(L-R ) Sir Samuel Baker’s
great grandson David Baker, his daughter Melanie Baker and UWA Executive
Director Andrew Sseguya
“Uganda has a
diversity of tribes, landscapes and water bodies that are not found anywhere in
the world” observed the visiting, explorer Sir Samuel Baker’s great grandson
David Baker.
“It has been amazing
to stand at the exact spot where my great grandfather stood with his wife
Florence
150 years ago to see
and name Lake Albert.”
“Thanks to RGS, the
modern GPS and Google map. The exact spot is today a refugee camp,” added
elated Baker.
Flipping his ipad
open, he quotes from the griping account of Sir Samuel Baker’s exploration, a
description of the people, lifestyle and dress code found in place way back in
the 19th Century. “The reception I got was warm.
The natives greeted me
by raising my hand up above my head. Then as a gesture of acceptance by the
tribe-pumping it three times before-letting go,” read Baker.
Comparing experiences,
Baker considers himself and his daughter Melanie lucky to meet Ugandans who are
citizens of the global world today.
They tweet, joke, wear
Jeans, speak English, drink Coca cola and dine posh.
“Para Sarova is a ten
star hotel,” said Baker. “Where else in the world can you see the big five, the
cascading River Nile, birds and live dances like I have seen in one day.
The thunderous drums
are still ringing in my ears and the choreographed Bwola dancer’s footwork
is engraved on my
mind.
They can fill a
theater to capacity in Central London!”
Great granddaughter
Melanie who lives in Canada was speechless and could not wait to publish her
experience in Africa.
“Getting to learn that
there is a school named after my great granny makes me proud of my roots,”
boasts Melanie. “And it has awakened me to the fact that not what we all take
for granted in the developed world,
like education and
healthcare, is available to all.”
By Bruce Amp
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