I posted about 2 months ago that my Wife and Nanny both shot their first big game animals in RSA in May (2 Implalas). They were brought to Highveldt on June 16th I believe. My credit card got hit right away but still have not shipped. Fast forward to August/September. Shot Buff Leopard Sable and a few other things. I left Zambia on September 18th I think. My Zambia stuff is not only back but TANNED AND BEING MOUNTED.!!!!! HIGHVELDT SUCKS
Chipolopolo

If you're talking about Highveld in Erasmia, they did a great job on my animals. They had them for a year. They did a great job in mounting, packing, crating and shipping. Give it some time. They do have several clients.

Chip,

Could not agree with you more. Their service and attitude borders on government socialist.

I was given the hard sell by my PH to use them. I wonder if a commission was involved. Then was promised 12 months to mount and ship. 26 months later, the POOREST quality work showed up. Ruined my Nyala and gemsbok. Lucky for me, a local taxidermist had some spare capes.

No recourse, non existent service, shoddy work. That's Highveld.

Hope things work out for you Chip.

Got my capes to them in September of 07. Still waiting. When I contacted them they stated that they would get to them as soon as they could. No estimate. No check back at a later date. Nothing.

If a taxidermist is taking more than one year to get work out , they are overwhelmed. They should stop taking in new work until they have finished what they have in house. To continue taking in new work when they are that far behind keeps them from ever getting caught up.

This was twice for me. First and last. When I finally get my stuff back they will never hear from me again!

Highveld has been working my order of horns on plaques and backskins for 19 months!! They promised me 9 months when I was in their shop.

I have caught 2 mistakes on my order and one mistake on my bill, so watch them closely. Also,
for alomst 8 weeks they stopped answering my E-mails, so I had to resort to contacting my booking agent to get them to start replying to me again.

Good news is today I received notice that my crate was now with the shipping company and "almost" ready to be shipped, so now I get to start the fun all over again with a new company...yea. Hard sell or not (and it was) I will never consider using Highveld again.

Guess I was lucky. They always promptly communicated with me, both by email and phone. The packing and crating were excellent. My kudu is looking down on me right now, and he's beautifully finished. Sorry everyone's having bad luck.

Jet,
not to worry, I learned that in RSA everything is greased. The Outfitter get his the PH gets his the dip & pack gets his. Nobody does nothin for good service or integrity. It just a little what what here and there. To bad some over there could give shit.
Chipolopolo

I live in south africa and alot of people i know wont go there.Ive just had afriend who had a whole lot of stuff there for over two years.The few pieces he got back were done quiet badly and the rest he just picked up and took them to my taxidermist that i use.With his stuff there was no dipping and packing or shipping like with you guys so it should have been even quiker than with your stuff.

quote:

Nobody does nothin for good service or integrity.

I have no idea how good or bad Highveld's service is but that statement above is obtuse and essentialist - rubbish.
So you are saying all South Africans have no integrity?

quote:

Originally posted by kayaker:

quote:

Nobody does nothin for good service or integrity.

I have no idea how good or bad Highveld's service is but that statement above is obtuse and essentialist - rubbish.
So you are saying all South Africans have no integrity?

I was wondering the same thing....

It would be impossible for you to convince me that the Afrikaaners dont scratch one anothers back. And if you have nothing to hide in front of your client why not just speak english? we all speak and understand that one. How would you feel if you were at my dinner table and we all speak english but I choose to converse in Spanish with my crew, knowing you don't understand it.
Chipolopolo

WTF?

1) Not all Afrikaaners 'scratch one anothers back' as you ambiguously state?
2) How would you define who an Afrikaaner is? Someone who speaks Afrikaans? Thats far from it
3) I would feel excluded if someone did that who was a guide/PH, that's why I wouldn't do it, not everyone does either. Sounds like you are bitter about something.

Stop making stuff up to suit your 'essential type' that seems to satisfy your culural misunderstanding.

Excuse me Mr Kayaker, I am not bitter at all, I'll tell you what, lets start a poll here.

How many of "us" that have hunted RSA only have been made to feel "what are they speaking about here I wonder and why do they keep switching back and forth from english to Afrikaans". I have several very very close friends that I speak about this openly to that live there.

And don't tell me to stop making shit up, your cultural plight is no different than say mine here in the US we fought the Brits and sent them packing them we came out west and fought the damn Indians and kicked their ass's too.
Not bitter just not afraid to rustle feathers.
Chipolopolo

And, I define an Afrikaaner as somebody who lives or is from the mostly northern parts of South Africa, You know, A Dutchman a decendant of the Vortrekers.
Chipolopolo

quote:

Excuse me Mr Kayaker, I am not bitter at all, I'll tell you what, lets start a poll here.

How many of "us" that have hunted RSA only have been made to feel "what are they speaking about here I wonder and why do they keep switching back and forth from english to Afrikaans". I have several very very close friends that I speak about this openly to that live there.

And don't tell me to stop making shit up, your cultural plight is no different than say mine here in the US we fought the Brits and sent them packing them we came out west and fought the damn Indians and kicked their ass's too.
Not bitter just not afraid to rustle feathers.
Chipolopolo

You have never spent alot of people who speak another language as their mother tongue.

Most folks are most comfortable in whatever language they think in. When they speak to fellow frenchmen or fellow south african's they aren't being rude to you.

For them speaking english or chinese is work, speaking afrikaans or french is natural.

quote:

Originally posted by chipolopolo:
And, I define an Afrikaaner as somebody who lives or is from the mostly northern parts of South Africa, You know, A Dutchman a decendant of the Vortrekers.
Chipolopolo

My friend you missed by a country mile with that definition....

It looks to me that you may have to look for a different outfitter if that is the way you were treated.

In South Africa we have 11 official languages and English is just one of them.

I agree its rude to talk in Afrikaans when at the table and I had lots of fights about this with other PH's as I have lived and worked in different countries with different languages I can understand your frustration...

But many times its necessary to talk Afrikaans to make sure things runs smooth for the client

If you have a problem with a hunting outfit go hunt with a different more professional outfit.

It is a little rude to talk in a different language, but you have to remember that to the Afrikaans, English is their second and sometimes their third language, and if two Afrikaaners want to communicate between themselves, it's easier for them do to so in their own language and as you're in Africa, you might occasionally have to appreciate the fact that some people are not quite as at home with the Queen's English as others might be........
Speaking of which, you can rustle cattle and ruffle feathers but you can't rustle feathers!

It's such a jolly nuisance when these damn Johnny foreigners can't speak the Queen's English, what!

Well, I hope I don't get jumped on by 'ol chipolo who single handledly beat the Brits and the American Indians 200 years ago, but I have always been impressed by "foreigners" for speak multiple languages with great facility. When in Namibia, my PH spoke at least 3 languages, English, Afrikaans and German, and this guy was no PhD. It was natural to him. The Swiss speak 3 languages. Many Europeans do the same. It is a skill that I wish I had.
Peter.

Steve you 100% correct in what you say.Iam a south african greek.My home language was greek and when iam with greeks i automatically start speeking it without even realizing it.Sometimes when iam in the company of greek and non greeks i sometimes go off in greek and half way through the sentance i relise what iam doing and change to english.

Peter, It was me and a couple of my close freinds who whipped the Indians into submission, just wanted to be straight here. I know many, many people who have commented on the "language barrier". when in other African countries even the bush trackers and crew "try" to speak english around the clients. it just seems to me that RSA is where the comments stem from. I wouldn't "not hunt" with a nice guy because of it though. And yes my grammer is poor I am a product of liberal teachers in the western US. Our expectation for results in our schools is piss poor. No excuses.
Would you rather somebody just shut up or speak up about the Afrikaans thing?
Respectfully,
Chipolopolo

My suggestion is to get an africaans l,anguage course and study it before the hunt. That way you may be able to contribute to the conversation or as you seem a bit concerned about the chat, evesdrop.

I think Steve AKA Chippy may not be MR. Tact but his point about PH's etc speaking Afrikaans or any language that clients are not familiar with while around the clients is just rude. The PH speaking Shona, Zulu or whatever with the crew who is not fluent in English is understandable as he needs to get his orders communicated as clearly as possible but for two multilingual PH's to have a long conversation in front of clients in a tongue completely foriegn to the clients is just bad manners. If some of you guys in the safari business do not realize that I'm here to tell you that it is perceived as rude by me and most clients. If I was a safari operator fluent and unfortunately I am not in French for instance I would speak French in front of my clients and if I wanted to have a conversation with another PH I would take him aside and have that conversation in English rather than making the clients feel isolated while I conducted business in English.

Mark

Chipolo, thanks for the response. No, I think your point is well taken if 2 people are having an extended conversation in your presence, and it is clear that they both also speak English. In that case, while it is natural to converse in the language in which you think, it is also clear that deliberately or not, they are excluding you, which is rude. Add to this, that you are probably a paying customer. The problem with Afrikaans, as I see it, and I hope folks will correct me here, is that it has a rather limited "range" for want of a better term ie. I might learn some words if I had to, but probably not my first choice of a second language if I wanted something of widespread application. Is Afrikaans alive and well, or is it dying out? Are the next generations learning it?
Peter.

My first safari was RSA I felt I needed to learn Afrikaans, but soon learned how regional it really is and has no practical purpose beyond RSA or even botswana where most PH's I've met are South African. I've spent some time in and around Durban and you never ever hear Afrikaans down there. And Mark my nickname in high school was Mr.Tack. I spent 2 weeks on a familly vacation not hunting last year there with a PH friend of mine and our 2 familys, his kids 3 and 5 spoke ZERO english
Chipolopolo

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
The problem with Afrikaans, as I see it, and I hope folks will correct me here, is that it has a rather limited "range" for want of a better term ie. I might learn some words if I had to, but probably not my first choice of a second language if I wanted something of widespread application. Is Afrikaans alive and well, or is it dying out? Are the next generations learning it?
Peter.

Yes Sir,

Afrikaans is alive and an ever developing language.

My soon to be ex wife is english and I am Afrikaans.

My daughter speaks english to her mother but only speaks afrikaans to me and refuse to respond in english if I ask her a question in english. She is 5 years old in May.

I have noticed this with a lot of young people in South Africa especially when I am out of the country for a while and then go back.

Again I agree that it is rude to have a conversation that exclude the client.

What I do is tell the client that I am going to talk to the tracker or skiner or Camp staff or ranch owber in Afrikaans to get things organized. After things have been said I will then translate to the client what I have said to get him in the picture.

Here in Angola I am starting to learn my 3rd language - Portuguese

Mark

Valid point - we (Afrikaans people) are often guilty of that. The main reason in that the guys often feel akward speaking English to each other and secondly many times do not realize that they have switched languages. Most of us speak three or more languages and do so in quick succession sometimes. But it remains a valid point, and something we really try hard to shake off in my outfit!

(You should use the subjunctive "were" instead of "was" after "if" ... )

Peter

Afrikaans is alive and well and the home language of a very large part of the South African (and Namibian) population, despite many reports to the contrary.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerhard.Delport:
What I do is tell the client that I am going to talk to the tracker or skiner or Camp staff or ranch owber in Afrikaans to get things organized. After things have been said I will then translate to the client what I have said to get him in the picture.

Boa noite Gerhard,

That is good manners and good protocol. I do the same thing.

quote:

You should use the subjunctive "were" instead of "was" after "if"

See, Mark your inglish is as piss pooor as meine
chip

To hell with learning Afrikaans. With the Luo tribesman in the White House you all need to be learning Ebonics. Here's a handy translator you can use if you find the need to converse with our new Prez and First Lady.

http://joel.net/EBONICS/translator.asp

It would appear Chipolopolo has amassive chip on his shoulder as his name would indicate. Just for your information, I am from German descent however I speak Afrikaans and your comment that Durban is only English is so far from truth it is not funny.From my point of view Chip likes to throw his weight around and if people don't jump his sulks like a kid. Nobody forced you to come to South Africa or Nambia.

No worries eightbysixties, I've given up hunting in petting farms. you need to read my post about Durban, I said I never heard a converation, I never said it was english only, I think you need to be around here a bit before you decide on peoples motives.
Chipolopolo

Chip,

Those two friends of your's you mentioned had helped you finish the Indian nations....... one of them wouldn't have been called Custer by any chance?



Ah damnit, there go the ribs again!

No, funny you should ask, it was Drook and GarBy

Steve, the point of that comment was that our cultures share quite alot, The Brits and the Indians for us and the Brits and the Zulus for you. My pal in Steenbokpan told me some of the history of why some Afrikaaners feel the way they do about the English language, I do understand the feeings you must have. Women and Children are off limits even in times of war. On my last vacation he gave me quite a lesson about the Boers and the Blyde river? and the freestate and the orange river, quite compeling and like I said not unlike America's exploration of the west. Custer was text book example of arrogance and how to loose a battle that was completely winnable.
Chipo

Johan,

My mother was an English teacher. Needless to say I was not a great pupil.

I'm sure you make a great effort to not offend clients. Others do not. I have been subjected to hours of French, Swahili, Afrikaans etc. and the PH even if the subject was brought to their attention seemed puzzled.

Mark

I for one think this is a uniquely American perspective. For years I lived in Ottawa right on the Ontario/Quebec border and it's virtually a bilingual city. The only people I ever heard complaining about french people speaking french to one another were American's who found it rude and some rednecky Canucks who were offended by the Govt policy of official bilingualism.

Bottom line if you are in a foreign country, you are a guest and are best to try and adapt, not expect the country to adapt to you.

Chip,

The cultures do share a lot in common, as do the cultures of the Brits, Americans, Afrikaans and native cultures, together....... some good and a lot, not so good...... and that includes languages....... but it's all in the past.

You need to remember that whilst it can be irritating that the Afrikaaners occasionally speak Afrikaans in your presence, it's not suprising and it's not meant to offend, it's just that it's easier and quicker for them because it's their first language.

Generally speaking, the Afrikaaners really are a nice bunch, and good guys. Usually, the only time they're a bunch of bastards is when they beat England at rugby! I'd offer only one piece of advice about them though......... don't ever try to out drink them. Selective breeding has ensured the sods soak up alchohol like a sponge, whereas it makes us guys fall over eventually.

Did you mean Blyde River or Blood River in KZN?
At Blood River, they fought extremely well with good tactics and incredible bravery. I know this because I inherited a piece of land overlooking the battlefield and have studied the history extensively.

Oh and hey, I was only pulling your leg about Custer!

Bottom line is regardless of where you are, good breeding dictates you speak a language all present can understand if possible. In Canada or anywhere else. To do otherwise is just plain rude. jorge

Well said Jorge.
I always tell the PH's or hunting company owner in camp in front of me it's english.

Steve,
I was away a while at my weekly french lesson made mandatory by the Bam Bam admin.

Yes, I meant the blood river and I believe the sorrow is it?. It seems to me that quite a few other feel the same about the Afrikaans thing.

I have hunted all over the continent and its funny it is only in South Africa this has been an issue.
Chip

quote:

Originally posted by martinbns:
I for one think this is a uniquely American perspective. For years I lived in Ottawa right on the Ontario/Quebec border and it's virtually a bilingual city. The only people I ever heard complaining about french people speaking french to one another were American's who found it rude and some rednecky Canucks who were offended by the Govt policy of official bilingualism.

Bottom line if you are in a foreign country, you are a guest and are best to try and adapt, not expect the country to adapt to you.

Martin,
Next time your at my house for a nice steak dinner, I'm assuming we all speak english, my wife and I will converse in Spanish. your post indicates you should learn Spanish or eat somewhere else. Common courtesy dictates we all speak the common language that everybody understands.
Chipolopolo