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I had a feeling this was going to be the highlight of our trip to the Okavango Delta. There can be no better way to experience this water wonderland than in a traditional mokoro. These ‘dug-out’ craft – about 6m in length – have become the iconic symbol of the delta.
We gathered on the bank of an inlet where we met our mokoro poler, Kagiso. After a brief introduction, we clambered into the craft: my partner in front, me behind and Kagiso at the stern. He used a long pole, called a ngashi, to propel the mokoro. With a couple of powerful strokes we were off, gliding out of the bulrushes and into the main stream.
Kagiso was a muscular fellow with an intimate knowledge of the delta and its labyrinthine waterways. He was able to guide the craft with considerable speed and agility, having perfected his skills since boyhood. I’ve been punting in the genteel environments of Oxford and Cambridge before, but this was a different ballgame altogether … punting in the vast African wilderness!
Kagiso told us a little bit about these amazing vessels. ‘In the old days, mekoro were the only way to get around in the delta. They were used for fishing or transporting people and goods. Mekoro were traditionally made from tree trunks, which were hollowed out manually using hand tools.’
‘It was agreed upon in the villages that only certain trees could be used. The trees had to be old and straight to get the right buoyancy and shape. Jackalberry, sausage and mangosteen trees were preferred. Locals used fire to hollow out the trunk. The burnt wood was then chopped away with an adze until enough was
removed so that the log became buoyant. The last phase involved shaping the craft to have a distinct, pointed bow and stern.’
Kagiso went on to explain how, because timber rots, more and more trees had to be cut down, a practice that was not environmentally sustainable. Although the delta is able to compensate for the amount of trees needed, the fact that only older trees were being used had a negative impact on the ecosystem. Thus the modern mokoro is usually constructed from moulded fibreglass. Durable, long-lasting and environmentally friendly, its shape still harks back to the days of wooden craft.
‘What wood do you use for the poles?’ I asked.
‘They’re fashioned from the heart of the silver
PHOTOGRAPHY: SANCTUARY RETREATS, WILDERNESS SAFARIS
A mokoro safari in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, allows you to experience the life of this watery wonderland in a traditional craft. View mammals and birds from the waterline as an expert poler guides you through the bulrushes and marshes of this Garden of Eden.
MOKORO
magic
by Justin Fox