Simba 1984 - 2016

Simba, Ruarwe, 2009, age 25

Like a speck of dust floating in an enormous watery eye, a lone canoe makes its way on the vast expanse of Lake Malawi. Simba dips his paddle and the canoe glides smoothly along.

A sudden rush of wind ruffles the Lake. The canoe rocks. Simba’s wife holds on to the sides. A baby is tied to her back. Thunder rumbles. Rain falls. Forked lightning crazes the sky. The clouds boil fiery-red. Whip-like cracks of thunder ricochet into the distance. 

As a splinter of wood had works its way out from under the skin of a great, hoary hand, a small pale object emerges from the dark cloak of the storm. Simba paddles furiously, then in one cat-like leap bounds ashore, and hauls the canoe to rest. His wife clambers after him. Simba’s bulging muscles tremble with adrenaline, his eyes roll like marbles. 

(All this happens in a phantasmagorically creation, whose  proportions are infinite; a creation that exists through time, but is timeless, that destroys and rebuilds universes,\; a creation whose awesome beauty demands appreciation; a creation that enacts its role without malice or guile, no matter how savage and cruel it may appear to be)

The child is awake, cradled in its mother’s arms. She rocks it gently.

Anyone who has seen Walt Disney's, “The Lion King”, will be familiar with the character of the lion called Simba, which by no coincidence is the Swahili word for lion. Maybe it is a coincidence, however, that the Simba in my story resembles a lion. For example, when he gets excited, his voice booms in a gravely roar, and when he pulls himself proudly up to attention, strikes his chest with his fist, and says: “I am a soldier,” he exudes leonine prowess. 

Simba was the first and only person I ever met whose nickname was a brand of whiskey, Johnny Walker, which was what I called him until I discovered it wasn't his real name. Simba had huge amounts of energy, courage and determination, and was thoughtful and kind. It was a great shock to discover that he had been fatally stabbed, while working in South Africa. The incident happened outside the front door of the house where was working as a house boy, when he returned after being with some Malawian friends playing cards. He leaves behind a wife, and at least three children.