Diwali 20-10-2017

Nairobi, 20 October 2017

Diwali or Deepavali
is the Hindu Festival of Lights Celebrated in Kenya in the Autumn – with fireworks, lights, gifts, special sweets, and festivities.

It is tonight.

In this night – now in a Nairobi of skyscrapers and helicopters incessantly crisscrossing the sky, above the treetops of my forest garden still dripping with the late afternoon shower of the short rains, I listen to popping fireworks lighting the night, and remember.
I found again this poem written by a younger me, one night of Diwali, 30 years ago:

Nairobi, October 1987

Diwali 1987

Diwali dots the night with many fires.
Far away the country of foggy nights and silent frogs,
Venice – forgotten dream which fades at night,
My men – as gentle ghosts
who talk no more.
The silence which is left
leaves only peace.

Or questions, unanswered.

Or tears, unshed.

Or the solitude
which has names,
but no more faces.


Kuki Gallmann

 



Please help us fund the rebuilding and maintaining of vital conservation infrastructure on Kuki’s Laikipia Nature Conservancy and equip the outstanding team of rangers with everything they need to continue to protect and monitor the unique Biodiversity of Ol Ari Nyiro, assist our neighbouring communities and support our re-forestation project to combat global warming by planting more indigenous trees.

With your help we can secure Kuki’s vision and legacy in perpetuity.

Please help us by making a donation below, however small or big it may be!!!

 

JavaScript is not enabled. You must enable JavaScript to use this form.

Donation Information

I would like to make a donation in the amount of:

$1,000$500$100$50$10Other
I would like this donation to go to a specific fund

I would like this donation to repeat each month

Tribute Gift

Check here to donate in honor or memory of someone

Donor Information

Add me to your mailing list

Donor Address

Post a comment