trap and move these “problem” crocs.
we’re both honorary wildife police officers and will hopefully be able to move some crocs out of areas just like this to less populated areas.

 

[Sue Tidwell]

Killing the Shepherd is an excellent production

I use it quite a bit in my courses

I’m surprised I’ve never encountered the reference to palaces

chief
Chief’s village
Political chief
Village head
Village chief
Regional chief

All common parlance in my day

But not Palace

I don’t know why I’ve not heard it - and I’m Zambian by birth

Did you know Tom is putting the film in book form? I just finished beta-reading it. It is available for preorder now on Amazon. Are you a teacher that you use the film for teaching? What a wonderful tool that movie is! And now you have me second guessing myself. I know it is called the kingdom and I thought he referred to a palace

 

[Sue Tidwell]

Myself and a friend are busy building a croc cage to trap and move these “problem” crocs.
we’re both honorary wildife police officers and will hopefully be able to move some crocs out of areas just like this to less populated areas.

Be sure to build BIG cages. !

 

[Sue Tidwell]

This is a fantastic documentary.
Tom did this documentary at Lower Luano gma with the Norton’s who hold the concession.
they’ve done a great job turning around a depleted gma into a productive hunting concession.

I agree! It is a spectacular film! I’ve watched it like 3 times and get teary eyed each time. We need everyone who opposes hunting yo watch it!

 

[bowjijohn]

I’m not really a teacher

I’m formerly a soldier

Borne on a farm in Zambia

Brought up by Grandparents in Rhodesia

Then an engineer

Then a game ranger

Then a “Rupert” in the Brit Military ( Rupert? = officer)

Then run my own business

Retired - that didn’t suit so started an outdoor education company where I work with youngsters that, for one reason or another, mainstream education can’t cope with

I also run ACET / African Conservation through Education & Training- where I seek to explain the reality of conservation (in Africa) to young minds - this we do in Moz

 

[Spearhead]

Could this be a potential community service project for the AH membership? Have gun, will travel.

Let's go.

 

[Sue Tidwell]

I’m not really a teacher

I’m formerly a soldier

Borne on a farm in Zambia

Brought up by Grandparents in Rhodesia

Then an engineer

Then a game ranger

Then a “Rupert” in the Brit Military ( Rupert? = officer)

Then run my own business

Retired - that didn’t suit so started an outdoor education company where I work with youngsters that, for one reason or another, mainstream education can’t cope with

I also run ACET / African Conservation through Education & Training- where I seek to explain the reality of conservation (in Africa) to young minds - this we do in Moz

Wow! Thank YOU so much for what you do! Do you work with kids in the city or the rural areas? Until I went to Africa, shamelessly I never thought of what it would be like for the rural people to live with the dangerous destructive wildlife we adore. And we assume they have access to all these animals. But I have learned that most kids have never been to a park or an area where they can appreciate wildlfie in an unthreatening manner. Do you know anyone going to the SCI convention? I’d love to give you my book Cries of the Savanna. Maybe you could use it in your teaching somehow.

 

[bowjijohn]

Wow! Thank YOU so much for what you do! Do you work with kids in the city or the rural areas? Until I went to Africa, shamelessly I never thought of what it would be like for the rural people to live with the dangerous destructive wildlife we adore. And we assume they have access to all these animals. But I have learned that most kids have never been to a park or an area where they can appreciate wildlfie in an unthreatening manner. Do you know anyone going to the SCI convention? I’d love to give you my book Cries of the Savanna. Maybe you could use it in your teaching somehow.

I'd be very happy to buy a signed copy

The youngsters I work with are both inner city and rural here in the UK

The owner of the reserve in Moz - one of the Coutadas - likes to us work with / bring the inner city kids

I think he is very much a rogue at heart

We offer the service to all - from both sides of the pond

All money (and I mean all as I pay my own way and take no fees) goes to the reserve for conservation

 

[spike.t]

Never - in the 20 years I've lived there, nor subsequent 10 years in Wankie - has this expression ever been used in normal conversation

However - one lives and learns

As Pete says the chiefs and chiefteness have palaces....drive past our local chiefs everytime I drive in and out the ranch...you see in different places signs giving directions to the local Palace....as Pete says the Palace is only in the name part....not in the actual buildings......

 

[spike.t]

And as said more people being in the area....more fishing using illegal nets and explosives...equals less fish for the crocs to eat....so as our DC said a few years ago at a meeting when people were complaining about Croc attacks....( he had just been fishing that weekend and hadn't caught anything)....you are catching all the fish so they have to eat something....our scouts who were at the meeting came back laughing as they told us...saying it definitely wasn't what the people expected to hear....