Episode 011— The Rabbit and the Crocodile

Episode 013 - Koyati goes to church (Part 2)

This week, I'm sitting at a camp fire in the bushveld, and I'm telling how Koyati was besieged inside a woodpile by Marcie and her two hyena sisters. A woodpile that was the home of King Mambo, a huge black mamba.

Episode 012 - Koyati goes to church

Koyati, like many children had his own special place where he felt safe and calm - a mountain spring with a pool of fresh, clear water. But the circumstanced that lead him to discover it were not so calm. In fact, it almost cost him his life. Let me tell you about it …

Episode 011— The Rabbit and the Crocodile

Koyati tells how elder Tabari's storytelling of 'The Rabbit and the Crocodile' inspired him to start carving. He went to elder Nuru, the village woodcarver and asked him to teach him to carve a rabbit. This started Koyati off on what turned out to be a … no, I'm not going to put a spoiler in here!

Episode 010 — Koyati's Bedroom

Koyati lives in a tiny lean-to shack, where he feels exposed to the hyenas.

Episode 009 — Sophie is sent away

The area of Tanzania where Koyati's village is located is up in the north, near the Serengeti district, which borders on Kenya to the north of it. The local big city is Arusha (Dar es Salaam is way south). Koyati's big sister — only nine or ten at the time (he was around six years old) is sent to Arusha to go 'live with a family member.' His mother simply put her on a bus, and she was gone. Koyati never forgave her.