The Wildlife of Narok

“I just found a beautiful stone!” Ndirang’u said, pausing from digging the tiny tunnel in the ground for their marbles. They were playing a game of bano. 

“It shines!” Mustapha exclaimed looking at the glistening stone in Ndirang’us’ hand. 

“Do you think this is gold?” Ndirang’u asked, turning it around in his fingers.

“Why don’t we ask Mzee Kamulu, he always talks about how this town was a gold mine!” Mustapha said. 

They quickly collected their marbles from the ground and went to find Mzee Kamulu at his kiosk. 

“Good morning Mzee Kamulu!” They greeted in unison. 

“Good morning boys, do you want to buy more marbles?” Mzee Kamulu asked opening a tin. 

“No, but we found gold!” Ndirang’u exclaimed excitedly, showing his shiny stone! 

“Let me see it,” Mr Kamulu said, getting out of his shop. 

After looking at it for a few seconds, he returned it and said, “This is not gold, just a good-looking stone.” 

“How can you tell by looking at it for such a short time?” Mustapha asked. 

“I spent most of my days mining at Kilimapesa and ended up with a lot of knowledge on stones,” Mzee Kamulu said, wiping his spectacles. 

“But I could not mine gold forever and when the next best opportunity came, I took it!” Mzee Kamulu said, his eyes following something behind the children. 

The children turn and see a truck with several stems. 

“Sugarcane?” Ndirang’u asks, pointing at the truck. 

“No, they may look alike but they are not. That is bamboo, this is sugarcane,” Mzee Kamulu said pointing at his fruits section. 

“Oh, and was bamboo the next best opportunity?” Mustapha asked. 

“Farming was what I did next. Wheat, barley, and bamboo were all in demand,” Mzee Kamulu said.  

“But don’t bamboo grow on their own wild without needing to be taken care of?” Ndirang’u asked. 

“Yes, they do! The moment you plant one, it forms many others on its own. They help in land restoration!” Mzee Kamulu said. 

“I became a farmer and some of my friends went to work at the Maasai Mara Conservancy,” Mzee Kamulu continued. 

“Oh, now that is definitely one of Narok’s greats – The Maasai Mara where the great wildebeest migration occurs,” Mustapha said with glee. 

“And don’t forget the great runners of Kilgoris in Narok. Drum roll please… David Rudisha and Billy Konchella,” Ndirangu added bumping the air with his fists. 

“That’s right!” Mzee Kamulu said adding that we should be so proud of our county Narok.