Just curious... Are there any Black PH's in Africa? I tend to think there would be some, so what is the ratio to White PH's? Do they gain the same respect as White PH's? Have any written hunting books worth reading? Any of them considered in the same league as some of the better known PH's/hunter's throughout history? ~~~Suluuq

Oumar Sow is a Senegalese black ph. He runs an operation for birds / warthogs (which is the main hunting in Senegal) and has a very good reputation.

I don't think there are many

Hi Suluuq,

Yes indeed there are a number of Black PH's in Africa, I have co-hunted with a handfull of them in the Dhomo, Manghura, Mana pools region of Zimbabwe as well at Matusodona. These guys are good, articulate and a pleasure to work with.

Similarly, there are a very limited number operating in South Africa; folk I know, Dierk and Ingeborg Lempertz of Klein Boyali in the Limpopo Valley are the employers of the first qualified Black PH in RSA.

http://www.gamelodgebolayi.com/lodge/bolayieng.htm

For starters, they have to pass the same exams and meet the same standards as anyone else to be licensed so they are as good as the next person. The folk I have worked with are very good and have an affinity for the bush have grown up in it. Then again I see myself as a White African and have too grown up in the bush with a lot of Black playmates.

I don't know of anybooks written by a Black PH but there are certainly a few with experiences to fill many pages of worthwhile reading.

Regards

ABout 1/2 of the PH's in Ethiopia are white. The rest are mostly (what they call) half caste or black. Used to be in Tanzania the TAWICO PH's were all black but I don't know the situation there now. I do know quite a few white Ph's form there.

Rich Elliott

Jan Oelofse in Namibia has two black P.H.s working for him. They both started out as trackers. They are both excellent!

My wife Renae and I hunted with Phillipus when he was a tracker for Jan Oelofse; he and former fellow tracker Naphtali are now PHs. They were reported to be the first black PHs in Namibia.

I hunted in Zim with PH Kenneth Manyangadze, who is a black man and a thoroughly great guy. He hunts for Shangaan Hunters, who I book for. If you check my website, he and I are in the eland photo on the main page.

I don't know of any books, except for one on Shadrack -- who was a famous ele poacher.

jim dodd

I agree that Naftali Amoolongo in Namibia (Jan Oelofse)is an incredible hunter and an even better stalker.

When I hunted in Burkina Faso, the owner of the first concession (Sissili) upon which I hunted was a black man. He also was a PH. Unfortunately, he was murdered, along with his brother and a driver, the day before I arrived. (His car and body were burned after his being shot.) He also owned a newpaper and had writen several articles that the President's half-brother didn't agree with. An international commission was established (at the direction of the president, no less) to determine guilt. I know not what became of that, but no Gov't agents came into the camp while I was there, though we somewhat feared intervention. I had booked with a white PH but a Black PH was in camp (a relative of the dead owner), along with a white French PH. All were considered peers. We ate and drank together. The second concession, Nazinga, was government owned and a PH could "rent" it for the time his hunters were there, or a black PH was available who was a Government employee. The local black PH was a close friend of my PH and he went afield with us for the fun of it. He could track a grasshopper a mile across concrete and tell you the sex from 100 meters. He had grown up in the area, become a Christian and had gone to a three year seminary becoming an ordained Assembly of God preacher. He did not speak English at all, but my French was sufficient to get along well with him. His nickname was Tee-Cha (phonetic).

After I returned to the U.S. and had my pictures developed, when reviewing them, there was the black guy in them that was only about 5'5" and I couldn't figure out who it was. Taking a close look at the face, I realized it was Tee-Cha. He had impressed me so much I had never realized his physical size, almost a foot shorter than me, but only the size of his enormous heart.

[ 01-22-2003, 03:42: Message edited by: judgeg ]

Titus Hilifilua is a PH in Namibia. He has worked for Peter Sohrada of Otjiwarongo, Namibia,(Sohrada Safari) for over 25 years having started out as a tracker. He has become comfortable with German, French, and English (American version).

On my first African hunt I recall an incident that indicated to me his bonifides. It happend I was with Peter Sohrada, Ernst Scholz, and Titus while we were glassing two black wildebeest determining which one was a better trophy. Peter was one of the founding members of the Namibian Professional Hunters Association. Ernst Scholz is a PH of note that is now coming to prominence in Tanzania. They each were equipped with the finest binoculars Germans could build. They studied both bulls intently then turned to Titus and asked "which one Titus?" He calmly put up his beat up Russian binoculars (probably pried out of the hands of a dead Cuban) and said "the one on the right". Peter then whispered to me..."take the one on the right". Obviously if men of that caliber deferred to his judgement he is very legit indeed.

I've spent many days hunting with Titus. I admire him and not only consider him a friend but one of the top ten people I've had the pleasure of knowing in my life. He has left a trace on my soul.

Thanks for the responces. Just as I figured, there ought to be at least some there, and indeed it is so, and it appears they are fine folks, and good at what they do.
I look forward to the day some of them writes books on their experiences. I should hope some of you folks who know these guys will encourage them to write the books, so we don't have to wait too long. ~~~Suluuq

[ 01-22-2003, 13:51: Message edited by: Rusty Gunn ]