In the 4th installment of David Attenborough’s masterful ‘Africa’ series he documented the transformation of the Kingfish from aggressive warrior-hunters to pilgrims as they gracefully enter the fresh-waters of the Mtentu river led by their patriarch – the ‘King of Kingfish’. For all we know they have been doing it for millions of years.
It’s as though the river is an aquatic cursus, a ceremonial pilgrimage route.
‘In response to an unknown cue they stop and begin to circle’.
‘in truth the purpose of this strange behaviour is still unknown.’
‘they don’t breed or spawn, neither do they hunt. So what are they doing?’
In answer to Sir David’s question – why then, do the kingfish pilgrimage up the Mtentu river and form a whirlpool vortex? For the simple reason of expressing the joy of life by resonating with the whirlpool vortex whose dimensions are based on phi. Maybe there is an energy vortex too at this point in the river. Our intrepid explorers are currently scoping this part of the river using sophisticated geographical software and ancient maps of the energy grid from antiquity to ascertain the activity in the area and will report back in due course with their findings.
Later on in the programme he mentions that neither do they know why a springbok jumps in the air. It came to our attention recently that scientists don’t know how cats purr. We know surprisingly a lot yet surprisingly little about nature.
Why do the kingfish form a whirlpool? why does the springbok jump? why does the dolphin ride the waves? why does the song-bird sing in the morning? You may as well ask why do the national ballet perform? why do singers sing? why do artists paint? why do surfers ride waves?
The material reductionist Dawkinsian viewpoint will probably never know what the poet has always known.
You can catch the full programme on IPlayer for the time being at least if you are in the UK or using a UK proxy here. (@ approx. 20.30)
The giant trevally (Kingfish) has been used by humans since prehistoric times, with the oldest known records of the capture of this species by Hawaiians, whose culture held the fish in high regard. The ulua, as the fish is known to Hawaiians, was likened to a fine man and strongwarrior, which was the cause of a ban on women eating the species in antiquity. The species was often used in Hawaiian religious rites, and took place of a human sacrifice when none was available. Culturally, the fish was seen as a god, and treated as gamefish which commoners could not hunt. There are many mentions of ulua in Hawaiian proverbs, all generally relating to the strength and warrior-like qualities of the fish – Source