hmm
Tropheus related.....
how About Mbita Island tropheus which is a really under rated fish. It is every bit as colourful as Kasakawalwe (Mpulungu)
it has a lovely yellow spot on its side with yellow around the eyes. These fish swarm around the Island in Huge numbers. very very easy to collect and they are only about a 1.5 Klm from my front door, which is nice.
Unfortunately i dont have a camera. i am planning on a digital DSLR very soon. I would love a 1Ds MkII ..(hang on a sec , need to put my tongue back in..its on the floor drooling) alas thats an 8000 dollar camera not to mention the houosing and strobes. sure would be nice though.
Mbita Island got its name from the local tribe , the Lungu tribe. MpuLUNGU actually means "place for Lungu's". the Lungus brought there God and Goddess with them when they migrated down the lake back in the mists of time ( as you do ). On the Journey down they were arguing so much that they had to seperate them. The God, Lord kapembwa was installed on Cape kapembwa and Goddess Mbita was placed on the Island. this was done to keep them apart. ever since Mbita Island has been a scared Island and no one is allowed to live there. Women are expressley forbidden to step foot on the Island because the Lungu's say she is very jealous of other women. sounds fair to me. Once in a light hearted moment i suggested to a village headman that it would be a great place to build a bar....as no wife could come and drag you out as women are forbidden...that didn't earn me any brownie points i can tell you. I have since learnt to be very respectful of local customs and traditions.
As recently as the 1930's it was said the local tribe was still sacrificing the first born baby of the season as a offering to the Goddess for good fishing for the coming year. this was outlawed by the British occupation force of the time.
all the while the Mbita tropheus was swimming around underneath all this , just waiting to be found. this seems odd to me to say we found it...i say they were never "lost" so how did we "find" them ?? oops dont let me get on my soap box ;-)
Below is a view of Mbita island from my Front yard
