A simple, emotionally astute tale of remembrance. There is a book that recounts the way that the zoo at Ueno in Tokyo killed its animals, an army decision taken under the withering air raids of WW2 , putting as ever the superfluous multitudinous humans above the rare animals, except in their own actions: bizarre. The result was that the Kowaiso no zao (by Yukio Tsuchiya) tells the story of the elephants left to starve as no effective alternative was found. This book has become the annual reading of 81-year old social critic Akiyama Chieko no Danwa-shitsu". 10 minute ‘chat’ show for 31 years. This book has been translated into English as Faithful Elephants by Tomoko Tsuchiya (the daughter of the writer!)
© TR 17th/10/ 98
© Teal Ray... (with acknowledgement to Steve Hartley, Uzbekistan and the camels for inspiration)...