“The Leghoya were astonished that their Bushman neighbours were never attacked by lions and did not seem to fear them at all. Their only explanation was that Bushmen had supernatural powers. Well, they were perhaps not too far wrong, but there powers were applied in a very practical way.
The Bushmen were supreme naturalists. Over millennia they had studied the behavioural of all the animals with which they came into contact. They knew that lions were territorial, and that each territory and each pride had a dominant male - an alpha male as we call it nowadays.
When Bushmen moved into an area, they quickly identified the lion families and which were the leading males. They knew every member of the pride - male, female and cubs. They knew each lion’s personality - some are more aggressive, or more playful, or more irritable than others. They kept a close eye on developments in the pride, waiting to see when the alpha male was getting older or weaker and when young males were ready to challenge him.
The Bushmen knew exactly when the alpha male was overthrown and which young male took his place. The first time the new dominant male had the opportunity to take a nap, three or four of the best hunters would creep up on him in a way only they understood and had mastered. And then they wold jump on the sleeping lion and beat the hell out of him with their sticks, shrieking and shouting at the top of their voices.
The poor lion would get the fright of his life and flee in a hurry. And somehow, through this act, lion understood that he and his subjects should never attack these people who scared but did not kill him. You don’t mess with us, and we don’t mess with you, was the understanding. Imagine the thought process of the beaten lion: from “king” of the open veld to scaredy cat in one sound beating.
We will never know if there was more to this pact between Bushman and lion, whether perhaps there was some kind of psychic connection between human being and animal. All we know is that this was more or less how they did it and that it worked.”
Max du Preez “Of Warriors, lovers and phophets. Unusal stories from South Africa’s past”.
Ehk siis loen ägedat raamatut, milles üks RSA väga tunnustatud ajakirjanik jutustab vahvaid tõsielulisi lugusid Lõuna-Aafrika ajaloost. Lisaks lõvilugudele saab palju teada ka selle kohta, kuidas Hollandist tulnud puritaanid muudkui Xhosa ja Khoikhoi pealike naisi järjepanu “tarvitasid nagu enda omi”, ja palju muud. Kui tagasi tulen, küsige laenuks.
