the Matriarch of My
Herd.
My heritage is Asia or Asiatic.
In sub-tropical regions we live today ~
also tropics of Africa and Asia
on savannas, grasslands and forests,
in deserts, swamps and in mountains.
A variety of locations we have,
needing food-source varieties to consume.
Emigrated paths we formed to follow each year.
“How
is the Matriarch determined?” you may ask.
She's usually the cow closest related to the previous Matriarch.
Her eldest daughter and her calves gravitate naturally together
making her quite simply to identify.
In crisis, the herd, on her depend
to make decisions as to course of action.
Like humans, some elephants are born to be leaders.
Successful leaders can earn respect
through wisdom, confidence with other elephants.
The
Matriarch needs to instill her dominance.
They need to care for for the needs of the herd
(as well as members of other herds.)
Another elephant may challenge her authority ~
'overpowering' to usurp the older cow.
Herds are usually Elephants (6 to 12).
Should the herd become too large,
some daughters with their young, break away
to form a new group, on the Matriarch's instruction.
This may happen if food and water is not sufficent.
As they travel in single file,
calves follow the mother obediently
holding onto their tails with strong little trunks.
The Matriarch teaches her oldest daughter
how to care for the young.
Once they start to bear babies, her sisters will assist
(training them for their own first calves).
The Matriarch determines what's important for that herd
and the mothers, accordingly, teach the young.
Females of the herd adhere 'herd structure'
while males tend to follow more 'regulations fluid.'
The calves require training ~ how to search water and food,
how to look for a mate
and how to fulfill specific roles within the herd.
Among the males is a hierarchy:
The
oldest and largest, typically is dominate.
Free of child-raising tasks, they live the lives of 'bachelorhood'
roaming the savannas for food, water and sleep.
The guys hang out in groups ~ living nomadic and solitary lives.
Reaching puberty ('round 12 years or more)
he becomes more independent of his family 'til breaking away
completely
to either roam alone ~ or find a loosely-knit group of elephants to
join.
Bees, wasps and hornets, elephants dislike.
They'll send alarm systems telling the herds:
“Stay
Away!” 'cause stings affect the cubs' eyes,
their trunks and their ears.
And then one day, my right ear was stung by a bee.
Oh what? Oh, what can I do?”
Phant,
from the roaming males, knew just what to do!
From the fruit of a tropical palm,
he crushed in some mud (or perhaps a bird-dropping);
and with his trunk, as a plaster, he placed it upon my ear ~
rubbing it, soothing it, rubbing it: removing the blasted stinger!
Mating is basically a game of tag: females run away 'til ready to
mate.
Elephant pairs don't display 'courtship.'
So
Phant
stopped
my running with his trunk:
he rested his head upon my back ~ then mounted me
(lasting less than a minute).
Copulation is quick ~ then we parted ways.
Phant,
now
incited, moved quickly on ~ to romance another female.
Two years from now, I'll give birth to my cub.
Musing
about my pregnancy, I pray to Ganess
(The
Lord of Good Fortune) in
Hindu language.
Wisdom, in human form ~ 'tis represented by the Elephant.
(From the memoirs of ELE and PHANT)
Stated the Matriarch Mother from experience:
“Being
a Mother is learning about the strengths you didn't know you had; and
dealing with fears you didn't know existed. If there ever comes a
day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart and I'll stay
there forever.”
Today, most of the Elephants roaming in Africa, live in National
Parks, offering them plenty of room to survive. Protected, it helps
their population growth and here they can freely roam.
(#5 in my Regime of Animal Life)
Composed by Merle Baird-Kerr...June 17, 2018
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