Page 9 - 2017 RWANDA

some groups had long distances to drive to reach their starting point

where the Rangers had already located that particular family. Some of

the starting points were as much as 2 ½ hours from the staging area.

Our little group of six had all purchased our tickets early so we were

pretty much guaranteed a trek each day. Others who came without a

ticket were often not so lucky since if the prepaid tickets took all the

spaces available, they would have to try to buy a ticket for another day.
Our first family was called the "Anniversary Family" for reasons we

never learned, but our drive was only about 45 minutes.

As we began driving towards our starting point, we were seeing more

and more people on the roads until we passed huge empty fields where

thousands of folks were already gathered. There were great white tents

standing on both sides of the road and portapotties "bloomed" into the
fields. Now our guide explained that we were here on the day of the

very important "Naming Ceremony." It is an annual event with picnics

and political speeches and general merriment in honor of the gorilla

babies who had survived their first year of life (infant mortality is a

problem among gorillas even without murder or poaching). During the
ceremony, each of the surviving babies is given an official name and

placed in the record books. All the people gathered seemed to be in

great spirits enjoying the festivities. What a wonderful way to involve

the people of Rwanda with the conservation efforts in preserving the

gorillas in their country!