Copyright Š 2019 Jacquelyn Marston All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the express written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. ISBN # 978-1-7330391-8-5
Follow Your Dreams Follow your Heart
Embrace the Magic All Around You
Dedication to The Women of Akashinga When I first saw the BBC television segment on Damien Mander and the women of the Akashinga Anti-Poaching Squad in Zimbabwe, I was struck by their dedication, bravery, and success in arresting poachers. They have proven to themselves and their communities that what seemed impossible was not only possible, but life changing on many levels. The women of Akashinga are now able to provide for their families, educate their children, and contribute to the sustainability of their villages. Their stories are an inspiration to everyone who discovers the courageous work they are doing to protect the largest surviving herd of elephants left on the planet. My sincerest gratitude and admiration to founder Damien Mander and the Women of Akashinga, The Brave Ones. Jackie Marston
I am called Imari. I live in Africa with my Mother and Grandmother. We are preparing to move to a country that has no ocean. My mother is taking a job as a Ranger protecting elephants. What will life be like for me without the sea I love — it is hard for me to imagine. Today is my last walk on the beach. Gramma Hayben taught me so much about the ocean. Ocean storms are exciting — the dark, threatening clouds heading toward us like a clan of hyenas up to no good. After the rain the air is fresh, and the waves are pounding high against the rocks. Seagulls hover above, waiting to dive upon a tasty, unsuspecting crab. My favorite treasure to discover is sea glass. My Gramma showed me where to look for these green, blue, and amber ocean gifts among the sharp stones. As I head home I shout out to the ocean, “Good-by my ocean! Good-by my beach!”
Mother’s new job as a Ranger puts her on the frontlines protecting the largest remaining herd of elephants in Africa. Poaching is an open wound on the Savannah that needs healing. Ignoring this crisis will mean the elephants will disappear forever. I smell the storm-washed air one last time, and feel the cool wet sand beneath my feet as it slides away with the tide. I pack away these memories trusting they will wash over me again and again wherever I may be. Heading back to the village I spy a unique looking bottle that has drifted ashore on a tangled bed of slimy seaweed. Placing it in my bag I look up to see a multi-colored sky — another gift from life by the sea.
Getting an education is priority one in my family. It costs money to attend school, and now as a Ranger my Mom will be making a good wage in Zimbabwe. School was never available to my Mom and Gramma but they both grew up to be wise and determined teachers. They make me feel loved and safe. They are my heroes. “Imari, have you got your things sorted out of your bag?” “Yes, Mom. May I walk out into the village and look around?” “You may, but don’t wander far. Give me a hug and mind your Gramma. I’m off to work.” As I wave good-by to my Mom, I’m wondering exactly what she and the other women will be doing to protect the elephants.
While sitting in the shade of a Baobab tree, sometimes called the Tree of Life according to Gramma Hayben, I remember the bottle I found on the beach. I pull it out of my bag and notice there’s a note inside — but I haven’t learned to read yet. There’s a stowaway in the bottle, too — a paper grasshopper. I pull him out, and suddenly there’s a sparkling rush. He begins to unfold and fold back again in my hand. I can’t believe my eyes. And he’s talking to me! “Wow, thanks. I thought I’d never get out of that bottle. Have you ever seen a seasick grasshopper? I’m usually not this green.” I was speechless.
“What is your name?” asks the grasshopper. “I am Imari. Are you magic?” “I am. And you may call me Ojie. I like your name, Imari. It means Faithful and Loyal.” “That’s right. What does Ojie mean?” “In Japanese it means Bringer of Magical Gifts.” “Here in Africa names are chosen very carefully for each child. My mother is Shamira, meaning Protector. Gramma Hayben’s name means Hall of Light.” “You seem a little sad, what’s the matter Imari?” “We just moved here, and I’m missing the ocean I love. My Mom is going to be a Ranger in an elephant sanctuary.” “Moving can be tough — as I just found out in that bottle. But what I’ve learned is that moving can also mean moving on — to an exciting new adventure for you.”
“Your mother’s new job is quite impressive. The elephants are in danger, and protecting them is vital to their survival.” “All I know about them is they are enormous.” “Yes, they are the largest land mammal on the planet. Would you like to come and see for yourself?” “How will we do that?” Suddenly sparkling dust fills the air, and when it stops Ojie and I have turned into birds — White Egrets perched high atop a huge elephant! “Wow, this is amazing. I’m a bird! Talk about a bird’s eye view,” joked Ojie. “The Rangers named this beautiful elephant Chipo, meaning Gift,” continued Ojie. “What’s that rumbling sound I hear?” Ojie explains, “That’s the sound elephants make to communicate with each other. Would you like to hear some more incredible facts about elephants?”
Ojie continued, “Elephants travel in groups led by the oldest female, like Chipo. She is called the matriarch — meaning Female-In-Charge.” “I’ve got two of those at home.” “That’s right. And this herd is one giant family with daughters, aunts, sisters, cousins, and young babies. It’s a big job. The whole herd provides a constant source of day care for the little ones. Elephants eat 350 pounds of greens every day, which means there’s a lot of chewing going on! Mother Nature gives them six sets of teeth that drop down to replace the worn out ones throughout their lifetime — which by the way can be 70 years! One of my favorite facts about elephants, Imari, is that they never forget. They have what scientists call mind maps. Guided by her internal map, the matriarch leads her herd for many miles to water during each dry season.” “Gee, elephants have a story as big as they are!”
Ojie went on, “Elephants remember each other even after decades of separation. They grieve and show respect for the bones of herd members who have died. They show this reverence even after many years have passed.” “That’s so incredible. But I don’t get it, why are such amazing creatures in danger?” “Unfortunately, there are ancient cultures that believe elephant tusks can cure disease, making the ivory very valuable. The truth is tusks are made of the same material as your fingernails. They hold no magic power.” “That makes me very sad.” “Your mother is now a member of the Akashinga Anti-Poaching Squad. Poachers set traps to kill the elephants. When the Rangers patrol they take apart the traps ensuring the elephants — or any other animals — don’t get caught in them.”
Ojie and I balance ourselves with open wings as a loud trumpeting sound fills the air. Chipo was calling her elephant family to a nearby river for a drink. “Whoa, the water is running very fast!” I cry out. Just then I see a baby antelope caught in the strong current. The adult antelopes are frantic on the shore, watching the baby struggle in the water. “Ojie! Please! Do something! Please help that poor little one before it’s too late.”
The great elephant rushed over and wrapped her trunk around the young calf. She gently placed the baby on the shore in front of her mother. Ojie and I hop up and down with happiness seeing Chipo come to the rescue. “Imari, you just saw another great elephant fact with your own eyes, Imari. Elephants are known for not only helping other elephants, but they will also rescue other animals in danger as well — especially the babies. They are great mothers.” From a distance, rhythmic singing floated on the air. “Imari, do you hear that?”
“Beauuu—ti—ful! They sound like songbirds,” Ojie says. “The women Rangers are singing a tribal song as they march in formation.” “Hey, that’s my Mom’s group over there. They look like soldiers.” “Yes,” explained Ojie, “the Rangers’ job requires an army of men and women. Think about our planet like your favorite sweater — if you pull one loose thread the whole sweater begins to unravel. It won’t happen all at once, but slowly over time, and if your Mom doesn’t mend the sweater you won’t be able to wear it. Sweaters are replaceable — our planet is not. Saving the elephants is like mending a loose thread. We must protect the elephants and preserve the shared connection that weaves people and the animals on earth together. Sadly, when people live far away from a crisis, it’s easy for them to ignore it. There’s a lot of work to be done, and we’ll all do our best work when we come together as a close-knit global community.” My heart was full. I was feeling very proud learning that my Mother is playing such an important role in saving these magnificent, intelligent creatures.
As Ojie and I were flying back to the village, I gazed down in wonder at a dizzying, dazzle of zebras racing toward the river. With the village in sight, the earth rushed up to welcome us. A breeze filled with sparkling dust began swirling around us. I was once again under the Baobab tree. Ojie perched on my knee and read out loud the note in the bottle,
When you’ve held the magic in your hands And you’ve seen it with your eyes You’ve solved a riddle for yourself So pass your new friend Ojie — on to someone else “Oh, I will. I will!” I promised. “I’ll never forget you Ojie, never! May I ask you one more question?” “Of course,” smiled Ojie. “Does Akashinga have a special meaning? You told me it was the name of my mother’s Anti-Poaching Squad.” Ojie replied, “Like the elephants, I hope you never forget, Imari. Akashinga means, The Brave Ones.”
The United Nations Sustainable Developing Goals In 2015 the United Nations announced a 15 year program to bring together initiatives from all over the world that strive to change our planet for the better. To learn about the Sustainable Development Goals visit: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org A great way to find an initiative for you to join is to check out partners associated with the Sustainable Development Goals. There are already over 4,000 initiatives listed there for you to browse: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnership/browse/ Ojie and Imari’s story in “Elephants You’ll Never Forget” resonates with Sustainable Development Goal 15, Life On Land. The targets for SDG 15 include protecting and preventing the extinction of threatened species, and taking urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna. To learn more about anti-poaching efforts visit the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF) here: https://www.iapf.org/akashinga/ To learn more about SDG 15 visit: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-15-life-on-land.html https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg15 https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030-goal15.html
More fun facts about elephants, egrets and sea glass:
• Elephants scoop 35 gallons of water each day. • They are pregnant for 22 months, and the calves can weigh 260 lbs and stand 3 feet tall at birth! • They make a sound so low in frequency humans can’t hear it. They use that rumble to send messages to other elephants as far as six miles away —tellng them where to find water. • Elephants can grow to reach 13 feet at the shoulder. • There are two prehensile tips at the end of their trunk that is used like a hand. • African forest elephants are smaller than their African elephant cousins. Typically they are only 8 feet tall. • For further information go to www.IAPF.org to learn what the anti-poaching squads are doing to combat the killing of elephants for the Ivory traders. • Charities like Elephants for Africa are working to preserve the natural eco systems elephants need to survive. The scoop on poop! Elephant dung (poop) which is mostly fiber can easily be made into paper. Each elephant generates enough dung to make 115 sheets of paper every day. Let’s turn poop into paper and help save the trees! • Sea glass takes 7-10 years of constant buffing from the waves to become the smooth collectable people search for on beaches. Orange, red and turquoise are the rarest colors of sea glass. • Many years ago sea glass was called Mermaids Tears— tears cried for sailors who had drowned. • • • •
White Egrets have a wing span of over 4 feet. They hunt the fish they eat with a stab from their long narrow bills. During mating season they grow and display beautiful long plumes. In the late 19th century they were hunted, nearly to extinction, for their plumes, sparking conservation movements and some of the first laws put in place to protect birds.
Imari’s family is moving to a country in Africa called Zimbabwe, where his mother has taken a job as a Ranger on an Elephant Sanctuary. Moving is difficult and Imari is sad about no longer living by the sea. Today he is taking his last walk on the beach he picks up a unique bottle tangled in the seaweed and heads for home. Later, taking a closer look at the bottle, Imari discovers a magical Origami Grasshopper, named, Ojie. The adventure begins with a magical spell as Ojie takes Imari on a fantastic journey. Imari learns not only about the elephants his mom is protecting, but how important her job is to their safety and survival.