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Bionic Jean's Reviews > The Spirit of the Maasai Man
The Spirit of the Maasai Man
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Bionic Jean's review
bookshelves: animals, children-s-2000-present, children-s-and-ya, fantasy, picture-books-kids, read-authors-a-b, religion-and-beliefs, lauren
Feb 06, 2023
bookshelves: animals, children-s-2000-present, children-s-and-ya, fantasy, picture-books-kids, read-authors-a-b, religion-and-beliefs, lauren
The Spirit of the Maasai Man is a beautiful book, about a topic very near to my heart. Why then have I give it a lower than average rating?
The simple truth is that I think it is misconceived.
It is a large horizontal picture book, first published in 2000 by “Barefoot Books”, whose aim is to “work with artists, writers and storytellers from many cultures, focusing on themes that encourage independence of spirit, promote understanding and acceptance of different traditions, and foster a lifelong love of learning.”
The author Laura Berkeley has written several book in this series. She has worked for “Swan Rescue” and at the time of publication was the assistant secretary to the “Elsa Conservation Trust”, helping to educate African children in all aspects of conservation awareness. She is an extremely talented artist, whose detailed paintings are very naturalistic.
The spirit of the Maasai Man, it is said, is a powerful symbol of all that is best within the person who is in tune with the animal world. The author’s note at the end tells why she chose the Maasai Man to be the liberator of the imprisoned animals. It explains how East African children are taught to respect their cattle; animals who they believe were given to them aeons ago by their god “Engai”, who resides on a mountain in the Rift Valley. The author describes these peoples’ way of life, and tells us the reason why the Maasai Man is often depicted standing on one leg:
“To stand on one leg is an act of being still. It is a position that many aboriginal people adopt, and it serves to remind us that there should be balance in our own lives and that we should have moments of stillness to reflect on our action towards other living beings, human and animal alike.”
Laura Berkeley wrote the book to draw attention to the “Born Free Foundation” (formerly “Zoo Watch”) which was founded in 1983 by Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers. They had been inspired by Joy and George Adamson, after making the film about Elsa the lioness, who was restored to the wild in “Born Free”. The trigger was the tragic death of Pole Pole, an elephant in London Zoo. She had been taken from her wild family at the age of two, by the Kenyan Government, and was given to London Zoo after the film.
In 1969, Pole Pole starred with the couple in a film called “An Elephant Called Slowly” which was set in Kenya. But her time afterwards in London Zoo was a torture to the young elephant. She had a barren, concrete enclosure and swayed abnormally to and fro, a victim of what we now know to be stereotypic or repetitive behaviour. It is an abnormal behaviour, frequently seen in captive animals, especially large animals of high intelligence, and is considered an indication of poor psychological well-being in these animals. Pole Pole was lonely and confused, prematurely aged by captivity. Yet when Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers visited her in 1982 and called her name, Pole Pole went to them immediately, her trunk reaching out to meet their outstretched hands.
Having been unable to persuade the Kenyan government to set Pole Pole free after the film, Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers now campaigned to give Pole Pole a better life. In 1983, London Zoo agreed to send her to their country branch at Whipsnade to be among other elephants. Whipsnade in Bedfordshire is a huge parkland, where large animals have much more freedom, and can live more naturally in family groups. Apart from the two tigers who pace continually around the perimeter of their domain, I would say that it provides an acceptable and interesting environment for most of its animals. However, being kept in a travelling crate for many hours proved too much for Pole Pole. She collapsed and was euthanised. She was just 17 years of age, yet wild elephants can live for 60 years or more. The public were outraged, and “Zoo Check” was formed.
The Spirit of the Maasai Man is a fantasy, with the Maasai Man as a personification, or perhaps a metaphor, for the spirit. The story is about large animals such as elephants, tigers, gorillas and polar bears, for whom confinement in a zoo is a cruel agony.
‘“Why do the zoo beasts cry?’
‘Because they cannot hear the songs of the wild.’”
The Maasai Man visits each of the animals in their cage in turn, and shows them the free life they could have. We learn the environment and lifestyle for each animal. The Maasai Man sings throughout the night, and in the morning all the animals are free, and in the wild where they belong.
“‘Why do the beasts sing?’
‘Because they are free,’ replies the Maasai Man.”
Virginia McKenna (Travers) has written a foreword, in which she says:
“… most of us know there is ‘something’ beyond the world we see and touch and small, something intangible. We call it a spirit and we, like the animals in their cages, can be transported in our minds beyond the walls of our houses and school rooms into a world where our souls can be free from pain, far from suffering.”
The blurb puts it this way:
“by summoning up this spirit, we can give a voice to the voiceless and restore dignity and hope in the living creatures who surround us, whether animal or human. By subtly examining the timeless ideals of love, hope and freedom, this beautiful book will provoke deep thought, much discussion and a great sense of optimism in all those who read it.”
On the contrary though, I was left with a profound sadness, depressed about the ongoing confinement of zoo animals, especially those who were not bred to this half-life, and have no prospect of a better one. Wildlife parks are continually improving, but there is still much to be done.
I would put the book’s reading age at about 7 to 8, but the subject matter is very contentious, and it would need to be addressed very carefully. If I can be upset at these images, how much worse for a young, impressionable child. In my view, there are better ways to introduce the subject of animals in captivity; the improvements and the alternatives.
It is a noble effort, from people with high ideals, and I so much wanted to love this book. But it addresses real issues with fanciful thoughts, and I believe that to be foolhardy. Have the conversation by all means, with a child who is ready to address the issues. But do not divert them with imaginative ideas; tricking them into thinking this issue is illusory.
Animals live in the present, and we do them a disservice in anthropomorphising them when we talk of how we trap and confine them for our own pleasure and “education”.
For some, it is a living hell.
The simple truth is that I think it is misconceived.
It is a large horizontal picture book, first published in 2000 by “Barefoot Books”, whose aim is to “work with artists, writers and storytellers from many cultures, focusing on themes that encourage independence of spirit, promote understanding and acceptance of different traditions, and foster a lifelong love of learning.”
The author Laura Berkeley has written several book in this series. She has worked for “Swan Rescue” and at the time of publication was the assistant secretary to the “Elsa Conservation Trust”, helping to educate African children in all aspects of conservation awareness. She is an extremely talented artist, whose detailed paintings are very naturalistic.
The spirit of the Maasai Man, it is said, is a powerful symbol of all that is best within the person who is in tune with the animal world. The author’s note at the end tells why she chose the Maasai Man to be the liberator of the imprisoned animals. It explains how East African children are taught to respect their cattle; animals who they believe were given to them aeons ago by their god “Engai”, who resides on a mountain in the Rift Valley. The author describes these peoples’ way of life, and tells us the reason why the Maasai Man is often depicted standing on one leg:
“To stand on one leg is an act of being still. It is a position that many aboriginal people adopt, and it serves to remind us that there should be balance in our own lives and that we should have moments of stillness to reflect on our action towards other living beings, human and animal alike.”
Laura Berkeley wrote the book to draw attention to the “Born Free Foundation” (formerly “Zoo Watch”) which was founded in 1983 by Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers. They had been inspired by Joy and George Adamson, after making the film about Elsa the lioness, who was restored to the wild in “Born Free”. The trigger was the tragic death of Pole Pole, an elephant in London Zoo. She had been taken from her wild family at the age of two, by the Kenyan Government, and was given to London Zoo after the film.
In 1969, Pole Pole starred with the couple in a film called “An Elephant Called Slowly” which was set in Kenya. But her time afterwards in London Zoo was a torture to the young elephant. She had a barren, concrete enclosure and swayed abnormally to and fro, a victim of what we now know to be stereotypic or repetitive behaviour. It is an abnormal behaviour, frequently seen in captive animals, especially large animals of high intelligence, and is considered an indication of poor psychological well-being in these animals. Pole Pole was lonely and confused, prematurely aged by captivity. Yet when Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers visited her in 1982 and called her name, Pole Pole went to them immediately, her trunk reaching out to meet their outstretched hands.
Having been unable to persuade the Kenyan government to set Pole Pole free after the film, Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers now campaigned to give Pole Pole a better life. In 1983, London Zoo agreed to send her to their country branch at Whipsnade to be among other elephants. Whipsnade in Bedfordshire is a huge parkland, where large animals have much more freedom, and can live more naturally in family groups. Apart from the two tigers who pace continually around the perimeter of their domain, I would say that it provides an acceptable and interesting environment for most of its animals. However, being kept in a travelling crate for many hours proved too much for Pole Pole. She collapsed and was euthanised. She was just 17 years of age, yet wild elephants can live for 60 years or more. The public were outraged, and “Zoo Check” was formed.
The Spirit of the Maasai Man is a fantasy, with the Maasai Man as a personification, or perhaps a metaphor, for the spirit. The story is about large animals such as elephants, tigers, gorillas and polar bears, for whom confinement in a zoo is a cruel agony.
‘“Why do the zoo beasts cry?’
‘Because they cannot hear the songs of the wild.’”
The Maasai Man visits each of the animals in their cage in turn, and shows them the free life they could have. We learn the environment and lifestyle for each animal. The Maasai Man sings throughout the night, and in the morning all the animals are free, and in the wild where they belong.
“‘Why do the beasts sing?’
‘Because they are free,’ replies the Maasai Man.”
Virginia McKenna (Travers) has written a foreword, in which she says:
“… most of us know there is ‘something’ beyond the world we see and touch and small, something intangible. We call it a spirit and we, like the animals in their cages, can be transported in our minds beyond the walls of our houses and school rooms into a world where our souls can be free from pain, far from suffering.”
The blurb puts it this way:
“by summoning up this spirit, we can give a voice to the voiceless and restore dignity and hope in the living creatures who surround us, whether animal or human. By subtly examining the timeless ideals of love, hope and freedom, this beautiful book will provoke deep thought, much discussion and a great sense of optimism in all those who read it.”
On the contrary though, I was left with a profound sadness, depressed about the ongoing confinement of zoo animals, especially those who were not bred to this half-life, and have no prospect of a better one. Wildlife parks are continually improving, but there is still much to be done.
I would put the book’s reading age at about 7 to 8, but the subject matter is very contentious, and it would need to be addressed very carefully. If I can be upset at these images, how much worse for a young, impressionable child. In my view, there are better ways to introduce the subject of animals in captivity; the improvements and the alternatives.
It is a noble effort, from people with high ideals, and I so much wanted to love this book. But it addresses real issues with fanciful thoughts, and I believe that to be foolhardy. Have the conversation by all means, with a child who is ready to address the issues. But do not divert them with imaginative ideas; tricking them into thinking this issue is illusory.
Animals live in the present, and we do them a disservice in anthropomorphising them when we talk of how we trap and confine them for our own pleasure and “education”.
For some, it is a living hell.
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Reading Progress
February 4, 2023
–
Started Reading
February 6, 2023
– Shelved
February 6, 2023
–
Finished Reading
