Trek to visit Dian fosseys final resting place
17/05 (Happy birthday mum!)
post by allana
Today we hiked to see the final resting place of the great Dr Dian Fossey and her favourite gorilla, Digit. The hike was long and arduous, much more difficult than the gorilla trek yesterday. It was two hours straight up, often going through thick knee-deep mud that almost sucked our boots right off. Our guide was the lovely Loyce and a friendly man from the local village also came along to help keep the stinging nettle away, which he deftly did with his long stick.
Dian Fosseys Karisoke Research Centre sits right on the Congo border, between Mt Visoke and Mt Karisimbe. We weren't sure what we would find once we got there, apart from her grave and the gorilla cemetery, we had no idea how much of the original camp would be left. The old, mossy sign stuck in a tree on the way in was our first clue that perhaps we should prepare ourselves for a sad sight.
Dian Fosseys Karisoke Research Centre sits right on the Congo border, between Mt Visoke and Mt Karisimbe. We weren't sure what we would find once we got there, apart from her grave and the gorilla cemetery, we had no idea how much of the original camp would be left. The old, mossy sign stuck in a tree on the way in was our first clue that perhaps we should prepare ourselves for a sad sight.
It turns out that the old buildings had been destroyed in the unrest of 2000, when soldiers from the Congo came over and burned everything to the ground. We first emerged into the still, grassy meadow surrounded by huge moss-laden Hagenia trees, just as she described it in the book. But everything had returned to the forest. Only stumps remained of the buildings, a few bricks here and there, an old stove. It was deeply saddening, knowing what a powerhouse of wildlife research and conservation this once was, but there was nothing left.
When we came to the site of Dian Fosseys main house-- where she spent most of her 15 years, I sat down on the remaining stump and had a chat to Loyce about what had happened there. It was Christmas time in 1985 when she was found murdered. Most Rwandans seem to think she was killed by one of her disgruntled western research assistants, with whom she would often fight. But others insist it was poachers, although poaching had already subsided by that time due to her efforts. Most likely we will never know. I tried to put it out of my mind that she had died right there, and focused instead on how she would have typed up all her field notes here, written some of her book, and even cared for orphaned gorillas right under her own roof. Then, it was time to visit the cemetery.
It was really sad to see all these headstones of gorillas that I recognised immediately from 'Gorillas in the Mist', and to remember how Dian Fossey wrote so passionately about each of their distinct, individual personalities. Titus was there, Puck was there, old Flo... and of course there was Digit. Right next to Dian Fossey, as were her wishes. Her tombstone reads:
'No one loved gorillas more. Rest in peace dear friend. Eternally protected in this scared ground for you are home where you belong'
It was a very special and sad day. But perhaps, now that her legacy and the international gorilla fund is so large and successful, Dian Fossey might even be happy that the forest is reclaiming the old camp.
'No one loved gorillas more. Rest in peace dear friend. Eternally protected in this scared ground for you are home where you belong'
It was a very special and sad day. But perhaps, now that her legacy and the international gorilla fund is so large and successful, Dian Fossey might even be happy that the forest is reclaiming the old camp.