Learning with
Granny!
Travels and myths
 "Have
we arrived yet?" asked Margie sleepily and turned to face the other way in
the back window of Alex's car. Both she and Tion had slept since tea time. They
had been on the move all day.
They had stopped off early in the morning at the East
London Museum to have a look at the stand depicting the wrecks off the East
Coast with the Ming china and the carnelian beads. (See earlier article).
While there they had a look at the fine specimen of a
coelacanth - a primitive fish caught off the coast in 1938. It had been thought
that this fish had been extinct for about 80 million years as only fossils had
ever been found. It is the only prehistoric fish still found on Earth. Other
live specimens have been seen along the South African coastline. See below
for some links to information on coelacanths.
They turned off the road and drove through King
William's town an early 'settler's town named after King William IV. The spire
of a beautiful old church stood tall above the busy town.
Everyone was pleased to get out and stretch their legs
at Grahamstown, They parked alongside the beautiful old cathedral and walked
along the bustling pavement right up to the well known Rhodes University.
"This is where they have the science festival SciFest," said Terry.
Enter here to read about their visit to
the Sasol Scifest.
Let's get on our way if we want to go and see the
elephants said granny - we have to do a bit of a detour. They were very lucky as
a whole troop was just arriving at a drinking hole. It consisted of mostly large
females and a whole lot of little elephants. They all watched enthralled as the
bigger elephants helped very small ones over rough ground, or scolded youthful
ones for playing too much.
A very little one slipped in a ditch and in no time
there were three other adults to help its mother get her baby back on to its
feet again. After they had drank their fill they filed out and began to feed on
the grass and trees nearby, where quite a large group of cars had gathered. One
car made a hasty exit and Margie got a bit nervous.
"Drive away Alex," she
begged. "No," he replied, "that  will
frighten them - look Grandpa's not moving - we will just sit still, they will go
on their way." They soon did once the whole party had finished at the
drinking hole. Enter the image to the right to see what Margie was worried
about.
The sign outside the dolphin pool said 'last show
today'. "I hope we get in," said Vinny, "the queue is quite
long." Once safely inside they all relaxed and enjoyed the cool sea breeze
after being in the hot car for most of the day. There was plenty of seating
space to choose from and Vinny and Lee decided they were going to sit right in
the front. "You'll get splashed there if you sit right by that diving
hoop" warned Granny. "I'm going to sit nearer the top - I like to see
the sea over the wall too."
 Tion
and Margie wanted to stay with Lee and Vinny, while the others followed Granny.
Enter the image to the right to see what they collected during the day.
"Come on Margie - wake up now, we're here"
begged Tion in an anxious voice . In the twilight she could see Lee and Vinny
sitting in the back of a game rangers jeep. Frikkie was at the wheel. He did a
U-turn and Grandpa drove behind him. Margie sat back on the seat as Alex started
his car and followed.
It was just getting dark as they arrived at the end of
the winding road that led to the game lodge. They were greeted by the most
inviting aroma. "Smells like a braaivleis (barbecue) said Lee. "Your
timing was excellent," said Frikkie. "The cool drinks are cool and the
meat is hot so just freshen up and come out and tuck in - there's homemade bread
and lots of coffee in the pot."
While they were enjoying the lovely coffee, a group of
children from the farm came and sang some traditional songs. Margie and Tion
fell asleep on the sleeping bags on the lawn. Alex knew a number of the songs
they sang and joined in quietly.
"This reminds me of a story my mother used to tell
my sister and I when we were young," went on Alex. My father always enjoyed
hearing it and I think maybe he had put the idea into her head as he always
smiled when she told it.
We call it.....'THE TWINS.'
Enter here
to read the story, called "The Twins", and remember to come back here
when you have read it!
"My mother used to tell us that she was the
descendant of the baby girl whose earlier descendants had roamed out of Africa
and around the East and eventually moved through Europe and into the British
Isles over thousands and thousands of years.
She said my father was from the boy whose descendants
had stayed in Africa. She told us amazing stories of how his ancestors had gone
right to the top of Africa, some moving out to the western shores of the
Mediterranean and then some coming back down toward the Congo. Many years later
a large group of people then moved further south - some branching to the East
and others moving right back down to the south again.
My father always made a joke and said he had to travel
a long way by plane to find her and claim her for his bride."
"That's a beautiful story Alex," said Hetty,
"Maybe we were from the same tribe way back. Oh I'm sure we would find our
DNA to be very similar."
"What's DNA," piped up Margie who had woken
up to the word STORY right at the beginning.
"Why did the have to run away with the twins?" asked Ann.
"I am not going to tell you now said Alex, that's
for another day. But I will tell you that that story is one of the reasons I am
so thrilled to be going on this expedition. I am also looking for answers."
"I
can see the Southern Cross Alex," said Terry. "Yes and there is Musca,"
continued Lee, "and the alpha and beta stars in the constellation of
Centaurus that go on  to
circle the cross," added Vinny. "Yes and there are the two crosses
which are the 'sails in the constellation of Argo the big ship,'" said Ann.
Enter the image to the right to see if you can see the Southern Cross in the
African skies.
This month's poem
Pondering under the Stars
At the end of the day
It's lovely to lie
With your head in your hands
And look at the sky.
To listen to the words
That tell of the past.
Of family ties
That were made to last.
Each time old stories are told anew
A little bit gets added to
In many stories one sees oneself
Just like when you read a book off a shelf.
One day in the future
Your story will be told
The things you shared
in you life will unfold
So enjoy the present
and learn from the past
Welcome the future
and it's wonders so vast.
Granny Jenny 22/02/2004
Links
LINK
What do we know about coelacanths?
LINK
Coelacanth find off South African coast!
Next month:
Next month read part two in the myth about the twins
and join the party as they continue on their travels.
If you would like to e-mail Granny
your questions and ideas please do so at granny@scienceinafrica.co.za
Until Next Month, Happy Reading!
Granny Jenny
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