There is a diversity and wildness to the African continent, that touch the human soul. Yes, there is the dark side of Africa, with images of war and famine, but there is also the beauty of her wilderness areas, wide open savannahs filled with wildlife, her majestic mountains, blue sky deserts and golden sunsets. My name is Chrigi.
I was born in old Africa, in a town called Windhoek, which was the capital of the old mandate territory called South-West Africa. Today it is known as Namibia.
Our heritage is an mixture of French Huguenot stock that came to the Cape Colony on the Southern point of Africa in 1698 from Dijon in France, and 1880 pioneer Germans from the Black Forest who settled in the old German colony of South-West Africa, with a dash of Nama and Bushmen make us Africa people. Our language is similar to Plattdüütsch / Nedderdüütsch, and sound a lot like Flemish.
Most of my formative years in the was spend on my Grand-father's farm in the Kalahari region of South West Africa / Namibia: Farm Blumenfelde, named after the butter yellow flowers of the Tridenta thorn, that painted the landscape yellow after the first rains. Blue sky, sunshine days between the big old Acacia trees and open red sand grass savannahs. Memories!
My younger brother and I was two wild kids and got into trouble all the time. My Gran-Dad decided to to put a 'minder' in charge of us. A young Khwe Bushman from the Kalahari by the name of Arrie April, got the job to look after us. Many a day we tracked and learned about the bush from him, and at night, he will tell us stories of the Bushmen people, about the animals we have seen.
Arrie taught me how to make fire with two sticks, what plants to eat and use for medicine. How to track animals and read their 'spoor' as a story. These were my sunshine days of exploring and hunting in the Kalahari region of Namibia, and this imprinted the love of nature in me. Today it is my passion and career.
Later after school, I went to the military for a few years to fight in a senseless war, and then to study in South Africa. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, and disintegration of the Soviet Union, a kind of peace has came to Southern Africa.
South West Africa became independent, and was called Namibia. Mandela got released from prison, and the world as we known it has changed.
I have been blessed to travel and lived in many parts of the world, from an year in Singapore, the Comoros Islands, and Switzerland. Explored Europe and marvelled at the art and history of Italy. Seen the Pyramids of Egypt, drink the wines of Tuscany, even went trekking up the Jungfraujoch.
But, Namibia will always be part of my blood, and exploring the African wilderness regions, feeds my soul.
They call it Africa, I call it home.
Storm in the Soul
The time when I dive deep into the mountain pools,
jumping over rounded rocks & crevices,
in gentle arms of ferns and moss, playing with dragon-flies & big cats.
That is the most special time, when I am the real me,
the time when I vanish and blend in with the nature around me,
-totally absorbed in all permeating peace,
being unbelievably thankful for every second of my life
& this energy that feeds my soul...
- that time, so far away from everybody I know
- I some-times crave a human companion - like a child,
that craves somebody to share his playfulness with,
simple, honest, humble but absolutely wild & untamed heart,
with deep passion to touch with compassionate eyes
and embrace with warmth of their soul...
The One - with a mind of a poet, who would give her life,
for a verse of magnificence & beauty of life.
That is the time I wish to bring to life -the soul mate that I carry in my
heart....
The time, when I keep stumbling down in despair,
losing my faith
& my hope to change the world for better,
the time when I have no more strength to fight the superficial brutal greed
& disregard of mankind for nature.
- that time I crave a shoulder of strength - no matter how tired -
- still straight & calm,
- the one - who is a reflection of the legacy of gods,
the vision imprinted in my heart and forever part
of every cell in my body and every thought in my mind.....
Those times I crave at least a dear friend,
who would understand the vastness of my inner space,
to calm the turbulent pain & bring soothing love....
my need to run when somebody tries to tie me down.....
And my need to walk up into the distant horizons,
to dissolve myself in the never ending rays of hope & sunshine full of
peace.....
For sadly now, my only companion is the sunsets of Africa, and the campfire called home.
The Curse of the Free
"Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war."
Do not fear the loosening of the chain my friend...
Some caues are worth the price.
For being a Sentinel is not for all
Stand fast in protecting the cause, the weak...
Be free...let them lose the chain...
Burn the bridge...put yor back against the wall
Have honor in this dying light of mankind
Unlease this dog of war.
Smile my fiend...smile
We are free in this dying light.
Facing Death
I am the hitch-hiker on this road of life.
Cut, shot, burned, died, the body broken.
Along came Death, kiss my brow, and left.