A young Quagga foal has been named “Khumba’ after the lead character in the latest movie from Triggerfish Animation Studios.
Part of the Quagga Project Association, Khumba’s real-life counterpart also has only half his stripes. The association is volunteer-based and has brought this previously extinct variety of zebra “back to life’.
According to Craig Lardner from the Quagga Project Association, the “real’ Khumba will live on the slopes of Table Mountain in the SANParks reserve in the Western Cape.
Says Anthony Silverston, director of the film: “I remember reading about the Quagga as a child and being fascinated by the fact that an extinct animal could come back to life.’
Silverston later realised the potential of this extraordinary creature to represent a strong visual metaphor for anyone struggling with identity.
Says Silverston: “Khumba is a coming-of-age story about a zebra searching for his missing stripes as a way to be accepted back by his herd, but really his journey is a personal one of self-acceptance. I was fascinated by the question, ‘How many stripes does it take to make a whole zebra?'”
Co-writer of Khumba, Raffaella Delle Donne, comments: “It is a pleasing analogy for a story about our common humanity, despite our differences, whether they have to do with culture, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
“Khumba’s journey is something with which all of us can relate – the quest to feel comfortable in our own skin.’
Originating from the isiZulu and isiXhosa word, “Khumba’ means “skin’ and, in the movie, Khumba defines himself by his exterior. Only when he comprehends that his difference is a good thing, can he look beyond himself and find the courage to help the rest of the animals in the Karoo.
When researching Khumba, Silverston met with Professor Reinhold Rau, the founder of the Quagga Project Association. Rau started the investigation that ultimately proved the Quagga is simply a subspecies of zebra that looks dissimilar rather than being an entirely separate species.
“It is exciting to be associated with the Khumba story,’ says Lardner. “The Quagga Project’s awareness will no doubt now grow as youngsters and school learners are afforded the opportunity to visit the “live’ Khumba in one of our locations on the slopes of Table Mountain.’
Visit www.KhumbaMovie.com for more information about the film which releases in South Africa through Indigenous Film Distribution on 25 October 2013.
