Lake Mburo

About an hour before leaving the safari grounds I was standing in front of Lake Mburo, being energized by everything I was taking in, while the others finished their lunch (left over roasted chicken and chapti purchased from “the Danish” the day before).   Stretched out before me, the gray/blue/green water rhythmically rolled by.  Continuous choruses of ripples traveled through the expansion of water, moving always to the right.  Streams of white bubbles sporadically rose amongst the ripples, as some unseen creature passed just beneath the surface.  A bird then entered the scene.   It swam while jutting its head forward, allowing for clear glimpses of a vibrantly orange beak.  Suddenly it picked its body out of the water, thrust its wings up and down into a regular flap, while keeping its almost neon orange feet grazing the surface of the water, so as if running on water.  Once reaching a seemingly predestined location, it lowered itself back into the water and continued on; making the prior few moments seem like an odd, but glorious mirage.  Behind the lake, layers of hills provided a frame to the north and to the east.  The hill to the east, being the closest, stood grandly cloaked in bold greens, yellows and browns.  The further hills, each positioned slightly to the left of the one before it, were each increasingly less vibrant and more translucent, as if they were painted into the space with watercolors.  The sound of various birds calling and chirping was mixed with the deep grunts and slurps of warthogs grazing through grass and garbage behind me.  A group of white butterflies flew by closely, almost grazing my arm.  I turned my head to follow them and got to witness as they curved around and surrounded me again.

I noticed that one of the park guides was watching me watching the lake.  He slowly approached and asked, “Have you heard the legend of Lake Mburo?”

Legend says there were once twins that lived in the area, one named Mburo and one Kigarama.  One day the twins were partying and got drunk together.  Kigarama revealed to his brother that he had a vision that a flood was coming to the area and he suggested that they move to higher grounds.  Both brothers soon fell into a drunken sleep.  When they woke up they remembered the vision.  Mburo did not believe his brother’s vision and so decided to continue living in the area.  Kigarama did not want to leave his brother, but felt he needed to heed the vision.  He moved to the top of a nearby hill. A flood soon came through the area.  Mburo drowned in the great flood waters and the remaining water formed a lake in the area.  The Lake was named Mburo after the lost brother.  While the nearby hill was given the name Kigarama after the brother who moved there and survived. 

~ Babil... Story from our safari at Lake Mburo