Chapter 1: TENKITERU

(introduction)
My name is Nanyor-Ing’wesi, I live deep in the grassland
of the Tarangire national park. As you may guess I am a
proud Maasai and this is the story of my wildlife. I am 20
years old in the family of six siblings. I am the only girl in
my family, ever since I was young I had a natural born
love for the wild lives. As my memory could take me
back, I remember I was just five years’ old when I started
sneaking to go grazing with my brothers.
Despite my father being adamant that a girl needs to be
a house wife and that I should learn how other women’s
lives. I still couldn’t pursue with what he was saying and
so that became my habit.
The wildness has no end but what was I always following
was my OLTOME (my elephant). I saw him when I was
five years old. He was just a calf by that time. He calls me
into the wilderness with the anonymous sounds and to
respond to his calls I always go to him. I would run all
around the bush where other elephant where settled just
to look for my elephant.
Days went on and time passed until my father could do
nothing about my behavior although he did not stop
talking, he would start saying, “Nanyor” I respond yes
father, were you at home today? He asked rhetorically
knowing definitely that I was not. I said “no father” you
went to the bush again? He speaks at a tone harder than
the previous one. I bow my head down knowing that I
don’t have any response to him. That’s me, that’s how I
was born for the love of the elephant and the wilderness.
He turns his head away from me and calls for my mother,
when she reaches the door and sees the atmosphere
inside, she tells me to leave the room. I stand by the door
looking at my mother with pity in my eyes “mama please
help me”. She offers me a polite smile and a reassuring
gesture that everything is going to be okay.
With just two steps outside the door I heard my father
saying “how are you raising this girl? haa!” she needs to
be a wife, a house girl, knowing how to care for her
husband. You are destroying her by letting her do things
on her own. I want a daughter who I can be proud of, all
this time my mother was quiet. She never speaks before
my father. I don’t want a life like hers, I am different and
I won’t grow and be like her.
I felt tears wetting my face because of my father’s words,
he said he is never proud of me for who I was and why
would he speak to my mama like that, it wasn’t her fault
that I ended up loving wild animals as if they were my
species it’s undeniable, I can’t help myself spending a day
without seeing my elephants even from a far end I have
to.
I found myself standing up and running towards a small
forest across our house. I needed time by myself, to think
what has God given other girls that he did not give me. I
was just 16 years old by then.

Chapter 2: ENGISHUI AI ENITERUNORE

(my life my origin)
Darkness seems to be sweeping across the sky so fast. I
cried to myself until I felt no more tears in my eyes. As I
started walking back to our house, I kept thinking, I
needed to talk, I needed someone and as always my
mama is the best person who fits. we are the only girls in
our family and we have each other. I go straight to the
kitchen because I know that is where I will see her. At a
time like this my father is always somewhere talking to
my brothers telling them about their morals and
standards as a man.
When I opened the door I find my mother seated at the
far end of the kitchen. When she sees me, she asks
where have you been Nanyor? I was looking for you, you
scared me. You just left without saying anything.
Without knowing I am in my mother’s arm, my head on
her chest. Mama says it’s alright as she pats my back
softly. I sit next to her and she holds my hand, telling me
that’s who you really are my baby. We can’t change the
way you are, the love of elephants and other animals is
inside you and that’s why you are Nanyor-Ing’wesi, the
animal lover. I named you that way because I saw what
was inside you since the day I gave birth to you.
Now tears were streaming down my cheeks so fast
because of what I said I don’t want to be like my mother,
and at the same time I was happy because I thought
because I had no one but I had my mum. I asked my
mum, “mama why you never speak in front of dad? Even
though you are not wrong you let him shout at you like
that.” My mum smiled and told me “Nanyor, if you want
to win a war do not show your weapon fast. Remember
this” with that I was satisfied, I cleaned my face and took
dinner with my mum. After we had finished taking dinner
mama said that I narrate to her what I was looking at, all
these years. Because she had been anxious for so long.
I smiled at that and started by telling her the beauty of
elephants, how they walk as if they own the entire
wilderness. And that no one can tell them anything
because they are strong.
God has also given them their unique trunks which
defines and differentiate them from other animals. And
finally their closeness, they walk together and as wise as
they are they are the most caring animals that I could
speak of.
After I was done with that, my mum was still looking at
me and smiled saying “one day you will be a savior”. I
was the happy that day because I shared what was in my
heart with my mother but also she understands me. Then
I went to bed with the good night sleep.
I am in the middle of the forest with no one around me, I
heard the screams my OLTOME is crying somewhere, I
started running toward that direction, I ran until I was
out of breath and that’s when I saw what happened. My
OLTOME was on the ground blood spattering, he had no
tusks and he lay dead on the ground. I screamed, and just
to realize it was a dream and in deed a very bad one. I
was sweating, I got out of my bed to get some air and
prayed that God protect my elephant.
As I was standing there my mind settled, I thought I have
never imagined life without my OLTOME, how difficult it
would be. Then I decided I had to go back to sleep.
In the morning I wake up, wash my clothes, dishes as
mama had assigned me so that I could not have any
problem with dad later that evening. After I was done I
went to say good bye to mama because I was going to
my OLTOME.

CHAPTER 3:
(When it all began)
I was walking with my brothers who were going to graze
and I told them that “I am going for a short walk”. I
started walking for my OLTOME, two feet away from
them I saw what left my mouth open. Two people killed
an elephant and were taking tusks from his body, he laid
there dead. I could not shout; my throat was suddenly
dried. I tried to speak but nothing came out. They carried
guns and were looking as if, anyone comes or appears in
front of them he or she would end up like this elephant.
Then I fell to the ground, time passed until they were
done and left that elephant there helplessly. I prayed to
God that let it not be my OLTOME, I had no energy left
but still I stood to check on the elephant just to know
that it was my OLTOME because he had his burnt mark
on his left leg. Now tears were of infinite extent and I
didn’t know where I got the strength to scream, I
screamed so loud that I had no voice in my throat
anymore. Within two minutes I heard people running in
my direction, and I saw my brothers.
They looked worried and just as their eyes fell on the
ground they knew what made me scream. My older
brother “Nairot” was behind me patting my shoulders, he
said “Nanyor lets go home”. My heart was filled with
anger and rage, can’t he see what had just happened, my
elephant, my OLTOME, whom for my whole life I was
adoring was gone and died very ruthlessly.
Yet I had to go home because it was getting dark in the
sky. My brother carried me because I could not walk, all
my energy was somehow lost in the thin air. My world
seemed suddenly blank. I reached home and my mother
came hugging me as she was told what had happened to
my elephant. I could not eat or drink anything and I went
directly to sleep.
CHAPTER 4: EMEYON
(pain)
In the morning that day I woke with so much pain in my
heart. I still couldn’t believe; it was like some part of me
was gone. I remember the days when I saw my OLTOME
playing with water, spattering it across his back, how he
blows his trunk, it was like he was sharing something
which was unexplainable.
I could feel his happiness when he walks close to his
family, feeling a sense of belongingness to one another
and suddenly he was not there anymore.
I couldn’t Imagine the pain he had suffered when they
shot him, when they took his tusks out, when he drew his
last breath, I just can’t imagine. I cry more as this thought
crossed my mind.
It was the third day from when my OLTOME was killed, I
hardly had eaten anything since that day. My mum was
my closest person she told me “Nanyor, it has happened
already you need to move on, I said “mama he was my
OLTOME the one I had loved all my life “. Mama said” I
know baby, but that’s not the end of life you know, you
have to be strong because that’s life and life has ups and
downs” and she left.
I sat by my self-thinking as my mother’s words keep
rephrasing themselves in my mind. I thought of my
OLTOME’S family, they are also elephants and they need
to be protected too. And my mum once told me “I am
the savior”, I am Nanyor-Ing’wes, the girl of my own. I
decided to stand again

CHAPTER 5:
(revenge)
That morning when I woke up I did my duties as usual
and my mum felt happy. The last thing I needed was to
make my mum sad. So I finished my works and went for a
walk. The institution responsible for wildlife
management in our village came and did some cleaning
and left with my OLTOME for good.