Mama Maganga
Jackie Stong, Client.
We were the only three people at Lugenda camp for most of our stay along with our Guide Nigel, the resident guide (Andrew) and a local tracker (Manuel). The Lugenda site was beautiful - set beside a river, dwindled to a small stream at this time of year but exposing large expanses of fine, yellow sand.
Over the next six days we explored the area led by Andrew and went to places that no other tourist had visited - deep into the forest with Baobab trees and strangler figs - and up kopjes to observe cave paintings and stunning views.
I always carry an old-fashioned Polaroid camera with me when visiting unspoiled areas of Africa. When we visited a local, temporary fishing camp, the fishermen knew about digital cameras and wanted their photos taken so that they could see themselves, but they were bowled over when I took photographs that they could keep. Watching their faces as the photos developed in front of their eyes was a gift in itself. Nigel claimed that it was magic and I became dubbed the ‘Mama Maganga' or lady witchdoctor.
