Humanity is exalted not because we are so far above other living creatures, but because knowing them well elevates the very concept of life. E.O. Wilson, 1984

7 Jun 2012

In the Jungle, the mighty jungle...

As the end of my year in France approaches, I am sad to leave but also glad to have had the opportunity to experience the francophone perspective of the natural world. Whilst the differences are slight, they exist nonetheless. Slight curveball, but take this infamous Africana tune, which according to popular legend originally describes Shaka king of the Zulus (with "Wimoweh/Mbube" the Zulu for lion), who is not dead but rather sleeping after defeating European colonisers. Naturally the Anglo version dumbed down any attempts to dampen their colonial power, but the french version takes it a step further. Not a mighty jungle but a terrifying one, not a sleeping lion, but a dead one. Awimoweh Awimoweh...


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