Welcome to our next interview in the series highlighting people or small organisations that are doing amazing work to raise awareness of the issues facing lions and wildlife in general. Today we are delighted to introduce you to one of our very own Patrons, Herbert Brauer.
Photo courtesy of Peter Lamberti, Lion Mountain Media
In case you are not aware, Herbert is a well-known wildlife cameraman who has been involved in the filming of many wildlife documentaries but probably he is most famous for the documentary about Lady Liuwa – “THE LAST LIONESS”. Here we get the chance to find out how filming this documentary and working with Lady Liuwa had a profound impact on his life and we also get a chance to hear about Herbert’s new plans and how his life has taken on a new direction.
Photo courtesy of Peter Lamberti, Lion Mountain Media
Herbert, can you tell us briefly about the story of Lady and how you came to meet her ? Lady was the only lion who survived the uncontrolled mass killing of wildlife in Western Zambia’s Liuwa Plains National Park for meat, trophies and in the case of lions, their body parts for so-called “medicine” we were told. Both local and foreign vendors and killers participated. I was sent to this incredibly beautiful remote wilderness by Peter Lamberti to film the remaining wildlife and investigate the potential for a Natural History documentary. Lady was elusive, rarely seen and much respected for her mythical status. She allowed me to film her hunting wildebeest and interacting with hyaenas on the first day of my very first filming assignment and on most days until my assistant, scout and I departed ten days later. It was during the third and fourth assignments that it became clear to me that Lady was trying to seek our company. I recognized that she had a different “type” or “level” of intelligence or consciousness to any other lion I had filmed before and intuitively felt drawn to her as much as she felt drawn to me. The existence of this unique bond was first noticed by my scout, Jakob Tembo, and Nathan Pilcher, my then-camera assistant, who mentioned to Peter the viability for
making a unique conservation documentary in addition to the film we’d started on spotted hyenas. African Parks, who manages Liuwa Plains for the Zambian Wildlife Authorities, and very successfully at that, introduced male lions and later lionesses too with the objective to reestablish a viable lion population in the park to restore the natural balance. I was privileged and trusted as wildlife cameraman to document this complicated process over more than fifteen months between 2005 and 2012 that challenged stake-holders on all levels. Courage, determination, patience and perseverance necessary for great Visions to unfold are rarely witnessed by anyone not closely involved, and I was privileged to intimately observe and document the ups and downs. Lady’s role as mentor to the lions that were brought in, were considered central to the reintroduction process. She had thrived amongst thousands of local villagers living legally inside the park, without ever harming a human, dog or livestock that generally roamed unattended. Lady never raised her own cubs, but she successfully imparted her wisdom how to survive to the newcomers. Some of these new lions were killed both naturally and by humans, however, right now Liuwa Plains has a viable pride of 7 strong, wild and free-living lions. Lady passed, with dignity, around the 7th of August 2017. Her ageing body could no longer regenerate from the impact she had continuously endured with exemplar intelligence through the seasons and catastrophes on the remote plains. She held her own as a young member of one of many prides of magnificent lions that once inhabited Liuwa Plains, then as the sole survivor and finally she supported the birth of a new pride against all odds.
You had first-hand experience of Lady’s loneliness. Many say that animals do not experience emotions. How did you view that loneliness? Lady expressed her loneliness in all levels of her existence. Her unusual behavior, as filmed for “THE LAST LIONESS” was the most obvious expression of course. Whether animals experience emotions or not is probably not as important to know as to whether we have a sufficiently welldeveloped sensibility for our own emotions as a reliable indicator for our sense of “feeling”. “Feeling”, or “sensing” together with the other senses allows us to receive knowledge about our physical world but also, even more importantly, intuitively, i.e. by connecting through our inner wisdom. So, when I felt Lady’s loneliness, I had to distinguish between what she felt and my own emotions, struggling with a sense of extreme loneliness, too. At the time I simply couldn’t accept my humanness in the face of the destruction we’re causing as a species that has lost respect for life.
Because of what too many people believe, say and subsequently do, we have arrived at the current environmental crisis of course. (Post-)Modern human society has arrived at a level of disconnection from nature, both outer and inner, to such a degree that is down-right against our progress and well-being as intelligent species. There is no doubt though that a great awakening has begun and it is with that increase in awareness that we consciously reconnect again to all our own dimensions of existence. A major aspect of that process is that men are learning to sense their emotions once again which serve as indicators of our sense of feeling. Many are unable or unwilling to navigate that space yet and which is one of the reasons for the current onslaught against the feminine and nature by the masculine.
Photo courtesy of Peter Lamberti, Lion Mountain Media
Lady clearly had a very profound effect on you. Are you able to explain that a bit further? Lady had the capacity to affect my life in a far greater way than just me being excited, she’d try and teach me how to kill a wildebeest or invited me to share her prey. She literally guided me through a sequence of events and experiences which are aligned with the natural development of every human’s consciousness and capacity to give meaning during a lifetime. This progression unfolds when we choose a life connected with our own true nature and is supported by nature. I have witnessed it unfold irrespective of our religious or spiritual beliefs
and opinions. When we hear a call to spend time in wild nature, it is because of exactly that reason, we’re sensing a fundamental “spiritual” instinct for no better word. When we feel overwhelmed, confused, distracted or disconnected, our psyche and greater mind need a recalibration. I could have received the healing, teachings and insights without Lady but she had the knack of bringing these into my life because of her unique intelligence and the awareness she demanded from me for my safety while creating a film with documentary integrity. She clearly sensed my sensitivity and commitment learning to understand who she really is and demanded that I respected her. It was during our final interview for “THE LAST LIONESS”, when producer Bronwyn Kohler pushed me relentlessly to connect to my emotions more than I had before during the years I’ve filmed Lady. Then I realized the intensity with which Lady embodied and expressed Gaia, the consciousness of our Earth. As a result, my constant suppressed sadness turned into humility, acceptance and gratitude, more than I could have ever imagined. It’s been said that animals are “played by the landscape”. Lady showed me and reflected that I am part of the planetary and universal landscape, Nature, as well. That was Lady’s true gift and effect on me.
Photo courtesy of Peter Lamberti, Lion Mountain Media
Your life has now taken another direction. Tell us about that. Before I started filming, I had a vision where I was shown that I’d guide people in the wilderness, facilitating scenarios and spaces where they would reconnect consciously with Nature and their inner wisdom. Since 2005 I’ve been studying with masters and practicing two nature traditions, intuitive healing and life coaching in the Americas and South Africa. I focus on my core-transformative coaching practice and transformative nature immersions.
Can you tell us a bit more about the importance of respecting wildlife, the environment and the planet. The Earth is not sick. Our planet is large, old and holds tremendous wisdom. It is our relationship with her, with Nature that needs to heal and change not only for our immediate survival but importantly, for our evolution as a species. Nature is a reflection of our perception and our senseless aggression and unconscious plunder reflects the lack of respect we hold collectively for ourselves, and life in general. We need to accept our shadow and learn to integrate our authentic beauty, power and light. Nelson Mandela put it, more or less, this way: we fear our power more than our weakness or shadow… In 2019 you are planing some wonderful workshops that people will be able to engage in. Can you tell us a bit more about this? A bunch of exciting Transformative Nature Immersions are on the charts. We’ll spend time in various game reserves like Hluhluwe Umfolozi in KwaZulu-Natal and we will also walk from Sossusvlei to the Atlantic Coast in Namibia. I’m planning to take participants to Liuwa Plains in western Zambia where I’ll facilitate a space conducive to receiving insights around relevant topics which my interaction with Lady taught me and we’ll enter Nature with opened awareness, learn much more than that of course. A workshop with Linda Park, Director, Voice4Lions is also in the pipeline, where we assist participants connecting with the archetypal wisdom and power of lions. And then there will be the Inspirational Talks and Workshops where the film “The Last Lioness” serves as an effective and proven means to assist participants re-connect with nature.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this interview. Voice4Lions is so very grateful to Herbert taking the time to talk to us and particularly for his patronage of our organisation and all his guidance. If you would like to get involved or find out further information on any of the events he has planned for 2019 then please take a look at this website www.herbertbrauer.com