Kapiti musicians play for the rhinos in danger
Kapiti musicians will be playing to raise awareness of the animal atrocities caused by rhino poachers in South Africa.
Raumati South musician Paul Bognuda is organising ‘Kapiti Rhino Music Day’ at the Waterfront Brasserie, Raumati, from 6pm to 9pm on February 11.
This will coincide with an International Rhino Day event in Johannesburg, which will appeal
to Jacob Zuma, South African President, to take a lead in the rhino poaching crisis.
The campaigners say the South African Government must fully fund more Anti-Poaching Units, and bring the organisers of the criminal poaching syndicates to justice.
And this is the appeal which will be read at the Rhino Music Day:
“Red Carpets and Leopard Skins.”
‘Jacob, can you hear us? Why aren’t you up front in the wars! We need real men to fight poachers with their helicopters, drugs and chainsaws. Leave your leopard skin at home –spots don’t hack it in the bush- camo is more fitting. Do you miss the point of all of this? Someone ever tell you leopards are endangered?
Can you get out of your office Jacob? Red carpet dignitaries, filling their hollowness with fresh fillet and rich gravies; paper-umbrella decorated cocktails; dipping their snouts…while scheming to fill their offshore accounts. That takes so much time: oh, the details! But those important matters ignore the rhino decimation: so deal with it by pulling down the shutters and new gagging legislation! Ah, but blood still stains the reddest carpet when so many are trampling it in.
Jacob, how do we know the enemy within? Can we meet you on the battlefield when you finally cave in? The APU guys in the bush know what they’re fighting for: they put their blood out there on the line. Their stains will be those honestly entwined…around every fibre of the red carpet on your office floor. Tread carefully: look away as you walk the canyons of power. Don’t ignore the reminders of the War.
Have you seen their faces Jacob? Deep drugged slumber; chainsawn facelift; agonising wakefulness; stumbling, uncomprehending the hell! 3 days to die in front of their brood: would be better that they killed them! Their red carpet is the ground stained black with clotted blood!
Jacob, have you heard them -the cry of the calves? “Mama, are you sleeping? I can hear no heartbeat sound. Mama, you’ve grown cold now -as cold as the hard ground. Mama, will you protect me? Hyena gather round!”
And the tourists, Jacob –they want the Big Five. Jacob, will you protect them? How many lion are left alive? Bones in bottles of Asian wine! Oh, the big tuskers – where are they? Chopsticks to enable the Asian to happily dine! Leopard? Just dignitaries ego-boosting attire? How long before they all go?
Jacob, take the lead now: the men will fall right in. Show you’re worthy to walk red carpets, and wear your leopard skin.’
thnak u jim mcin tosh for all yr hard work and making the world aware of the rhinos plight for if the rhinos are gone the whole eco system will follow i salute u
Jim, you did an amazing job on this!! Thank you for your tireless passion to save our Rhino’s and to Paul Bogunda – best wishes for your endeavor!!
Would like to clarify that I am the author of the text above , which will be read at music performances in South Africa.
Events will be held in two places in South Africa, and two places in Kenya to coincide with Rhino Music Day in Kapiti, making a truly International call to arms in the Rhino Wars.
448 rhino were slaughtered in SA alone last year to feed growing demand by Traditional Chinese Medicine users in Vietnam and China. The very existence of rhino on this Earth is threatened and at current rate of loss could disappear in less than a decade.