THE AFRICAN VS THE MOUNTAIN

….. Based on a true story……

Picture a heavyweight boxing contest where the champion is an immovable object and the challenger is a defiant dreamer. Picture a night of brutal torment and ground-breaking determination. Imagine a penniless young man looking up an emperor’s path, with the surest sense of destiny imaginable. Far above him, envision for yourself a destination that's said to be the first pillar holding up the heavens from the ground. And then after that, brace yourself for a hellacious showdown between a belligerent outsider and a sacrosanct national heroine.

In the one corner we had Taishan. 'Mountain Tai' as English speakers refer to her. She's not 'a' mountain, she's THE mountain. The jewel of all of UNESCO's World Heritage sites. She's the one that's on the bank notes. The one that 72 emperors tackled. The one that Confucius conquered 7 times before history judged him to be China's greatest ever philosopher & teacher. But she even ranks above him as the undisputed champion of Chinese antiquity. Her significance has transcended countless imperial dynasties and 2 revolutions. Some say a man is not a real man until he's made his way up her trail.

In the other corner there stood an odd opponent for the mountain. A plump foreigner with no experience of competing at this level and no past opponents anywhere close to the calibre of Taishan. His advisers had warned him that he was in no shape whatsoever to go toe-to-toe with Taishan but his ego had told him that he possessed the mental strength conquer The Mountain. And who could convince him otherwise- he was an African after all. An African who lived everyday with that Mau Mau warrior spirit and had traced his lineage all the way to the revolutionary Zulu heroes of Isandlwana.  Unlike the 72 emperors who had made their way to the top, he wasn't scaling the heights as a means of proving his worthiness to rule China or to honour ancient custom. No, for him this was a debt he believed was owed to his host nation. His embarrassing failure to acquire a firm grasp of the mandarin language during his 13 month stay in The Middle Kingdom required another gesture of loyalty to China. And there was no truer test of commitment than Mount Tai.

Accompanying the African was an English man. He was a serial traveller, a budding photographer and a veteran of many mountain excursions. Legend has it that The Englishman had milked camels at the very top of the highest desert hills of Dubai, so as you can see, it was no big deal for him to climbing Mount Tai. The final part of the traversing trio, was The Artist. The Artist was a sketch impressionist, a daughter of the Peoples Republic of China and the paramour of The Englishman. She was the translator and also borrowed an air of grace to the evening with just her presence alone. Maybe viewing the sunrise from the top of the mountain will inspire her next masterpiece.

And there The African found himself. His greatest opponent stood before him ready for the taking and he had 2 invaluable guides I'm his corner. They would be there for him in the same way Eddie Futch and George Benton were there for Joe Frazier.  LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!!

ROUND 1: And so it begins. The African comes out swinging. He talks, walks and smiles like a champion-in-waiting. His every breath already seems victorious and his every heartbeat is excited. There's still a hellacious path inclining to the peak but the early signs are good for the underdog. The Englishman suggests lowering the tempo significantly for this early stage. He says that the worst mistake The African can make at this early stage is to fall for the trap set up by the ego's impatience.

The Mountain though stands firm. Unmoved, unbent and unbroken. The Mountain has faced countless eager-beaver opponents so this early round is no cause for concern. At this point, the mountain is merely feeling her opponent out and evaluating the sort of man she's dealing with. There's no hurry to throw jab or even attempt to floor The African at this early stage.

The Artist wants to take a pause to properly appreciate the poetry of this moment and so they all rest. End of Round One. It's break time.

ROUND 2: The brief recess refreshed not just the body, but also the mind. The African is now conscious that the need for a strong finish far outweighs the need for a strong start. Every move he makes now has toned down the vigour of his climb and is a testament to shrewd tactics. His commitment to a disciplined approach at taking The Mountain requires all his powers of concentration.

The Mountain has now opened a wide berth. The Englishman is taking great pleasure in exploring these openings. He's amazed at The Mountains magnificence. The Mountain quietly accepts the Englishman's praise whilst The Artist takes great delight in seeing The Englishman's child-like excitement. The African wonders if they've both forgotten that the Mountain is an opponent and not a friend. The bell rings. It's the end of the round.

ROUND 3: It's the first sign of trouble for The African. His every step is now accompanied by a heavy breath. Every brief flatbed is now a welcome reprieve for him. Every sip of water tastes like saltwater for some reason. He gazes around and observes The Artist's body language and it doesn't look very promising either. But The Englishman is suspiciously resplendent. He even has a light spring in his step. Damn him.

Meanwhile The Mountain is looking strong. She's lit up and inviting but she also makes a point of being inhospitable to the weak. Her critics have often spoken of her unpleasant dimensions but that criticism never hurt her at all. When one enjoys the esteem of a few bold figures, the slagging and whining from umpteen weaklings is inconsequential.

ROUND 4: After a brief charge of determination, The African tumbles to the floor. Scarcely able to breathe, he now slips into a deep prison of self-doubt.  Something he would not dare have contemplated when he first undertook this adventure. He'd spent the last 7 days mentally preparing himself for all the fatigue The Mountain would bring but all this agony he was feeling brought about a sudden impatience at the fact that he hadn't yet finished.

The Englishman was standing nearby when The African looked around. He was besides The Artist and conversing with her about some other mountain they had both climbed in England. Mount Scarface or something like that.... The Artist looks like she's on the verge of collapse herself. The Englishman once again, seems full of energy. In fact he's barely broken a sweat. The African demands to know how this can be after all the uphill steps they've already climbed. "I'm from the hilliest part of Sheffield, England. Almost all the roads in my area are on a hill. I'm so used to walking uphill that my legs don't even feel it anymore", he explains. The African doesn't buy it. He refuses to buy it. The green eyed monster can only lead him to one conclusion: this man is on performance enhancing drugs! It's the only explanation that makes sense.

The Englisman suggests a long break so everyone can refresh properly. The African co-signs that suggestion. "We're probably a bit beyond the halfway point now so we've earned some major rest" he says in agreement.  This whole round belonged to The Mountain. The African stood no chance and hardly threatened.

ROUND 5: The African, now somewhat recovered after being planted on the ground in the previous round, is soldiering on towards his destiny. But even with this renewed faith he can't help but notice an unnerving change; The Mountain’s path is losing its beam, getting darker and darker with each step. It's not a figment of The African's imagination, The Artist and the Englishman have noticed it too and the tone of their speech suggests a cautious hesitancy. The African not only knows that 'the night is dark and full of terrors', he also knows that the path to the top is treacherous and full of casualties. People have died trying to conquer Taishan. And The African has no intention of joining them so he can't help but have misgivings about continuing further.

Eventually The Englishman speculates that the floodlights can't be out for the entire remainder of the path. They're probably just in an unmaintained section of the path with no supportive lighting and they just need to rough it for a bit. "There's gonna be light further up", he assures. The African, with his energy waning and his spirit shaken, shrugs his shoulders and accepts The Englishman’s conjecture. And they all agree to proceed cautiously.

The Mountain has all the advantage now. It's as if she's toying with her opponents before the finisher. They're there for the taking; blinded, frightened and dizzy! It's now The Mountain’s fight to lose.

ROUND 6: After stumbling forwards in pitch-black darkness for 20 or so minutes, The African can see the light again. The path begins to light up further along the route and this brings a huge grin to The African's face. The restoration of light is a psychological source of comfort after the nervy period he's just been through. For a while he could barely see The Artist and The Englishman even though they were proceeding in close proximity to one another. They just guided each other in the dark using their voices.

A few minutes and strides later, some music begins to play. Upbeat, party-like Chinese music. The African can hear a lot of happy voices in the distance and picks up the pace so he can also get a taste of this sudden festive atmosphere. It's as if his soul has been injected with a shot of adrenaline. His travel companions are also gaily curious about what awaits nearby.

What they find is paradisiac resting area, complete with small restaurants, ATM's, bathrooms, gift shops, loudspeakers, resting benches and even a section with arcade games. It's all very pleasing to the African. He tells himself that this place must mean that they're very close to the top. "We've been doing this for 4 hours now so there's probably another hour or so left of climbing". The African is radiating with pride. Smiling at the festivities and contemplating how close he is to victory.

That was the last smile The African  wore for the remainder of the journey. The Artist begins to translate some Chinese alphabetical characters on an information board and explains that they're currently at the halfway point. The African is instantly traumatised with disappointment.  'How can it be only halfway when I've probably used up all of my mental strength?’ he wonders to himself in a fit of subdued panic. His mental torture quickly affects his physical state. It's time for some meditation and series of massive gulps of water. End of the round!!!

Round 7: The African is on his feet after taking that big knockdown towards the end of Round 6. He’s ready to fight The Mountain to the wire and go the distance. He momentarily thinks of that Thabo Mbeki line saying 'Those who will complete the course will do so only because they did not, as fatigue sets in, convince themselves that the inclines are too steep, the road ahead is far too long, the loneliness is impossible to bear or that the prize itself is of doubtful value'. The words are a source of comfort but summoning that same defiant attitude is easier said than done. The African is in trouble now because this journey has stopped being fun. In the earlier rounds, even the tiring parts were fun but now his entire lower body hurts with every step.

The Mountain now seemed cold and ruthless, ready to pick The African apart, piece by piece. If The Mountain was into trash-talk, she'd look into the eyes of The African and say 'See me again when you are worthy, fat boy'. That's the level of dominance The Mountain is imposing at this stage.

Round 8: Systemic destruction from the mountain! The African is being shown no mercy whatsoever from Taishan. The steps are getting harder, the slopes are becoming higher and higher. The pathway is becoming narrower after every slope, and The African's footwork is limited. The Mountain is now turning what was once an even contest, into a prolonged and brutal execution.

The African collapses once more. He's short of breath and his legs are cramping. These cramps are so excruciating that only the tears of a unicorn could remedy them. The African looks around and notices that The Englishman is now also looking very tired. The Mountain has caught up with him too now. He doesn't look too good.

The Artist eats a peanut butter sandwich and rejoices about how far they’ve come. That sense of achievement is lost on The African. His mind is rather weighed down by wandering how much more of this torturous task is still left. For The Artist it’s still about winning, for the African it’s now merely about survival. Another big recess is declared. 

ROUND 9: Every inch of The African’s skin is moist with perspiration. There is so much sweat dripping from his forehead that his vision is blurred by all the sweat a falling into his eyes. His shorts, which fit him fine at the start of this quest, are now so soggy that they seem like thigh-hugging pyjama’s. But The African marches further still. He marches and then marches some more. His confrontational vigour is eventually rewarded when he reaches a point with a definitive sign that the summit is end is near; the staircase!

In the days leading up to the climb, The African had researched all he could about Taishan and his research led him images of this soaring staircase at the end of the climb. The largest staircase the African had ever seen. It looked imperial and grandiose, befitting Taishan’s reputation. To see it in a picture was one thing but now the African stood before it and marvelled at how the path of the staircase shot up to the sky before disappearing into the darkness. It was intimidating and alluring all at once.  Now there was just the small matter of all these steps…

The African, with all the hope his heart has left to give, takes to the railing and begins making his way to the top whilst leaning on the barricade for support after every step. About 2 minutes later, he collapses of fatigue. His heart is in it but his body is tapping out. This staircase is The Mountain’s answer to the figure-4 leg-lock in that it puts the opponent on his backside and has him begging for mercy. There is no way to go for The African because he’s too far gone to quit but he’s also way too banged up to continue.

Now it was time for the ethos of teamwork to save the day (or rather the night). The Englishman, The Artist and The African all agree on a fresh approach to taking this dizzying staircase. They agree to recess for 5 minutes with every 20 steps they climb. This rigorous plan to reach the top is not only goal-orientated enough to keep them focused but also lenient enough to make sure that nobody is burned out by the inward stress of inevitably calculating how much further is left. Everything must be considered and then balanced carefully now.

And for a while this method was working. It worked so well that it restored everyone’s excitement to finish off The Mountain and soon enough The African began to see the top of the staircase. He knew it was the top because he could see the red temple at the top of the staircase. He’d seen it in all the pictures and now here it was right before him, at a distance. Although the temple looked bigger in the pictures, it must be said. In fact it looked way bigger in the pictures but The African didn’t care at this point. The red building loomed above him, drawing him closer to his target like the carrot that draws the donkey closer to its target, so who cares really about the details of dimension. All that mattered to him was that he was about to be done with all this agony. Let’s give this round to The African.

ROUND 10: As it turns out, that red building at the top of the stairs wasn’t the temple nor was it the peak of The Mountain. The red building was just a tuckshop on a flatbed that looks like the temple, but only way smaller. A tuckshop where some jolly old man sells refreshments and urges his customers to hurry to the top so they don’t miss the sunrise.

And that humongous staircase the African just completed actually wasn’t the staircase he’d seen in the pictures. It was the light warm-up before the staircase from the pictures. He’ll find the real staircase if he walks slightly to the right where there are a few more hurdles awaiting him. The African is crushed with despair and is certain that a cruel joke is being played on him. And when he listens really closely, he can hear The Mountain laughing at him in the darkness of the night. The Englishman looks to be up for the challenge and he also encourages the African not to give up now because they are so close. The African understands that they are close in the context of distance but the he’s still reeling from this last staircase tells him that he’s further than ever before.

  

The African is a beaten man. A broken man with nowhere to go but the asylum of his self-pity. He’s done and would happily forfeit a TKO to The Mountain. He instructs The Artist and The Englishman to leave him be and go their own way whilst he recovers and concedes defeat.

The African lies on his back and stares into the sky before pulling his earphones to provide a soundtrack for his transition to Loser-ville. About 30 minutes go by with by with The African just staring at the sky before the night is saved again, this time by music. Conquest of Paradise, an instrumental track by Vangelis pops up on the playlist and inspires The African to rise once more. The combatant tone of the song paints a glorious picture to the African about the power of resilience and further reminds him that he still has a Mountain waiting to be conquered. He looks around and sees that The Englishman and the Artist are still waiting for him after all this time and so now he’s compelled to push on, no excuses. He thanks them for their patience and declares that it’s game on!     

ROUND 11: At the very offset of the renewed initiative, The African realised that his body could no longer walk or climb forward & upwards, irrespective of whatever faith had been restored by the music. The front muscles and joints could barely move forwards on a flatbed, never mind on an incline. No matter though, he was ready to lean on the railing and climb this brutal staircase backwards. That way he would move a lot quicker and there’d be a whole different part of his body doing the hard work now, even if it meant looking odd and somewhat silly to onlookers

And so he leaned on that railing for support, and repeatedly dragged his worn out body backwards, yelling in determination whilst also vowing to never ever even look at another mountain after this, let alone climb one. And then he falls. He knew it was coming. Like the boxer that knows his opponents’ hook is coming but yet still gets floored because his reflexes can no longer keep pace with his mind.

A few steps above The African, there stood The Englishman. He looked down and asked The African if he was okay to continue. Before the African even began to answer he saw a splendid sight; It was the red temple at the top of the mountain. It was the real one this time, no doubt about it. It had every significant detail he’d seen in the pictures.

With barely enough energy left to talk, The African nodded to the Englishman and stood up to reaffirm his power. He could never forgive himself if he failed to finish now. Just as he still hadn’t forgiven Real Madrid for not winning the league the previous season. The frustration of that collapse will haunt him for a while still.

ROUND 12: The African is still climbing backwards. His body is too worn out to move forwards now. Or stand up straight, for that matter. His every backward step towards the summit requires a firm grip of the railing at the edge of the staircase. It's the abject defiance of a boxer who's taken such a beating that he can't continue the fight nor move about within the ring without leaning against the ropes.  It's a woeful scene. Moving in its courageous moral but distressing due to the possible consequence.

After a seemingly eternal period of climbing, screaming and grunting, The Englishman tells the African they're about to do it. They will make it in time for the sunrise. He tells The African to turn around and look how far he's come; there are only 18 more steps. Out of 7000 or so steps, there are only 18 left.

The mountain still stood strong as  the fight closed. The African's pitiful physical state ensures that the mountain will maintain its fearsome reputation. And it's not just physical punishment that's been dished out, The Mountain has wounded The African's pride. All the torment of the staircases has ensured that the African doesn't finish the contest gracefully.

The African has crawled past the last step. The contest is over. And it's ended just before sunrise too. The Artist and The Englishman are there besides The African to congratulate him on going the distance.

POST-FIGHT REPORT: IT IS OVER! It's finally over and The African has done it! The winner of the contest, without needing to check the judge's scorecards, is without question The Mountain but by going the distance, the African has ensured that he will at least leave with his honour intact.

The scene is littered with post-bout wanderers who are scrambling around, taking pictures, singing victorious songs and celebrating The Mountain's summit. Amidst all this mayhem, The African spots The Artist. Somehow she can still stand. She walks over to him and talks of her excitement to see the sunrise. 

Across the heavens, the sun slowly begins to make its presence felt and seen with all its majesty. Everyone is in awe and gawks at its brilliance. The thing about witnessing a sunrise from 5000 ft in the air is that the great fireball, at first beam, looks like a little speck adorning your view. And as the dawn gets brighter, the speck grows larger and then seems like a little trinket. It comes closer and closer towards you, leading you to almost be convinced that at any moment now, it will be close enough for you to reach out and touch it.

The Artist and The Englishman take out their cameras and join the crowds to capturing this splendor. It’s The Mountain’s crowning moment and so The African turns his back to the entire spectacle and licks his spiritual 
wounds. He breathes heavily and thinks of Belinda.

Book Review: THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA by Ernest Hemingway

Every so often I'm blessed enough to come across an item of fiction that could serve as part of a manual for how one ought to carry themselves in life. Mario Puzo's The Godfather was such a book, Alexandre Dumas' The Count Of Monte Cristo was such a book, Ngugi wa Thiongo's Matigari was such a book,   but the most recent work to leave this impression on me was THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA by Ernest Hemingway. It's a story of struggle, dignity, redemption and pyrrhic victory. The narrative is also easily relatable to anyone familiar with the turbulence and strains that are part and parcel of attaining a worthwhile prize.

So the synopsis is this: Santiago, the protagonist in the story, is a down-on-his-luck Cuban fisherman whose pride is injured after slowly watching his standing in the community dwindle to near laughing stock status; His glory days are behind him, the physical strength of his youth is a thing of the past, his daily occupation is being a fisherman but his success rate is deplorable,   his only friend is isolated from him and the state of his home is sad & pitiful. Beleaguered but not defeated, Santiago gets on his boat and takes to the sea on a fishing expedition as a means of restoring his pride.

Our main character is not a conventional leading man. He's not an alpha-male, he's past the prime of his life, and he's somewhat lacking in success or potential. But despite these shortcomings, he has other qualities that win him favour with the reader; Masculinity, wisdom, and sensitivity.  In addition to these honourable traits, he's a sports fan! Santiago is a Baseball aficionado and idolises the New York Yankees luminary, Joe Di Maggio, in a manner that's common to any every day man or woman who's modelled bits of themselves on some heroic figure or another.  And because of all these relatable qualities, the seemingly simplistic story takes on a new level of significance to the reader. Hemingway, in a style of writing that may be common to many but was certainly new to me, summons and then manipulates that inner warrior-spirit that lies deep in the heart of any remotely courageous individual and channels it towards supporting Santiago on his adventure. From this point on, the book is almost undroppable because the reader is gripped and absolutely MUST know how the story develops and ends.

Fast-forward to the story's greatest development; Santiago on his fishing boat, is far out to sea and has finally caught a fish.  Not just any fish, but a gargantuan marlin. He's truly hit the jackpot and now all he has to do is take his prize back to shore but it's not that simple... This enormous fish is a stubborn and ferocious adversary to Santiago and will not submit meekly to capture. In addition to that, it’s far too large for him to pull on to the boat. Norman Mailer once said that "Masculinity is not something given to you, but something you gain. And you gain it by winning small battles with honour" and the contest that ensues next between Santiago and the fish really epitomises that philosophy. Unable to pull in the great marlin, Santiago is instead overwhelmed its strength and is dragged back-and-forth himself. Two days and nights pass with Santiago battling for strength and livelihood. Though wounded by the struggle and in pain, Santiago expresses a compassionate appreciation for his adversary, often referring to him as a brother. He also determines that because of the fish's great dignity, no one shall be worthy of eating the marlin. On the third day, the fish finally begins to tire and Santiago, also worn out and almost delirious, uses all his strength to pull the fish and stab the marlin with a harpoon. Santiago straps the marlin to the side of his fishing boat and then heads home with the hope of sharing the marlin's splendour with his whole community. The enduring sentiment that follows the marlin's death is that it and Santiago were rivals with a common essence; And that essence was nobility.

After the gruelling episode of battling the marlin far out in the sea, old man Santiago then faces the tragedy of his efforts. On his return to shore, the sharks are attracted to the marlin's blood and begin to eat away at the dead fish. Santiago tries to fight them off but it's all in vain. By the time he reaches shore, the sharks have devoured the marlin's entire carcass, leaving a massive skeleton consisting mostly of its backbone, its tail and its head. The only source of comfort for the reader comes from the truthful flare in Hemingway's writing. Hemingway's storytelling method illustrates that it is effort, not success, which makes you a man. The spoils of success are good for as long as they last but the nobility of trying lasts forever. And in that lesson lies the beauty of old man Santiago's loss.

Perhaps the greatest gem of wisdom to be found in the entire story is that it recognises the honour of struggle. In his acclaimed documentary titled South Of The Border, Oliver Stone compares the lesson  of THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA to what Cuba as a country experienced a few years after the story’s publication in 1951. His basic analysis was this: The Cuban population, under the leadership of Fidel Castro, fought hard and caught a great fish (The Cuban Revolution) but following that, they were almost helpless to stop  their great catch from being torn apart by the 'sharks' (External forces that sought to destroy the progress and aspirations of the Cuban Revolution). Win or lose though, Oliver Stone highlights how Castro and Cuba will always have the nobility of trying and proving their strength of character.

There are also a few movies that one could claim are ‘spiritual descendants’ of THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA however the most high-profile archetype available is the 2006 Sylvester Stallone film, Rocky VI.  The movie's main character, Rocky Balboa, a thoroughly aged and retired former boxing champion takes to the ring, just as Santiago took to the sea, to win back his pride and give a sense of meaning to his dull, stagnant and morbidly depressing life.  He then lands his big fish by securing a glamorous prize fight in Las Vegas. But despite fighting bravely and honourably, it's a losing effort. As was the case for Santiago. As we watch Rocky lose, there's an air of beauty to his loss because he walks away with his pride intact and his legend enhanced. Much like old man Santiago.

We live in a world that almost always lauds victory and often crassly ignores effort but what we often overlook is that for every heroic individual who succeeds, there are countless others who try and fail in a virtuous manner. THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA is a tale that symbolically recognises all those the world often ignores. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in exploring the dynamics and tragedy of struggle.

Man of the World

A girl I once knew would often use the phrase "a man of the world" when she spoke of the sort of guys she found enticing, alluring and intriguing. This term rings of grandeur from its sound alone because it conjures up the imagery of certain icons of history who've carried the mantle of being their respective era or area's "man of the world", and most recently I've found myself thinking about the possible meaning and supposed implications of this term...

So exactly who and what is a "man of the world”? Is it a man who is well travelled? Not necessarily. Is it a man who possesses worldly intelligence? Perhaps, but there's more to it than that. Is it a man that has a sense of adventure in the way he goes about his daily routine or life in general? Definitely but we can't limit our definition to that premise alone.  Is it a man who embodies wisdom, experience and sophistication? Absolutely! But perhaps the mark of a true "man of the world" lies in his ability to utilise any combination of the above mentioned attributes and then transcend his purpose in whatever his given field may be.

Possibly one of the foremost prerequisites of a "man of the world" is the ability to tackle contemporary issues self-assuredly. A "man of the world" is, as the tag implies, worldly and also wise. He knows things, lots of things. He reads books, follows the news, talks to stimulating people, and debates a wide variety of topics. Malcolm X was such a man. Officially, he was a Muslim minister but his endless quest for knowledge and his unmatched oratory and debating skills meant that he was a revolutionary kind of minister - a man of the world! Malcolm X could discuss post-colonial African politics, race relations in America, biblical scripture, Islamic scripture, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and a wide range of other topics. Men of the world are often the called upon by their communities and peers to provide guidance and insight on current issues so it's important for them to as informed as they possibly can on any range of issues.

Another distinctive trait about a "man of the world" is how he uses his leisure time to pursue his passions and interests. A "man of the world" usually has hobbies and pastimes that keep his mind creative, teach him valuable skills, and re-awaken his soul all with the end result of helping him become a well-rounded individual. Some play a sport as a means of sustaining their competitive spirit. Some play a musical instrument to get in touch with their artistic side and, let's be honest, impress the ladies. Some learn a new language to expand their cultural range or improve their employment potential. Some write articles, books, or poetry as an outlet for sharing passions or knowledge. In fact there are many other pastimes I could mention that befit a "man of the world" and each man partakes in whatever activity that brings balance to his life. Julius Caesar, for example, is best known for being the statesman and military general that laid the foundations for the dominance of the Roman Empire but in his spare time, he wrote poetry and also jotted down his memoirs during his period on the battlefield. Former world heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson, earned the nickname "The baddest man on the planet" owing to the vicious beatings he dished out to his opponents in the ring but outside the ring, he had a soft spot for pigeons... Even to this day he collects them, breeds them, feeds them and races them. The pastimes that a "man of the world" dabbles in often serve as a reminder to onlookers that passion goes hand-in-hand with satisfaction, and without it, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last.

In certain cases there are some "men of the world" who are bestowed with that tag because they excel at a practically everything they tackle. Each of them is viewed as a "jack of all trades"; A renaissance man. Perhaps the most emblematic figure from this particular category of men is Leonardo Da Vinci because he believed that man could be as brilliant as his curiosity allowed him to be and the versatility of his genius defines the characteristics of a renaissance man.  He created artworks of astonishing beauty (including the "Mona Lisa", the most famous painting in the world), he built terrifying war machines, he designed flying machines 400 years before man took to the sky, he studied anatomy and was the first to assert that clogging of the arteries causes heart failure, he suggested ways of taking man to the bottom of the sea 300 years before it was actually done, and he was a pioneer in the field of astronomy. Such a man is regarded as a "man of the world" because of the seemingly effortless ease with which he applies his expertise to a number of different subject areas. Another icon that fits into this mould is Frantz Fanon, the Martinique-born Afro-French psychiatrist, philosopher, revolutionary, and writer. Fanon's writing was so gripping & hypnotic that even today, more than 50 years after his death, his works continue to inspire liberation movements in Palestine, Sri Lanka, the U.S. and a large part of the African continent. His understanding of the human mind and the psychology of oppression was so profound that he effectively prophesised the treacherous path taken by so many African countries upon attaining political independence. During his time in North Africa, he also served as Ambassador to Ghana for the Provisional Algerian Government (GPRA) and attended conferences in Accra, Conakry, Addis Ababa, Leopoldville, Cairo and Tripoli. What made Fanon such a "man of the world" was that he stretched his capabilities as fully as possible and did so while trying to set right some of humanity's greatest ills.

There also exists the kind of "man of the world" whose worldliness is shaped by their extensive travels or whose mere being is evidence of an almost universal expedition. Hugh Masekela, for example, is such a man. As a skilled young musician, Hugh escaped the limiting confines of Apartheid South Africa by earning scholarships to nurture his trumpet skills first in London's Guildhall School of Music and then Manhattan School of Music in New York before he eventually became a major international music star in the 1970's. True to his roots, his music not only reflected his life experience but also the agony, conflict, and exploitation South Africa faced during the Apartheid regime's reign of terror. He was an artist who, in his music, vividly portrayed the struggles and sorrows, as well as the joys and passions of his country. Because his music protested about systemic slavery, oppressive governance and general hardships individuals were living in, Masekela reached a significant global population of people that also felt oppressed due to their own respective situations of hardship. And along the way, as his career progressed, he lived in Ginuea, Liberia and Ghana before finally returning to South Africa after apartheid ended. Hugh Masekela: A globetrotter who wasn't just empowered by his extensive travels, but also used them as a mechanism of activism; A man of the world!

Although there's such a complexity in defining one, sometimes it's easy to spot a "man of the world" if you come across him. Some are recognisable by a simplistic elegance in their mannerisms or that unmistakable air of self-assurance when they speak. Turn on SuperSport and you'll see that elegance in Robert Marawa, turn on Russia Today and you'll observe that air of self-assurance in Vladimir Putin while he gives a speech, even though you don't know a word of Russian. But perhaps the best the best place to find a first-class example of a "man of the world" is in the world of fiction and entertainment because film directors and authors have the freedom to embroider and inflate a fictional character in a way that most real-life figures would battle to match. James Bond is probably the most iconic "man of the world" from the film industry; He drives fast cars, sleeps with exotic women, dresses impeccably, exudes charm, vacations in spectacular resorts and knows martial arts. The world of literature also has more than its fair share of fictional "men of the world" but there's one standout figure that can't be overlooked for mention; The Count of Monte Cristo! The intrigue of Edmond Dantes/The Count of Monte Cristo lies in his journey that commenced with him living in meagre circumstances and culminated in his self-reinvention to a quintessential "man of the world". In the process of this metamorphosis, he mastered his understanding of economics, mathematics, chemistry, philosophy and became fluent in several languages. He was a man that demonstrated wide experience in the ways of the world and people; an urbane, sophisticated man.

After analysing several different angles and aspects, we can infer that a "man of the world" is not a walking, talking cliché. His distinctive qualities are often, in no particular order or combination, a sense of adventure, a thirst for knowledge and a drive to excel. We all have that person or two (maybe even more if you're lucky) in our lives who fits the bill of a "man of the world" and have grown used to his ways... He constantly speaks universal truths like the rooster that can't stop crowing once its seen light while he also stands strikingly upright so that those in the darkness may see the power of that light. And all this is usually executed with a most placate demeanour. Oh what a man!