This archive report was first published on 18 July 2020.
Childhood Adventures in Rural Kenya ¶
As I reflect on my childhood in rural Kenya, I am reminded of the countless adventures and close calls that shaped my youth. One particular incident that still sends shivers down my spine is the time a group of us decided to climb a towering tree to capture a fledgling eagle.
It was a daredevil stunt that instantly made you a legend in the village. The eagles, however, had other plans. As our climber ascended the tree, a pair of eagles re-surfaced, staging a double-pronged attack that left him hanging off a branch with one hand and trying to ward off the birds with the other.
The eagles' hooked beaks and talons soon took their toll, leaving the climber with several gashes on his back. Another swoop, and he tumbled down, his fall broken only by branches on the way down. The eagles were still fast enough to claw him all the way down, and he plunged headlong into thick shrubbery growing along the river bed.
It was a miracle that he escaped with only a broken leg. I later heard that his younger brother had raced to fetch their father, who took an hour to retrieve the lad from the shrubbery.
Looking back, it's a wonder that none of us suffered more serious injuries or fatalities. But that was just part of growing up in rural Kenya, where the great outdoors was both a playground and a battleground.
As I sat with a vet during the pandemic lockdown, he shared a similar story of a near-death experience as a child. A bull had broken loose and almost trampled him to death, but he went on to become a leading advocate for artificial insemination in favor of traditional bulls.
It's a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of rural Kenyans, who have learned to adapt and thrive in the face of adversity.
