Rwanda - Among the Gorillas
6/4/2011 | 26m 51sVideo has Closed Captions
Joseph treks into the mountain forest of the Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda.
Joseph follows in the footsteps of Dian Fossey when he treks into the mountain forest of the Parc National des Volcans. He travels in search of Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. As with every Travelscope adventure, the journey includes cultural experiences in a local church, living museum, market, primary school and health clinic.
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Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope is presented by your local public television station.
Distributed nationally by American Public Television
Rwanda - Among the Gorillas
6/4/2011 | 26m 51sVideo has Closed Captions
Joseph follows in the footsteps of Dian Fossey when he treks into the mountain forest of the Parc National des Volcans. He travels in search of Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. As with every Travelscope adventure, the journey includes cultural experiences in a local church, living museum, market, primary school and health clinic.
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Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY FRIENDS OF NCI] >> WELCOME TO "TRAVELSCOPE," WITH JOSEPH ROSENDO, WHERE EACH WEEK YOU JOIN US AS WE ACCEPT THE WORLD'S INVITATION TO VISIT.
>> YAHOO!
>> TODAY ON "TRAVELSCOPE," I JOURNEY TO RWANDA, AFRICA, IN SEARCH OF MOUNTAIN GORILLAS, GOLDEN MONKEYS, AND THE SECRET TO RWANDA'S RECOVERY FROM THE HORRORS OF GENOCIDE.
>> "TRAVELSCOPE" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES.
DK CITY, COUNTRY, AND DRIVING GUIDES FEATURE EVOCATIVE PHOTOS, 3-D MAPPING, AND ILLUSTRATIONS FOR KEY SITES AND TRAVEL ITINERARIES.
DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES, THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU.
AND ROSETTA STONE, CHANGING THE WAY THE WORLD LEARNS LANGUAGES.
[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [DRUMMING AND CHANTING] >> FROM MY TRAVELS IN AFRICA, I HAVE COME TO EXPECT MUCH MORE THAN GRAND SAVANNAS WHERE HERDS OF WILDEBEESTS AND PRIDES OF LIONS ROAM.
YET RWANDA EXPANDED MY EXPECTATIONS.
NO LARGER THAN MARYLAND, RWANDA IS A SMALL CHUNK OF AFRICA SHOEHORNED IN BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND TANZANIA.
WITH ITS VERDANT HILLS, JUNGLE WILDLIFE, AND SOME OF AFRICA'S HIGHEST PEAKS, IT'S BEEN CALLED A TROPICAL SWITZERLAND AT THE HEART OF AFRICA, AND THE WILD SOUL OF THE COUNTRY LIVES IN VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, A SANCTUARY FOR MOST OF THE WORLD'S MOUNTAIN GORILLAS, AND YET WHILE THE PARK'S FAMOUS RESIDENT AND MAIN TOURIST DRAW IS THE MOUNTAIN GORILLA, I BEGIN MY VISIT IN SEARCH OF ANOTHER OF THE PARK'S STAR ATTRACTIONS.
THE WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE IN THE VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK IS NOT JUST ABOUT MOUNTAIN GORILLAS.
TODAY WE'RE OFF TO SEE THE ENDANGERED GOLDEN MONKEYS.
WHILE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS HAVE BEEN HABITUATED TO PEOPLE SINCE DIAN FOSSEY'S WORK, THE GOLDEN MONKEY HAS NOT BEEN HABITUATED UNTIL RECENTLY.
IN 2003 IS WHEN THEY MADE THE FIRST ATTEMPTS, AND THEY ARE ALLOWING US TO GET WITHIN 10 FEET OF THEM.
HERE'S ONE RIGHT OVER OUR HEAD.
WOW.
MOSTLY THEY STAY IN THE TREES, BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THEM NOW THAT ARE COMING DOWN TO THE GROUND.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE EATING BEHAVIOR, LIKE THAT ONE PULLING THE BAMBOO SHOOTS OUT AND TEARING IT UP AND EATING IT.
YOU GET A GOOD LOOK AT THEIR FACES, THEIR BEAUTIFUL FACES.
I KNOW THAT THE JOB OF THE PARK IS TO ALLOW THE ANIMALS TO BE WHO THEY ARE AND TO NOT INFRINGE ON THEM SO MUCH THEY START ACTING DIFFERENTLY.
WHAT DO YOU DO TO MAKE THE MONKEYS FEEL COMFORTABLE?
>> THE SCIENTISTS, THEY COME EVERY DAY.
THE FIRST TIME THE MONKEYS SEE THEM, THEY MOVE AWAY, BUT THEY KEEP TRYING TO USE THE VOCALIZATIONS OF MONKEYS.
>> [IMITATING MONKEY CALLS] >> WHEN THE MONKEYS ARE IN A GOOD MOOD, THEY'RE HAPPY, THEY USE THIS KIND OF VOCALIZATIONS.
AND WHEN WE COME TO HABITATE THEM, WE KEEP USING THE SAME, THEN A LITTLE AT A TIME, THEY SAY, "AH, THESE PEOPLE "ARE USING OUR VOCALIZATIONS.
"THEY'RE OUR FRIENDS.
THEY ARE NOT ADVERSITY."
>> THAT'S SO FUNNY.
IT'S JUST LIKE HUMAN BEINGS.
YOU HAVE TO BUILD TRUST FOR PEOPLE TO ALLOW YOU TO HEAR THEM, AND THEN THE WAY YOU GET CLOSE TO THEM, ONE OF THE WAYS, IS TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE.
>> EXACTLY.
>> ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL?
ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL?
>> WHILE THE VOLCANOES MAY HAVE EVOLVED FROM AFRICA'S FIRST NATIONAL PARK, CREATED IN 1925, THE HUMAN PRESSURE ON THE PARK'S ELEPHANTS, BUFFALO, GOLDEN MONKEYS, AND MOUNTAIN GORILLAS REMAINS INTENSE.
THE MAIN DANGERS TO WILDLIFE'S SURVIVAL ARE SUBSISTENCE FARMING AND HUNTING.
WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S ASSISTANCE, FORMER POACHERS HAVE FOUND NEW WAYS TO MAKE A LIVING.
THE XXX CULTURAL VILLAGE, RUN BY A COMMUNITY OF FORMER POACHERS, PRESERVES AND CELEBRATES THE TRIBAL HERITAGE OF RWANDA.
[DRUMMING AND CHANTING] >> THEY COME HERE TO GIVE YOU WELCOME.
SO THEY ARE DANCING.
"OH, WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU INTO OUR CULTURE."
>> DOES THE DANCE HAVE A PARTICULAR NAME?
>> AND THAT MEANS?
>> HOW MUCH POACHING WAS GOING ON HERE?
>> YOU HAVE ALMOST A THOUSAND MEMBERS.
>> WOW.
>> AND WHEN THE TOURISM AND CONVERSATION ASKED US, "WHY DO YOU GO IN THE FOREST?"
WE ANSWER THEM, WE ARE GOING IN THE FOREST TO LOOK FOR OUR FAMILY.
SO THEY LOOK FOR HOW CAN IT BENEFIT TO THE TOURISM?
SO ALL OF THEM TO PASS THROUGH THESE HOISTED SPEARS.
>> THE CULTURAL VILLAGE TRIBE TREATS VISITORS LIKE ROYALTY.
AND SINCE RWANDA HASN'T HAD A KING SINCE 1959, YOU COULD BE THE CHOSEN ONE.
>> WELL, SINCE I'M KING, I CAN GIVE YOU PERMISSION FOR ANYTHING.
SO I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO TAKE ME ON A TOUR OF THE REST OF THE VILLAGE.
>> OK.
THANK YOU.
>> SO LET US GO.
THE KINGDOM IS BEAUTIFUL.
I KIND OF LIKE THIS KING THING.
[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [CHEERING] >> OH... [SHOUTS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] MY MORNINGS IN RWANDA ARE FILLED WITH BIRDSONG AND VOICES SINGING FROM A DISTANT CHURCH.
AT PEACEFUL TIMES LIKE THIS, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION RWANDA SUFFERED IN THE 1994 CIVIL WAR, HATCHED FROM CENTURIES OF RACISM AND OPPRESSION.
FOR MANY FOREIGNERS, HORRIBLE IMAGES OF GENOCIDE ARE THE ONLY ONES THEY HAVE OF RWANDA.
YET RATHER THAN AVOID OR DENY THEIR VIOLENT PAST, RWANDANS HAVE FORGIVEN THE PERPETRATORS AND HONORED THOSE ENGULFED BY THE STRUGGLE.
IN THE CAPITAL, AT THE KIGALI GENOCIDE MEMORIAL CENTER, ONE BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THE TRAGEDY AND RWANDA'S JOURNEY FROM DISASTER TO REDEMPTION.
POET AND PHILOSOPHER GEORGE SANTAYANA SAID, "THOSE "WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST ARE CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT."
SO THAT NO ONE WILL EVER FORGET AND NO ONE WILL EVER REPEAT THE RWANDA GENOCIDE, THERE ARE ALMOST 500 GENOCIDE MEMORIALS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
OFTEN THEY MARK THE MASS GRAVES OF SOME OF THE MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE WHO WERE KILLED DURING 3 MONTHS IN THE SPRING OF 1994.
THE LARGEST IS IN THE CAPITAL OF KIGALI, WHERE MORE THAN 250,000 PEOPLE ARE ENTOMBED IN 14 GRAVESITES.
HERE THEY EXPLORE THE HISTORIC CAUSES OF THE GENOCIDE, THE EVENTS OF THE GENOCIDE ITSELF, AND THE AFTERMATH OF THE GENOCIDE.
AND WHILE IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THAT ANYTHING POSITIVE COULD COME OUT OF SUCH HORRIFIC EVENTS, WHILE OTHER COUNTRIES MAY TAKE A TRAGIC EVENT SUCH AS THIS AND FOLLOW A DESTRUCTIVE PATH TOWARDS REVENGE AND WAR, RWANDANS HAVE USED IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
IT HAS BEEN A CATALYST TO THE NEW AND BETTER RWANDA.
[SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] >> ON THE LAST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH, RWANDANS GATHER TO CELEBRATE UNITY, DISCUSS SOCIAL ISSUES, AND SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY.
WHAT IS TODAY?
>> THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY IN RWANDA.
WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CALL UMUGANDA.
>> UMUGANDA.
>> AND UMUGANDA MEANS COMMUNITY WORK.
>> COMMUNITY WORK.
>> YES.
>> THIS IS THROUGHOUT ALL OF RWANDA?
>> THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY.
>> WHAT KIND OF THINGS WOULD PEOPLE DO?
>> EACH AREA, WE PICK SOMETHING OF LOCAL IMPORTANCE.
IT'S GOING TO BE CLEANING THE STREET, HELPING VULNERABLE PEOPLE, AND THE ACTIVITY TODAY IS PLANT TREES AT THE BANK RIVER.
SO THIS WATER COMES FROM VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, HOME OF MOUNTAIN GORILLAS, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE RAINY SEASON, WE HAVE EROSION.
WE ARE PLANTING TREES TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FARMS.
>> WELL, ENOUGH TALK.
LET'S GET TO WORK.
IT'S GOOD TO WALK WITH THE CHIEF PARK RANGER, BECAUSE I KNOW I WON'T GET LOST, OR IF I DID, IT WOULD BE VERY BAD FOR YOUR REPUTATION.
>> I'M MORE EFFICIENT IN THE PARK.
>> YOU'RE MORE EFFICIENT IN THE PARK THAN YOU ARE IN THE FIELD?
>> YES.
HA HA HA.
>> WELL, HERE WE ARE AT OUR DESTINATION.
>> WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS TO REMOVE THE BAG.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT'S WONDERFUL ABOUT THIS?
DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS HELPS PRESERVE THE SOIL, WHICH PROTECTS THE FARMERS, PROTECTS THEIR LIVELIHOOD, WHICH ALSO PROTECTS THE MOUNTAIN GORILLA, BUT ALSO THIS IS A WONDERFUL WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER.
>> YES.
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND FOR A COMMON GOAL, FOR A COMMON INTEREST.
THIS IS VERY, VERY EXCITING.
>> YES.
IT'S EXCITING FOR US AS VISITORS TO BE ABLE TO PARTAKE OF IT.
BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL THING FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AROUND.
>> YEAH.
>> EVEN TOURISM JOINS THE COMMUNITY EFFORT.
AT VOLCANO SAFARI'S VIRUNGA LODGE, A NEARBY SCHOOL IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE GUESTS' DOLLARS, AND EACH TRADITIONAL STONE BANDA IS LOCALLY BUILT AND SPORTS SOLAR PANELS AND ECO PLUMBING WHILE OFFERING STUNNING PANORAMIC VIEWS.
[SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] WE'RE IN THE VILLAGE OF MUSANZE.
IT'S ALMOST 6:00 IN THE MORNING.
THIS IS A CONGREGATION OF PEOPLE THAT GREET EVERY MORNING WITH SONG AND CELEBRATION.
THEY START AT 4:00.
IN FACT, IT WAS OUR WAKE-UP CALL WHERE WE'RE STAYING.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE EXPERIENCES THAT ARE PRESENTED TO YOU WHEN YOU TRAVEL THAT YOU WANT TO PARTAKE OF.
[SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKS NATIVE LANGUAGE] I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW YOUR BEAUTIFUL VOICES TOUCHED OUR HEARTS EVERY MORNING AS WE LAY IN OUR BED.
AND WHEN WE HEAR YOUR VOICES, THAT MADE US WANT TO COME AND JOIN WITH YOU.
AND JUST LIKE YOUR BEAUTIFUL VOICES REACH OUT ACROSS THE VALLEY AND RING OFF OF THE VOLCANOES, WE WISH TO BRING YOUR VOICES ACROSS THE WATERS TO OUR VIEWERS.
SO...[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] ADJACENT TO THE NATIONAL PARK LIVES THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF PEOPLE IN AFRICA.
SURVIVING ON LESS THAN A DOLLAR A DAY, THEY'RE ALSO SOME OF THE POOREST.
DIAN FOSSEY CAME TO THE VIRUNGAS IN 1967 IN SEARCH OF A CONNECTION BETWEEN GORILLAS AND MAN AND INSTEAD DISCOVERED THE NEED TO PROTECT THE GORILLAS FROM MAN.
HER EFFORT TO CREATE A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE GORILLAS WAS IN CONFLICT WITH A POPULATION WHO RELIED ON THE WILDLIFE FOR SURVIVAL.
AS A CONSEQUENCE, SHE WAS MURDERED IN 1985.
HER LEGACY IS THE KARISOKE RESEARCH CENTER AND THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND, WHICH, THROUGH GORILLA RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS, WORKED TO SAFEGUARD THE ANIMALS, ASSIST THE PEOPLE, AND LOOK AFTER THE ECOSYSTEM THEY BOTH SHARE.
THE FUND RUNS A HEALTH CLINIC AND SCHOOL LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE PARK ENTRANCE.
THE SCHOOL HAS MORE THAN 2,600 STUDENTS.
I VISITED ON THE LAST DAY OF CLASS.
THE MOOD IS FESTIVE.
[SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] >> YES.
GOOD MORNING.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> WHAT CLASS IS THIS?
>> THIS IS PRIMARY ONE.
>> AND THIS IS THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL?
THEY'VE PASSED THEIR EXAMS?
THEY'RE ALL READY FOR THE HOLIDAY?
ARE THEY PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT THAT?
>> YES!
>> YEAH!
WE'RE ALL HAPPY!
OK. GREAT.
[STUDENTS CHEERING] >> THESE CHILDREN ARE JUST FROM ALL AROUND THIS AREA?
>> MOST OF THEM ARE REALLY FROM ONE KILOMETER, TWO KILOMETERS.
>> WHAT DO YOU TEACH THEM?
>> CONSERVATION EDUCATION PROGRAM IS ABOUT PROMOTING CONSERVATION OF THE VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, BUT WE REALLY TRY TO BRING IN ANIMALS, PLANTS.
IT'S NOT JUST GORILLAS, BUT GENERAL BIODIVERSITY AND CONNECTING KIDS TO NATURE.
>> SOME OF THESE CHILDREN WERE THE CHILDREN OF THE POACHERS.
YES?
>> YES.
WHEN I TALK TO THESE CHILDREN, I ASK THEM, "HAVE YOU EVER BEEN "TO THE NATIONAL PARK, TO THE FOREST?"
AND THEY WOULD START BY SAYING, "NO, I HAVEN'T."
BUT AS I BECOME FRIENDLIER AND I TEACH THEM MORE, THEN THEY TOLD ME, "MAYBE OUR FATHERS GO "TO THE PARK TO LAY TRAPS, TO LAY SNARES."
SO I TALK TO THEM, AND I TELL THEM HOW BAD THAT IS, AND SOME PARENTS HAVE ACTUALLY APPROACHED ME AND SAID, "WELL, WHAT YOU DO IS GOOD.
"MY SON WAS TALKING TO ME THE OTHER DAY," SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> AH.
SO THEY'RE TEACHING THE PARENTS.
>> YEAH.
THE EDUCATION OF THESE CHILDREN IS ENSURING A GOOD FUTURE FOR THE ANIMALS BECAUSE WHEN THEY HAVE AN EDUCATION, THEY HAVE BETTER JOBS AND LIVELIHOODS, AND THAT WILL PUT LESS PRESSURE ON THE PARK AND THE RESOURCES IN THE PARK.
>> THE VIRUNGA MOUNTAINS ARE THE ONLY PLACE TO SEE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS, AND THEIR HABITAT IS PROTECTED IN 4 NATIONAL PARKS IN 3 COUNTRIES.
THE GROUPS MOST HABITUATED TO HUMANS LIVE IN RWANDA.
UP TO 8 PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO VISIT EACH OF THE 7 GORILLA GROUPS FOR AN HOUR.
A PERCENTAGE OF THE COST OF EACH GORILLA TREK IS FUNNELED BACK INTO THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
MY EXPERIENCE BEGINS AT THE PARK'S KINIGI HEADQUARTERS, WHERE I MEET MY TREKKING COMPANIONS, HEAD PARK WARDEN PROSPER, MY GUIDE PATIENCE, AND CLARE RICHARDSON OF THE DIAN FOSSEY FUND.
WE ARE ASSIGNED TO VISIT THE AGASHA GROUP, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE DOMINANT SILVERBACK, AGASHA, AND A NUMBER OF FEMALES, JUVENILES, AND BABIES.
EACH GORILLA IS IDENTIFIED BY ITS DISTINCTIVE NOSEPRINT, A METHOD PIONEERED BY DIAN FOSSEY.
SINCE THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF THE MOUNTAIN GORILLA BY EUROPEANS IN 1902, WHICH RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF TWO GORILLAS, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND GORILLA HAS BEEN... WELL, MIXED.
FOR INSTANCE, IN 1960, THERE WERE 450 MOUNTAIN GORILLAS.
WITHIN 10 YEARS, DUE TO HABITAT LOSS AND POACHING, THERE WAS LESS THAN 250.
PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF THE MOUNTAIN GORILLA REALLY BEGAN IN EARNEST IN 1967 WITH THE WORK OF DIAN FOSSEY, AND SINCE THEN, ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN WARS OF GENOCIDE, CONTINUED PRESSURE FROM POPULATION, AND OTHER TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, THE GORILLAS HAVE CONTINUED TO SURVIVE.
IT'S ONLY THROUGH THAT INTENSE EFFORT OF CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION THAT I'M ABLE TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE I'M ABOUT TO HAVE TODAY.
THE WALK TO THE PARK'S ENTRANCE TAKES US THROUGH LANDS THAT ARE CULTIVATED RIGHT UP TO THE PARK'S BOUNDARIES.
NOW WE'RE IN THE PARK.
EXCITING.
>> YES, WE'RE IN THE PARK.
AH.
YOU SEE THIS?
WHEN THEY ARE WALKING, THEY USE THEIR KNUCKLES LIKE THIS.
THEN WHEN IT'S THE KNUCKLES, IT MEANS THAT THEY'RE ON A GOOD WAY.
>> LET'S GO FIND THE OWNERS OF THOSE MARKS.
>> YES.
>> THERE THERE ARE SOME MORE.
>> AH.
AH.
LOOK AT THERE.
THERE'S SOMETHING THERE.
IT'S A NEST FOR SILVERBACK.
>> SO HE MADE THAT NEST?
>> YEAH.
HE PUT THE BRANCHES.
HE COLLECTED THEM TOGETHER.
THEN HE SAT ON THEM.
>> SO THEY NORMALLY SLEEP ON THE GROUND?
>> THE SILVERBACKS ARE ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THEY ARE HEAVY, BUT WHEN THEY ARE IN THE BAMBOO LIKE THIS, THE FEMALES AND BABIES LIKE TO MAKE THEIR NESTS UP IN THE TREES.
>> SO, WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE.
>> MM-HMM.
>> AFTER 90 MINUTES OF TREKKING, WE SPOT OUR FIRST GORILLA.
IT'S AGASHA, THE DOMINANT SILVERBACK, WHO ALTHOUGH WE ALMOST WALKED UP ON HIM, IS AND HAS BEEN VERY AWARE OF US.
>> HE'S SHOWING US HIS SILVER BACK.
>> AFTER WE RECEIVE AGASHA'S APPROVAL, WE WALK INTO A BAMBOO GROVE, WHERE THE REST OF HIS FAMILY IS EATING OR PLAYING AMONG THEIR FAVORITE FOOD.
>> PLEASE, WE MOVE BACK.
THEY ARE GOING.
THEY ARE GOING.
>> RWANDA'S MOUNTAIN GORILLAS ARE SO HABITUATED TO HUMANS THAT THE BABIES AND JUVENILES CONSIDER US ONE OF THE GANG.
YET SINCE OUR DNA IS SO SIMILAR AND THERE IS A DANGER OF TRANSMISSION OF DISEASES, THE RANGERS REMIND US TO KEEP OUR DISTANCE.
>> I DON'T THINK I'VE EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE, SURROUNDED BY THESE MAGNIFICENT CREATURES.
IT'S REALLY THE EPITOME OF MAN AND ANIMAL TOGETHER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
I'M COMPLETELY SPEECHLESS.
[LAUGHING SOFTLY] >> WOW.
THEY ALL CAME UP HERE.
THIS IS SPECIAL.
AS THEY'VE BEEN DESCRIBING IT TO ME... UH-OH.
THEY'RE STARTING TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION.
>> CLARE, I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND HOW SOMEONE COULD COME UP HERE AND FALL IN LOVE WITH THESE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS AND SPEND 18 YEARS PROTECTING THEM.
TO SO EVEN IMAGINE THAT SOMETHING THIS WILD STILL EXISTS, IT GIVES US PERMISSION TO GET AS CLOSE AS WE DO.
>> IT'S THE BEST EXPERIENCE.
THEY'RE PLAYING A LITTLE BIT AS THEY TAKE OFF.
LOOK AT THAT.
LOOK AT THAT.
AGASHA REALLY KIND OF GRACED US WITH SHOWING OFF HIS FAMILY.
HIS FAMILY REALLY DID SHOW US WHAT THEY DO.
>> ALLOWED US, RIGHT?
THEY ALLOW US TO BE HERE.
>> EXACTLY.
>> THANK YOU, AGASHA.
>> "DON'T FORGET US," THEY SAY.
AND WE WON'T.
[SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON MY RWANDA ADVENTURE.
EVERY "TRAVELSCOPE" SHOW INTRODUCES YOU TO OTHER PEOPLE AND CULTURES.
IN THIS WAY, WE STRIVE TO EDUCATE, FOSTER UNDERSTANDING, AND ULTIMATELY TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, FOR IN ADDITION TO BEING FATAL TO PREJUDICE, BIGOTRY, AND NARROW-MINDEDNESS, TRAVEL DESTROYS STEREOTYPES AND MISCONCEPTIONS.
LIKE MANY PARTS OF AFRICA, RWANDA HAS GONE THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES.
THE CIVIL WAR AND THE 1994 GENOCIDE KILLED MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE AND PUT RWANDA'S NAME ON THAT LONG LIST OF PLACES SYNONYMOUS WITH MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN.
YET RWANDA IS MORE THAN ITS HISTORY.
I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER WHAT RWANDA IS TODAY.
IN COMMUNITIES FORMERLY TORN BY DIVISION AND STRIFE, PEACE, UNITY, AND RECONCILIATION NOW PREVAIL.
NATURAL TREASURES, LIKE THE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS, ARE PROTECTED THROUGH A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING THAT CONSERVATION BENEFITS ALL.
THE COUNTRY SPARKLES THROUGH THE COMMUNAL EFFORTS OF EVERY CITIZEN AND EXTENDS A HAND OF WELCOME AND FRIENDSHIP TO ALL OF US.
OF COURSE, I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.
RATHER, I URGE YOU TO COME AND EXPERIENCE THE NEW RWANDA FOR YOURSELF.
TILL NEXT TIME, THIS IS JOSEPH ROSENDO, REMINDING YOU OF THE WORDS OF MARK TWAIN-- "TRAVEL IS FATAL TO PREJUDICE, BIGOTRY, AND NARROW-MINDEDNESS."
HAPPY TRAVELING.
>> "TRAVELSCOPE" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES.
DK CITY, COUNTRY, AND DRIVING GUIDES FEATURE EVOCATIVE PHOTOS, 3-D MAPPING, AND ILLUSTRATIONS FOR KEY SITES, AND TRAVEL ITINERARIES.
DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES, THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU.
AND ROSETTA STONE, CHANGING THE WAY THE WORLD LEARNS LANGUAGES.
>> FOR A DVD OF TODAY'S SHOW OR ANY OF JOSEPH'S "TRAVELSCOPE" ADVENTURES, CALL 888-876-3399 OR ORDER ONLINE AT Travelscope.net.
YOU CAN ALSO E-MAIL US AT TV@Travelscope.net OR WRITE US AT THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.
>> NOW THAT WE'VE MET THE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS TOGETHER, LEARN MORE AT Travelscope.net, WHERE YOU CAN FOLLOW MY ADVENTURES THROUGH MY E-MAGAZINE, BLOG, AND PODCASTS.
KEEP IN TOUCH.
888-876-3399 OR TV@Travelscope.net.
[CHANTING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY FRIENDS OF NCI]
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