You’re going to Africa!

 

“One minute, you are having a great time exploring Europe on a student trip abroad with 249 other students from all over the country, and the next thing you know, you are on your way to Africa.” Trippett Boineau,  Jr.

The 14-year-old freckle-faced boy, Trippett Boineau, Jr. (who later became my husband) met his parents in front of Westminster Abbey at 11:30 AM on their way to lunch. His parents were on a quick layover in London en route to East Africa for their second safari in as many years.

Over lunch, his father said, “Come go to Africa with us.”To which the wide-eyed teenager replied, “That seems impossible!” His 30-day trip to Europe was winding down. But since he had grown up hunting from a very young age, the prospect of hunting in Africa was thrilling, to say the least.

His father was a master salesman and negotiator, and the word No was foreign to him. He began by contacting the U.S. Embassy in London, and they agreed to assist. They issued the proper visas, arranged the same flights his parents were booked on, and arranged for the required shots to be administered at two airports where they would stop over on the way to Nairobi. Their professional hunter (PH) met the family at the airport and was quite surprised that another family member had joined the safari—but he embraced the story, and off they went.

Years ago, at the time of Trippett’s safaris, the white men who made their living outfitting African hunting trips for visitors were known as white hunters. But that term has gradually fallen out of favor, especially among the outfitters themselves. For at least the last few decades, such an outfitter is called a professional hunter, or PH.  And their job absolutely requires professional and managerial skills–organizing a big game hunt in Africa is a major undertaking.

Safari Adventure – July 1969

This region of East Africa had long been a popular destination for serious hunters, renowned for its legendary animals and vast wilderness areas, which offer excellent opportunities for memorable hunts deep in the bush. Today, the region is part of the United Republic of Tanzania. The year was 1969, and the hunts were vastly different from the hunting safaris of today. Five hundred miles from civilization, they flew in a small charter plane, landing on a narrow airstrip carved deep into the African bush, where they would camp for the next three weeks.

Days started before sunup, with early tracking, stalking, and chasing game. Wild game, obtained through the daily hunts, provided the meat for every meal, and leftovers were made into sandwiches, which were carefully packed into a large picnic box and enjoyed under the shade of a tree during breaks from long days of traveling over rough terrain while searching for specific game animals. Every day was both exhausting and exhilarating. Before you knew it, the night sky squeezed out the daylight, like a curtain going down in a theater, and the sky filled with stars as they made their way back to camp.

Camp staff included trackers, gun bearers, cooks, waiters, tent boys, camp helpers, truck drivers, and skinners, all under the watchful eye of the  PH. The camp consisted of small tents for each hunter. Makeshift showers for use after a day in the bush were created by hanging a canvas bag filled with warmed water over a tree, with privacy drapes hung around. Latrines consisted of nothing more than a toilet seat over a hole in the ground, surrounded by canvas. A dining tent, complete with fresh flowers daily, also served as the central gathering place. Dinners were followed by fireside chats under the stars, where great hunting stories rolled off the white hunters’ tongues until it was time to sleep, as daybreak would come soon.

Trippett, Jr. was not there only to observe; he was there to hunt, and at the age of 14, he took a steenbok,  a warthog, an ostrich, a hartebeest, a wildebeest, and a Grant’s gazelle. But while he was preparing to shoot a Thomson’s gazelle with a very good set of horns, he was handed a .375 Weatherby he had never fired before. It turned out to have a hair trigger, and it went off before it was fully mounted to his shoulder. The result was a half-moon gash over his eye, famously known as Weatherby’s eye, caused by the powerful recoil of the magnum cartridge jamming the riflescope into his face. Indeed, there were always lessons to learn.

 

But the second journey to Africa held excitement that would stay with him for a lifetime! July 1970

As an experienced big game hunter, Trippett now had his own PH to guide him on the three- week safari, and he intended to make the most of it. For a 15-year-old, the possibilities were endless, and he took a zebra, a sable antelope, another warthog, a Grant’s gazelle, a dik-dik, an oryx, an eland, and a greater kudu! 

 

 

But his mind was squarely focused on the ultimate hunt: an African bull elephant, a tusker at that! And so it was to be. Reputation had it that the best hunter/tracker in Southern Masailand was a ‘Ndorobo native named Kisengi, who held the prestigious position of gun bearer at their camp. His skills as a tracker were unsurpassed, and he was on the trail of a herd. His skills were so well-honed that he was famous for identifying an elephant’s sign by not only its tracks but also by its odor, droppings, and even subtle evidence such as broken twigs.

That day, they were particularly excited about a bull elephant with sizable tracks. The trackers, standing at the back of the vehicle, alerted the hunter by slapping the roof of the Land Rover to let him know to stop as they spotted the herd ahead. With the herd in the distance, the PHs expertly led the stalk as the group crawled through waist-high grass for approximately 250 yards until they got within 40 yards. This bull elephant was right in the middle of the herd, and a kill shot would need to be perfectly timed. The elephant turned and presented a makeable heart shot.

From a kneeling position, Trippett steadied the bolt-action .416 Rigby with a peep sight, waited to hear the word “Shoot!” from the PH, and on that command, the sound of gunfire followed a resounding thud and an immediate drop, indicating a well-placed shot. The herd was alerted and bellowed loudly, waving their ears and raising their trunks in defensive moves. The gun bearers, the PHs, and Trippett stood in unison, their guns aimed at the herd. Thankfully, the others thundered off. The photos from that day, softened with a slow fade over time, will never erase the elation felt by everyone for this young man.

A memento like no other

Collecting the hair from the elephant’s tail, making it into a bracelet, and gifting it to the hunter has long been a traditional practice among local residents. Historically revered by many cultures, especially in Africa, elephant-tail bracelets were believed to bring love, prosperity, good health, and a connection between heaven and earth. Whether or not you believe, it is essential to accept and appreciate a bracelet when it’s given to you by someone who does believe in it. Trippett gracefully accepted the gift of the elephant bracelet, and kept it forever.

Something old, something new

When we married in 1983, he was so happy that I was excited to learn about the mythology behind the bracelet and the amazing memories of his elephant hunt, so he gifted me the bracelet! Thought to last only 20 years, this bracelet is still in very good condition. But the hairs are becoming stiff, making the knots difficult to adjust. A couple of years ago, he saw an advertisement in Sporting Classics, one of our favorite hunting magazines, for an elephant bracelet crafted with synthetic strands and sterling silver X knots, and he knew immediately that I would be thrilled with this stunning piece on our 40th wedding anniversry! The four knots symbolize the powerful forces of life: sun, wind, fire, and water. The strands, which circle through the knots, depict the seasons of the year.

 

Now I’m the proud owner of both an authentic vintage elephant-hair bracelet and a beautiful modern take on this distinctive design, which dates back more than 1,200 years. I like to think of it as a symbol of love that comes full circle, with its beginnings in Africa 55 years ago on that memorable day, and now with a new bracelet that I can continue to wear and love!

Trippett would go on his third African safari with his parents the following year and many more memories were made.   My next article will feature our trophy room where we capture the spirit of many hunts from Africa as well as our hunts here in the United States. 

Message from the writer

 

I would like to thank Dotsy, a.k.a. Mama, for having the foresight to bring a journal for young Trippett to record his experiences in Africa, and for keeping it all these years so that the cherished memories will be forever preserved. Mama, at the young age of 95, has the memory of an elephant! She is revered by all who know her for her vast knowledge, stupendous storytelling, and her engaging charm. RTB,  Sr. was a remarkable man who possessed unstoppable energy and drive, and lived a life that enriched all who knew him. Thanks to him, the African safaris became possible.